Page 77 of The Prince's Fealty

Tor let out a bark of laughter as he realized. “So she threatened Varex so that he’d send you.”

They both nodded.

“And he doesn’t know that you’re bonded?”

They shook their heads.

“That’s hilarious.” Tor grinned. “Please promise me that you’re going to explain the whole thing to him.”

His smile faltered for a moment as their present situation threatened to intervene, but he kept it up with an effort. That was why they were doing this, so that they could have that future.

Rin rolled his eyes and thankfully acted like they weren’t currently worried that Varex would be dead before they found him. “Oh, yes, because I’m really looking forward to explaining to the High King that I stole the bride that he intended forhis brother.”

Terila smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes or her acid words. “I would be happy to explain to the High King that I wouldn’t have married you if you were the last man in the entirety of the United Realms.”

Tor’s eyebrow rose. It wasn’t an unwelcome declaration—though unnecessary, he supposed, given that they were both bonded to other people—but it was definitely not how she’d behaved last time they’d seen one another.

“That’s… good to hear?” he said, a bit mystified.

“If you ever tell anyone that I’m repulsive again, I’m going to break your nose,” she said, still with that sweet smile on her face that was utterly at odds with the coldness in her eyes.

Tor winced. He had… definitely said that to Rin, but he genuinely hadn’t meant it to be bruited about—and certainly not declared to Terila directly. He eyed Rin, who grimaced.

“I was annoyed,” he mumbled.

Yes, well, Tor could certainly understand that when dealing with this particular woman. Still, though, that didn’t excuse Tor’s bad behavior.

“I apologize,” Tor told Terila. “That was extremely rude, and I should never have phrased it like that when I simply found us… incompatible.”

She stared at him for a long moment, then she inclined her head.

It was still a little frosty, but Tor couldn’t really blame her for that. She wasn’t to know that he’d only ever told two people that they weren’t compatible. He’d meant it in confidence, but he’d still used the word. She could just as easily have done the same about him, and didn’t appear to have done so, and that just made him more wrong.

Rin wasn’t usually an ass, though, so he must have been seriously annoyed to have said that to her face. Tor was going to have to get the whole story out of him one day when this was all resolved and they had time for such things.

When they weren’t on the cusp of fighting for his entire family’s life.

Please, please, please, still be alive. Please.

This could all go horribly wrong if Nostex anticipated their arrival and had a plan for it, and Tor could only pray that Pel had given them the chance they needed, getting Tor out secretly and leaving everyone else thinking he was dead.

Tor would press that advantage to the utmost.

And if everything went completely wrong, then there were still people who knew their suspicions and could continue to fight.

With the exception of Bessar—that might be getting involved any minute now—they were now a fighting force from Alossa, Vayrin, Tond, and Lotar. Even if Nostex outsmarted them all, there would be repercussions.

“Uh, you said Queens Margexa and Sillexa were marshaling their guards, but do they know you’re here doing this?”

She shot him a look, but Tor thought it was a fair question. She was the heir to Vayrin.

“Yes, they know of our suspicions and the fact that we intended to verify Princess Adexa’s safety. I’m confident they would support our bid to free her and the rest of your family.”

The peace accords clearly specified that the rulers couldn’t attack one another. It was kind of the foundation of their united realm.

“And do you know how to fight?” Tor asked carefully, making sure his question came out without judgment.

He wouldn’t have imagined she could fight at all, only it was becoming increasingly clear that he didn’t know her very well.