“Then call me Ansette,” the young princess said, her smile growing wider.
Temp eyed the princess, a true smile on her face for the first time all night. She didn’t know what it was about Ansette that made her feel comfortable, but she seemed like a kindred spirit. The way the princess scanned the room spoke of maturity and knowledge above her fourteen years. It was as if she was somehow aware of everything that was going on. While she seemed on the surface to be a quiet, mousy girl with large spectacles, Tempest could see confidence gleaming in Ansette’s gaze.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, pulling Tempest’s focus to King Destin as he raised himself up to his full formidable height and accepted a new glass of fire whiskey.
“Here comes the announcement,” Ansette muttered, her eyes wide behind her huge, round spectacles.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” King Destin said, smiling broadly for everyone in the room. “Dear friends and family. I’m sure some of you are aware of what I’m about to tell you already, and it will no doubt become common knowledge spread all across the capital tomorrow. Therefore, it is my responsibility this evening to tell each and every one of you some very exciting, important news.” The king glanced at his sons, who did not look all that enthralled by this supposedly exciting news.
Interesting. What was he all about? His sons certainly aren’t happy.
“It is my pleasure to announce that both of my sons are being sent as ambassadors to our brethren in Kopal,” King Destin announced. “This is a promising move for Heimserya and should mark the beginning of a long, happy, and very fruitful relationship with our new allies.”
An alliance with the giants of Kopal. A bold move.
Polite applause and cheers erupted around the room. Several heads nodded in approval, though Tempest noticed Madrid's face was just as impassive as she expected it to be, but there was also something in his gaze… If her uncle was letting that much show, he wasn’t happy. He does not like this plan.
A soft snort to her left pulled her attention to the princess. The girl covered her hand with her mouth, shaking her head. “They are all empty-headed fools,” Ansette muttered, clearly very amused.
Tempest’s gaze shifted around them, searching for anyone near enough to listen in. There were none. One could never be too careful. “Whatever do you mean, Prin—Ansette?” Tempest corrected.
“I think you know exactly what I mean,” Ansette replied, eyes wide and alert as she slanted a look Tempest’s way. “Sending my brothers as ambassadors is going to cause more harm than good, don’t you think? I mean, look at them. They aren’t exactly… diplomatic material.”
Tempest schooled her expression. There was no way she would ever admit how she felt about the princes. To do so was courting death. “As you say, my lady,” she ventured.
Ansette snorted in laughter once more. “You’re more intelligent than my father gives you credit for.” She shook her head. “My father should be helping the kingdom as a whole, especially the shifters being disproportionately hit by the sickness along the Talagan border, instead of forming a treaty with a neighboring country, which will be an uneasy ally at best.” Her expression darkened a touch. There was something about her father in her—an astuteness—that became glaringly apparent with such a look upon her face.
A ruler in the making. She was far more a monarch than her brothers already.
The royal’s expression only grew more serious as she took a step toward Tempest. Ansette tilted her head up to stare directly into Tempest’s eyes. “They will ruin this kingdom.”
The whole conversation had teetered on the edge of treasonous, but that comment tilted it over. Tempest took a step closer to the younger royal. “Be careful, Ansette,” she warned, speaking in low, furtive tones. “If you would permit me, I would advise against speaking of such topics in the company of strangers. You do not understand the danger of your words.”
The girl chuckled, the sound managing to sound pretty and jaded at the same time. Tempest studied the royal. The princess was not yet fifteen, and yet she knew the girl had experienced more of the world than she should have. Ansette bore a shrewd and calculating mind already.
“I know much more than you think, Temp,” Ansette replied. “More than anyone thinks. Don’t think me ignorant. Being raised in the palace exposes one to all sorts of plots, machinations, and assassinations. Young I may be, but my soul is old and tired. I grow weary of the games.”
“Don’t we all,” Temp murmured. “I always thought it more sporting to state your problems outright.”
Ansette patted her on the arm. “A woman after my own soul.” She sighed. “Alas, there are not more like us. I am so very glad I was able to make your acquaintance tonight. I feel like I may have found a kindred spirit in you, but only time will tell.”
What did that mean? “Thank you for your stimulating company.”
The princess nodded and turned to speak to a woman who’d approached them wearing a shimmering golden dress. Tempest tuned out as soon as the woman began to gush about new court fashion. Cocking her head to one side, Tempest regarded Ansette. The girl could be a formidable ally if she played her cards just right.
She blinked slowly and scanned the room, disgusted with herself. The princess might be shrewd, but she was still a child. It was Tempest’s goal to spare the innocent, not embroil them in treachery and deceit. While the princess was not ignorant, she was an innocent, one Tempest had sworn to protect.
Madrid caught her eye, and Tempest wiped all expression from her face. She sighed, feigning boredom. He scowled, and she hid her smile. Needling the stoic man would provide some entertainment until she could be released from the hellish evening.
Winter’s bite, she wanted her bed.
Three
Tempest
“Going somewhere?”
Tempest grimaced and turned toward the door to face Madrid. “It did not seem as if I was needed,” she said. No one had sought her out since the princess had drifted away in another conversation. While Tempest couldn’t quite blend into the decorative wallpaper, not many dared to approach her. Which was fine with her. Most of the king’s court, she desired no acquaintance with.
A flash of something almost like sympathy crossed Madrid’s face, but, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. “You will only gain more and more responsibility with every day you spend on the war council, Tempest. Was that not what you wanted when you sought a seat at the table?”
It had been, of course. For with responsibility came power, and with power came opportunity. The opportunity to discover who exactly was responsible for her mother’s death thirteen years prior.
Do not think of that bastard shifter. He is in the past.
That was a bloody lie.
Nightmares from her childhood still plagued her years later. A shiver wracked Tempest’s spine. Even with the challenges she faced, her mind didn’t wander too far from the night her mother died or from the shifter she was certain had started the fire. One way or another, she’d exact vengeance.
“Tempest?”
“I am able and ready to accept any responsibility the council gives me. I’m at Heimserya’s disposal.” She forced a smile to her face and nodded at Madrid. “So, I am not to slip off to bed… What is it you need me to do?”