“Ah.” Garin crossed his arms, belatedly understanding. “The seamstress Herlinde was part of the crowd of shopkeepers, passerby, and unscathed patrons who emerged to help evacuate everyone from The Fool's Folly. I was among them.” He turned to Lilac with a pensive expression. “Do you not remember me?”
She blinked slowly at him, unsure of where he would steer her partial lies. “It was all a blur, and you do not have a memorable face at all. So, no.”
He ignored her comment and continued. “Well, Herlinde was the first familiar face I saw. Earlier in the week I’d visited her after hearing of her enchanted wares and finery, and she’d sold me this lovely coat.” He fluffed his fur collar. Shocked whispers erupted around the room at his casual mention of Herlinde’s magic. “I spotted Her Majesty struggling and ensured she was brought to safety. Passed her onto Herlinde, who took herinto her nearby shop. Of course, I didn’t know she was the queen at the time.”
“Thank fuck.” She was beginning to feel unfortunately brazen and regretted not eating at breakfast. “I wouldn’t have wanted you to feel obliged to drag me back here and leverage such a grand gesture for my hand.”
Garin chuckled. “Maximilian is the one in need of leveraging. I wouldn’tfathom…” He pursed his lips and glanced knowingly at the gaggle of giddy onlookers—Marguerite, her former court, even some of Lilac’s staff. “You know what I mean.”
“Fortunately, I do.” Lilac cocked her head, suppressing a smile. “And you? What did you think of your stay there, Lord Fritsch?”
At that moment, Hedwig began to pile some of the cakes onto a tray atop her cart. “Afternoon tea in the Grand Hall. If anyone is interested, please follow me. At this rate, tonight’s merriments will start early. Better to have the ale flowing.” She marched brusquely across the foyer and into the west corridor. Henri made to follow, but Marguerite caught him by the arm.
No one else moved a muscle.
Lilac stilled, ready for whatever scapegoat he’d divulge next. Bracing herself. Daring him.
But Garin only sighed defeatedly and spoke to the room, his back to her. “What I think is, in the midst of my travels to your beautiful Bretagne for the first time, on a conquest for her queen’s affection on behalf of my emperor, I got carried away. And while I might have spent my first few nights here enjoying the verybestof what the kingdom has to offer—” He pivoted to Lilac, his forehead creasing in pity. “Fucking my way through Rennes was not the most appropriate way to deal with my nerves, I’m sure you agree. What I think, Your Majesty,” he said, taking a slow step toward her. “Is that we both are twotitledindividuals who were caught in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”
Lilac held her ground, but her knees shook as he approached. She’d been an idiot to try to out-humiliate him.
“We’ll let bygones be bygones, Your Majesty. I won’t say anything about what I have seen and heard of you to Maximilian and the rest of our court if you, nor your family’s court, will say nothing outside this room aboutme.” He gave a long, sweeping look around the room, at the crowd watching them both with bated breath, before his eyes settled hungrily upon Lilac. “Or my appetites. One word out of any of you, and Ambrosius and I traipse back to safety—but not before I send a pigeon to Vienna with news of Brittany’s most scandalous queen. Who knows what would happen then?”
All Lilac had for him was an expression of conflicted hatred impossible to mask, regardless of how hard she tried. Henri and Marguerite stared helplessly at her.
Her father could sense her simmering anger, though he would never know the full reasons behind it; he locked eyes with her and shook his head minutely, begging her not to do anything that would jeopardize their path to safety.
“Then, you and your tiny kingdom might find yourselves cornered by two enemies.” Garin reached out to place his hand on Lilac, but she recoiled. He only smiled, and dropped his arm at his side. “Rest assured, Maximilian’s offer remains unaffected as long as your generous offer of hospitality does. I have heard nothing but great things about the Trécesson soirees and your Hedwig’s fine dining. Plus,” he said, glancing around, “I could not help but notice your lack of sentries. Two here in your foyer, approximately eight I spotted outside including two in the immediate vicinity of the bailey and six up on the ramparts.”
“They have better use out east. I have sent a group of them to Fougères,” Lilac said firmly. “They are to return after scouting the bordering towns in a show of non-violent force.”
Garin examined her, lips pursing in real disapproval. “You must be careful, Your Majesty. Whether it be your former duke, the fine ladies of your mother’s court” —his mercurial eyes darted to Agnes, whose face blanched— “or even the valet of the emissary sent through mountain and moor to ask your hand.” Myrddin didn’t say a word. “Your kingdom should be parading with guards, each one of them a watchful eye on the day a foreign dignitary visits ahead of a most imminent celebration. Especially during times of such unrest between not only your crown and another, but the enchanted forest that borders your home.” Garin stepped back and glanced out the window nearest the west corridor. “You all would be shocked tofind just how quickly the most diplomatic meeting can turn into a bloodbath.”
Lilac remained where she was, feet planted in place. “The Daemons would never touch my guards,” she said, the hatred in her voice very real, yet somehow forced. His taunting words did nothing to quell her terrible urges warring to kiss and throttle him. “Wronged as they are, they know better than to retaliate while I’m attempting to guard their homes, too.”
“Do they?” Garin walked back, shrugging with his hands in his pockets. “Take a look for yourself.”
Knowing he was being sarcastic, she was forced to look anyway, the muscles of her shoulders pivoting her first so that the rest of her body followed. She glanced out the open doors instead of the window—beyond the bailey, past her iron gates, and into the treeline.
Brocéliande was peaceful and still despite the clear day.
The champagne in Lilac’s glass shook violently when she turned back to him.
Garin bending, propping himself up on one leg. On his knee. His throat bobbed, and he looked up at her with a solemnity she’d never seen before.
Lilac’s entire body went rigid. “What are you doing?” Her heart dropped. “What do you think you’re?—”
“You’re right.” Garin’s voice wavered. “This cannot wait. I can see what this is doing to you, the unfathomable stress you are under. Imagine having the backing of an army so lithe, so formidable with such unmatched knowledge of the forested terrain that you wouldn’t have to worry your pretty little head about any of this.”
That wasn’t what any of this was ever about. Her face was almost numb with heat, but she couldn’t do anything but shake her head.
Gently, Garin slipped his fingers beneath hers. His skin was warm, his hand slightly trembling beneath hers as he held it up.
“Garin,” she whispered, but he cut her off.
“I know we haven’t known each other long. Imagine how your subjects might regard you if you agreed to an alliance securing not only your right to defend your kingdom, but the sheer power in your capability to ward larger powers off?” His gaze ensnared hers. She couldn’t look away. “By right, our alliance will allow you to retain your full sovereignty and right to your throne.”
Thecrowd was still as the leaves outside.
