“So you married her instead?” Lady Brelynn asked.
Sir Matthias nodded.
The duchess’s piercing aqua gaze fixed on Sapphire. “He deserves better than that, and so do you.”
“I made this decision,” Sir Matthias said, his voice calm but brooking no argument. “Sapphire is my wife.”
Sapphire touched his shoulder as she forced her voice to stay neutral. “She’s right. You deserve better. Which is why I’ve agreed to grant him a divorce at the end of four years.”
Matthias’s hand tightened over hers, and Lady Brelynn’s attention shifted to their linked fingers.
“You could eliminate Lord Carsons and save yourself a lot of trouble,” Mara said.
“Knights of Valor don’t work like that,” Sir Matthias and Sir Marcus said in unison.
Mara folded her arms over her chest. “He poses a threat to someone important enough to you that you married her to protect her.”
“We must have proof of wrongdoing,” Sir Matthias said. “Dracor demands it.”
“Then we get proof.” Mara’s gaze shifted to Sapphire. “What more do you know about your grandfather?”
“Very little.” Sapphire forced herself to meet the companion’s strange amber stare. “He wanted nothing to do with me most of my life. I was a stain on the family because of my father.”
Sir Marcus frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“My father was a merchant captain.”
Sir Marcus’s frown deepened.
Mara dropped a hand to her sword hilt. “That tells me nothing more than I already know.”
“What have you learned about the Carsons family?” Sir Matthias asked.
“A great deal. I made it a point to study them when Lady Carsons attacked Brelynn.”
“They were just words,” Lady Brelynn said.
“No such thing as just words, something you know better than most.” Sir Matthias turned to Mara. “What did you learn?”
“They are deeply entwined with Rashalee.”
The strange companion had figured that out. Sapphire prayed she didn’t discover that Rashalee had also touched her.
Sir Matthias blew out a breath. “That’s a serious charge.”
“I’ve seen it before, and I suspected it when I discovered Julianna was the first daughter in five generations that married.”
Sir Matthias rubbed his chin. “I hadn’t realized that.”
“In places like Tamryn, where the inheritor is typically male, it’s done to concentrate wealth and to maintain possession of daughters who would otherwise leave the family with their husband,” Mara said.
Sir Matthias slid an arm around Sapphire. “We aren’t certain they follow the dark goddess.”
“I believe my grandfather does, but not the whole family. If you would have known my mother’s beliefs on intimacy, chastity, and martial duties…” Color stained Sapphire’s cheeks. “It doesn’t fit with Rashalee as the goddess of lust.”
Mara stared at Sapphire, the companion’s strange gaze seeing through her. “It can be counterintuitive, especially to those growing up in a household devoted to the dark goddess. They’re frequently taught sex is dirty and disgusting.”
“Because lust is not the same as love,” Sir Matthias said. “Parents would want to protect their children from that.”
“You’re thinking like a Knight of Valor,” Mara said. “Not everyone who worships Rashalee receives equal favor, and those who are more favored are in more powerful positions. Anyone lesser in service to the dark goddess can be used as desired and frequently is to establish dominance. Incest is common among Her followers.”
Sapphire couldn’t believe it possible, and yet… She shuddered as revulsion stole through her.
Sir Matthias tightened his arm around her.
“I believe they are followers of Rashalee, which is why I phrased my threat to Lady Carsons as I did. She would understand it better than most.”
“They’re an old and respected Tamarian family,” Sir Marcus said.
“And would do a lot to maintain their place in society. Easy targets for Rashalee.” Sapphire stared down at Sir Matthias’s strong fingers. “Enough that they would allow a merchant captain to marry into the family for the right price.”
“Once the dark goddess has her talons in you, it’s harder to free yourself from Her than a mouse from a hawk,” Lady Brelynn said.
Something Sapphire knew too well.
Mara’s inhuman gaze focused on Sapphire. “If Lord Carsons needs your fortune even after marrying off his youngest daughter for money, I’d say he angered the dark goddess. That means he needs more than money to appease Her. You figure out what he needs, and you don’t have to kill him to destroy him.”
A servant knocked on the door, then rolled in a silver service loaded with delicious offerings that made Sapphire’s stomach rumble. She helped herself to an oyster finished with a twist of lemon.
“How’s the nursery coming?” Sir Matthias asked between bites.
“I’ve had tons of help with that.” Lady Brelynn rolled her eyes.
The duchess told them about the preparations she’d been making and the dragonning ceremony planned for the child’s birth.
But behind Lady Brelynn’s happiness, Sapphire heard fear. Not uncommon for a new mother, and Sir Matthias lightened her mood with several amusing anecdotes from dragonning ceremonies he’d overseen. He soon had her laughing.
A tingle of Lady Brelynn’s magic brushed against Sapphire, and concern tightened Sir Marcus’s face.
“You sure you’re feeling okay?” Sir Matthias asked.
“Tired, but that’s to be expected.”
Sir Marcus squeezed his wife’s hand. “I’d like it if you two would stay the night with us. I know you’re just married, but I want to be with you when you return home. Just in case Lord Carsons planned an unpleasant surprise.”
“Thank you,” Sir Matthias said. “We appreciate it.”
Sir Marcus motioned towards the door. “Let’s go unload your trunks.”
Sapphire raised a brow. With the number of servants in the house, there was no reason a duke should concern himself with baggage.
Sir Matthias squeezed her fingers and dropped his napkin. “Save some bread pudding for me.”
He glanced at Lady Brelynn who laughed. “Yes, you get bread pudding.”
A smile tugged on Sapphire’s lips as Matthias grinned then followed Sir Marcus back out to the carriage.
Chapter 21
Sir Matthias waited until they were a few steps down the hall before turning to his friend. “Your duchess is as difficult and as amazing as ever. You’re a lucky man.”
Sir Marcus smiled, but deep lines burrowed across his forehead.
“Only one person makes you worry that much. What’s going on with Lady Brelynn?”
Sir Marcus drew in a breath. “You saw her. How’d she look to you?”
“Tired, but I’d expect that.” Sir Matthias paused. “There was a strange magical spike. I’ve noticed them from her before, but this was stronger. And different.”