“And you without a library handy.” He grinned at her consternation. “Guess you’ll have to wait to look it up.”
“Actually, we have an excellent library,” Wilhelm said, jumping on the opportunity with admirable alacrity. “I’d be delighted to escort you after breakfast, Princess Salena Nakoa KauPo.”
“I’ll go with you,” Rhy drawled, lounging back in his chair, gaze resting on Wilhelm with lethal intent. “You know how I love a good library.”
“Me too,” Gen piped up, looking between Rhy and Lena. Good. Someone needed to play referee there. Wilhelm didn’t look happy, but everyone else relaxed.
“And we have a great deal to discuss,” King Cavan said to Astar. “I’ve assembled my advisers, and Nix and I are prepared to discuss what you’ve brought from Her Majesty. We’ll meet you in an hour in the council chambers?”
“Yes, indeed,” Astar said as they all rose. The king and queen proceeded from the room, and Astar offered a hand to Zeph, helping her rise. Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed the ruby engagement ring. “What are your plans, lovely Zephyr?”
“You’ll be in these meetings all day,” she said on a sigh.
“Most likely,” he conceded. “But you don’t need to attend.”
“You can join us,” Jak said, coming around the table to assist Stella from her chair, putting himself firmly between her and Wilhelm. She had cleaned her plate, he noted with satisfaction. “Nilly and I plan to work on her offensive sorcery. She could use a living target with feathers she wouldn’t mind singeing,” he added with a wink.
“Jak, that’s not true,” Stella protested, though she giggled. Everyone but Wilhelm and Marjolein paused at the sound, looking at her in astonishment, then at him. He couldn’t help grinning. Yes, that was his giggle.
Zeph threw a significant glance at his groin. “Apparently rumor didn’t exaggerate, and it’s exactly as magical as the stories make out.”
Stella blushed furiously as Astar ran a hand over his face, groaning. “Zephyr.”
Zeph patted him on the cheek. “You’ll get used to it over time, darling. Come on, let’s go for a walk or something, get some fresh air before we have to sit in meetings for the rest of the day.”
He cocked his head at her. “You know you don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do,” she said firmly. “Queen Nix seems like an excellent role model, so I’m going to watch and learn how to be a good queen.”
“You’ll be amazing,” he replied, and they left the room, heads bent together.
Marjolein watched them go with an odd look on her face. “He’s really in love with her,” she murmured.
“He is,” Stella replied in a firm but gentle tone. “And that’s our grandmother Salena’s ruby ring Zeph is wearing.”
“I know she’s your friend,” Wilhelm said, “and certainly an incredibly beautiful woman, but she doesn’t seem to have what it takes to be high queen.”
“Oh?” Stella asked, still mildly, but magic thickened around her, making the hairs on the back of Jak’s neck stand on end. “What does it take?”
Wilhelm was clearly taken aback by the question. “Well, I… ah. Hmm.”
“Isyn trained all his life with Mother and Father,” Marjolein put in, “learning what he needed to know to take the throne in the Isles of Remus. Wilhelm and I have done the same, though neither of us knows yet which of us will be heir.”
Wilhelm smiled at his sister, looking far more genial than he had so far that morning. “I still say we hold the throne as siblings.”
“Given the scarcity of potential spouses in this forsaken corner of the north, that’s looking likely,” Marjolein agreed with a wry twist of her mouth.
“While your point is a fair one,” Stella said to them both, “Astar has also studied his entire life. Her Majesty has spared no effort to ensure my brother will be an excellent high king, when his turn comes. One of the many skills he’s learned from the high queen is how to judge character. Astar isn’t blinded by love; he fell in love with Zephyr because she is of sterling character. Loyal, brave, loving, fiercely intelligent. As you’ve observed, she’s committed to learning how to be the best high queen she can be. What she doesn’t know, Astar can teach her. The Thirteen Kingdoms will flourish under their rule, far more so than if my brother married out of duty, rather than love of someone who makes him whole.”
A small silence pooled among them in the wake of Stella’s speech. Even Marjolein and Wilhelm seemed to understand that Stella rarely spoke so much.
“Forgive me, Your Highness,” Marjolein said, curtseying to Stella. “I made hasty conclusions in my surprise—and disappointment.” She smiled ruefully. “News of the crown prince’s engagement had not made it to us yet.”
Stella inclined her head regally. “I’m happy to have had the opportunity to allay your concerns.” None of them clarified that the high queen herself had only recently learned of the news—if the missive Astar sent from the manse on Lake Sullivan had even made it to Ordnung—and no one could predict what Ursula’s reaction would be. Jak was privately betting that Her Majesty would turn out to be a softie in the face of true love. He’d been around her and Uncle Harlan enough to know. Still, monarchs could be unpredictable creatures.
Glancing at Stella, he wondered how it would go when her family learned of their relationship. His own parents would be likely pleased enough—even if his mother didn’t have a high opinion of monogamy. Reading at least some of that thought, Stella squeezed his arm. “I have far fewer obligations than Willy does. Ash and Mother already love you. It will be fine.”
He raised a brow at her, surprised to hear her voice in his head as he had that night the tentacle monsters almost abducted her.
“Do you mind?” She searched his face, relaxing when he subtly shook his head and smiled at her.
“Well,” Wilhelm said, “now that we’ve extracted our feet from our mouths, shall we venture to the library?” He offered an arm to Lena. “You are not engaged, are you, Your Highness?”
Lena didn’t so much as glance at Rhy. Taking Wilhelm’s arm, she smiled. “Why, no, I am not. And please, call me Lena.”
Rhy retained enough manners to offer Gen his arm, but his expression held murder as he stalked behind them, gaze focused on Wilhelm’s unguarded back. Jak caught his eye. Don’t kill him, he mouthed, and Rhy curled his lip in a snarl as they all left the room.
“Oh well,” Jak said aloud, guiding Stella to the other door so they could return to his room. “If Rhy does kill Wilhelm, I can help him hide the body.”
“But what excuse will we make to Cavan and Nix?” Stella mused, tapping a finger on her lip.
“One joke after another,” he said, grinning down at her.
“I was being perfectly serious,” she replied with a grave expression. “It’s not a simple matter to dispose of a prince, even a young and silly one, and pretend you’ve simply misplaced him.”
“Have you dealt with that problem often?”