long. If you don’t ask for something small soon, his suspicions will be raised. So do you have a favor you could ask? Something almost worth nothing?”
She frowned for a moment. “Maybe. Why are you helping?”
He didn’t break stride but he paused before answering. He wasn’t used to sharing his reasons with anyone, but then again, few asked. “I don’t want Chalmer to die, but not even I can ask for his return.” Taryn could, and he needed her to succeed.
“Are my parents okay?”
“They are fine. I told them you have been well received. Your mother was pleased.”
“You forbade me from leaving Court, but I could ask to see my grandmother.” She watched him, waiting for a reaction, but he ignored the jab. She couldn’t be at Court one day and gone the next if she was to get her father’s pardon. Keeping her here was in everyone’s best interest—including Taryn’s.
He gave a small nod in the direction of the other women. “You play with dangerous friends.”
“Oh, I don’t trust them as far as I can throw them, but enemies close and all that.”
“Indeed. You are doing well.”
“I just want the damn pardon.”
“If it were easy, I would have done it already.” He had tried a couple of years ago and his request had been denied. Taryn was his last hope of getting Chalmer pardoned. “You will have to deal for your father’s life.”
“I know, but I’m not sure I like the price.” Her fingers crushed the delicate fabric of her dress as she made a fist. Worry pinched her features.
It took a moment for him to realize what she was so worried about. He laughed, then lowered his voice. “You don’t know my father. He hasn’t taken a mistress, ever.”
“But…”
“It’s a show. Everyone thinks he does, even the Queen. But he gets more enjoyment from watching her squirm than he would from a lover—then, of course, he’d have to keep two women happy. No. Being King is enough work without making it harder.” He touched her arm. “Keep the secret alive.” He began leading her back to the game. “We can help each other, Taryn. I will watch out for you, if you watch out for me.” He let the sentence hang. It was several paces before she spoke.
“Spy.”
He stopped walking. “Yes.” That was exactly what he wanted. She was in the one place he couldn’t go.
She shrugged, and her gaze drifted from his to the other women who were pretending to play while trying to watch what was going on. “You think they are up to something.”
“Everyone is always up to something.” He knew that the threat was in the Queen’s camp. He needed someone he could trust and who was trusted—or at least untainted by previous alliances. Taryn was that person. Deals and games. And the stakes were getting higher. Soon, he’d be all in.
“I don’t want to end up trapped as a shadow.”
“It could have been worse for her.” If Verden hadn’t have shown up, it would have been. He needed to get the Hunter more firmly in his pocket, but it was damn hard. “I will not ask you to do anything other than listen and tell me what you hear. Your father would never forgive me if I let harm befall you.”
“In exchange, you make sure I stay at the table.”
“I will do what I can to help you get the pardon. Go. They are waiting and I don’t want Sulia to think I am favoring you with too much attention.”
Taryn lifted the hem of her dress and walked back to the game, but he didn’t stay to watch them pepper her with questions. He had other business to attend to before going back to the mortal world.
***
Taryn braced herself as she walked back. They would want to know what the Prince had wanted to talk to her about and she was going to have to lie—or at least be very creative with the truth.
“Well?” Sulia asked, but the others all hovered with expressions ranging from rehearsed boredom to eagerness—which was probably also rehearsed.
“He wanted to see how I was doing at Court and
She frowned for a moment. “Maybe. Why are you helping?”
He didn’t break stride but he paused before answering. He wasn’t used to sharing his reasons with anyone, but then again, few asked. “I don’t want Chalmer to die, but not even I can ask for his return.” Taryn could, and he needed her to succeed.
“Are my parents okay?”
“They are fine. I told them you have been well received. Your mother was pleased.”
“You forbade me from leaving Court, but I could ask to see my grandmother.” She watched him, waiting for a reaction, but he ignored the jab. She couldn’t be at Court one day and gone the next if she was to get her father’s pardon. Keeping her here was in everyone’s best interest—including Taryn’s.
He gave a small nod in the direction of the other women. “You play with dangerous friends.”
“Oh, I don’t trust them as far as I can throw them, but enemies close and all that.”
“Indeed. You are doing well.”
“I just want the damn pardon.”
“If it were easy, I would have done it already.” He had tried a couple of years ago and his request had been denied. Taryn was his last hope of getting Chalmer pardoned. “You will have to deal for your father’s life.”
“I know, but I’m not sure I like the price.” Her fingers crushed the delicate fabric of her dress as she made a fist. Worry pinched her features.
It took a moment for him to realize what she was so worried about. He laughed, then lowered his voice. “You don’t know my father. He hasn’t taken a mistress, ever.”
“But…”
“It’s a show. Everyone thinks he does, even the Queen. But he gets more enjoyment from watching her squirm than he would from a lover—then, of course, he’d have to keep two women happy. No. Being King is enough work without making it harder.” He touched her arm. “Keep the secret alive.” He began leading her back to the game. “We can help each other, Taryn. I will watch out for you, if you watch out for me.” He let the sentence hang. It was several paces before she spoke.
“Spy.”
He stopped walking. “Yes.” That was exactly what he wanted. She was in the one place he couldn’t go.
She shrugged, and her gaze drifted from his to the other women who were pretending to play while trying to watch what was going on. “You think they are up to something.”
“Everyone is always up to something.” He knew that the threat was in the Queen’s camp. He needed someone he could trust and who was trusted—or at least untainted by previous alliances. Taryn was that person. Deals and games. And the stakes were getting higher. Soon, he’d be all in.
“I don’t want to end up trapped as a shadow.”
“It could have been worse for her.” If Verden hadn’t have shown up, it would have been. He needed to get the Hunter more firmly in his pocket, but it was damn hard. “I will not ask you to do anything other than listen and tell me what you hear. Your father would never forgive me if I let harm befall you.”
“In exchange, you make sure I stay at the table.”
“I will do what I can to help you get the pardon. Go. They are waiting and I don’t want Sulia to think I am favoring you with too much attention.”
Taryn lifted the hem of her dress and walked back to the game, but he didn’t stay to watch them pepper her with questions. He had other business to attend to before going back to the mortal world.
***
Taryn braced herself as she walked back. They would want to know what the Prince had wanted to talk to her about and she was going to have to lie—or at least be very creative with the truth.
“Well?” Sulia asked, but the others all hovered with expressions ranging from rehearsed boredom to eagerness—which was probably also rehearsed.
“He wanted to see how I was doing at Court and
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