Gwen gave her head a shake. “Right. Sorry.” She paused. “Molly, would you rather have a crown or more magic?”
I sucked in my breath. Though it was true the questions had been getting more serious, that had been somewhat rude. “Gwen.”
She shrugged. “It’s no more serious than what she asked you.”
Molly looked down at her teacup. “Except that when I asked Jorah her question, I already knew her answer because I know her that well.”
An awkward silence fell on the table as Molly’s point struck home.
“Well?” Gwen asked softly. “Are you not going to answer it? It’s a valid concern.”
Molly stood, the tears very obviously welling in her eyes. “No, because if you knew me, truly knew me, you’d know it’s not a valid concern because I wantneither. If you truly knew who I was, you’d know I just want to find the love of my life. That’s simply it.” And then she stood abruptly, turning toward me and Renna. “Thank you for having me.”
As soon as she was gone, Renna turned on Gwen. “Why did you even have to go there, Gwen? It screams of jealousy.”
Gwen shook her head, her cheeks going pink. “It’s a valid concern. I just don’t think she’s right for Keir at all!”
I pushed my magic down, knowing the emotions in the room could be a cause for it to flare. “Was anyone other than yourself ever good enough for Keir in your opinion?” I asked gently. Seeing she got even more red in her face, I added, “And I’m not harboring any judgement or ill will against you because of things with Keir. I am happy with Krew.”
Gwen stood, blinking hard as if fighting off tears of her own. “I do think I am best for Keir. Because I know how I feel about him, okay?”
Renna gave her a nod. “Okay, that’s fine, honey. Let’s just try not to tear others down in order to get what we want, all right?” she paused. “At the end of the day, it’s not your decision. It’s Keir’s. And that might be horrible, but it doesn’t make it any less of a truth. You don’t get to decide for him. He has to choose you back.”
Gwen stepped back, her chair almost tipping over behind her. “I don’t know how to do this, okay? Jorah says she loves Krew right in front of you, Renna, and you act like it doesn’t bother you. If Molly said that about Keir in front of me, I’d probably burst into tears. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to be friends with her when she’s trying to take him away from me!”
Renna and I looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Part of me wanted to just tell her everything. That Renna and I had never been in competition with each other. Would never be. “Gwen.”
“I’ll just go,” she said, wiping at her eyes as she left.
Renna slumped back in her chair. “It had been such a fun afternoon until the end there.”
I did the same. “I agree.”
“You know what being in Keir’s Assemblage was like. Do you think he will take those two down to the end?” she asked quietly.
I let out a sigh. “I don’t know. I don’t talk to Keir about it because we have an amicable sort of peace going on currently and I don’t want to mess with it. But for both their sakes, I hope the Assemblages are done soon.”
With everything else going on, Krew and I secretly getting married and bonded, and the well of power I now had in becoming one of the most powerful Enchanted in Wylan, I had almost forgotten about the Assemblages in recent days. While Krew’s Assemblage might be only a farce to keep up appearances, Keir’s was still very much in the air. Who he chose could very well become the next queen.
I wanted him to find the happiness Krew and I found, but I also selfishly hoped he chose wisely.
For all of us.
CHAPTER9
“Tiny!”
I missed that never-quiet voice and the big man who carried it. I'd learned the hard way the king didn't like the friends I kept. After he sent a message by starting a fire in the kitchen, I'd done my best over the last few months to stay away from the kitchen and the kitchen staff.
But every once in a while, like today on our way back in from feeding my friend of the wolf variety, Rafe, I’d slow down just to observe the hustle and bustle.
“Chef,” I greeted back. “How are things?”
“Well,” Maurice rubbed his chin, “but George will not stop moaning about how he misses your cookies.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Still? But I taught you the way.”
He swatted the air and leaned in to say quietly, “You and I both know I don’t make them as well as you do.”
