Soulblade: An Epic Fantasy Adventure Romance (A Dance of Fire and Shadow Book 4)
Soulblade: Chapter 4

I GAZE AROUND THE LUXURIOUSLY-appointed room.

“Alina? How did you persuade Jantian to give you all this––and then persuade Tandarion to make you a Duchess as well? I thought your ‘no longer royal’ status would now be back to regular Eldrin auxiliary? Me, in other words.”

She gives a mischievous shrug. “I told Jantian it would be a more convincing follow-up to being rewarded with the Yarkfold estate if I were to be treated as a high-ranking Duchess straight away. I could tell he was anxious about all my admirers in the nobility in case they felt the need to rally round and rescue me from any perceived threat or lack of respect. And he was even more anxious to make sure no one discovered how we have been swapping places, trying to be both persuasive Queen and powerful warrior at the same time.”

Knowing my sister, this astute piece of negotiating has to be part of a complex plan. Much as she likes grand apartments, a few nights with extra space and comfort is not enough incentive to be worth the effort of working her persuasion on someone as severe and focused as Jantian.

“Why do you need the extra rooms?”

“I’ll tell you when you explain why you brought him.” Her eyes track to Shadow. He doesn’t acknowledge.

“He was the only way I could be sure of getting in here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t know how tight Eldrin security would be on the lower levels so we came in through an attic window.”

She nods. “It’s true. There are extra guards at every posting. Everything went very tense after what happened with Marin. Is he all right?”

“Physically, yes. The brand and the whiplashes are almost healed already. You know how it is with the Eldrin. But I shall never forgive Jantian for pushing him into that situation and then not stepping in to rescue him.”

She reaches out to grasp my hand. “You didn’t see Jantian after all that. He was trying not to show it but I could tell he was really distraught underneath that impassive commander act of his. He felt that he had failed.”

Right now I don’t want to think about anything that might take the edge off my need to tell Jantian exactly what I think of him. I will only have one chance for it before swearing allegiance to the Eldrin––because after that I will be obliged to obey his orders and show due respect to a commanding officer.

“Never mind Jantian. I am already making an educated guess as to why you need extra private space out of earshot of the bodyguards, but I’m really hoping I’m wrong.”

“Ariel, you are starting to sound very judgmental.”

My sister edges away from me to check the darkness outside the bedroom window. All the confirmation I need after noticing that she had already been awake, alert and dressed when I arrived in the middle of the night. I fix what I hope is my most demanding big-sister stare on her.

“When are you expecting him?”

“Who?” Her attempt at an innocent reply falls flat, because at that moment a braided rope appears in the darkness outside the glass. She unlocks the catch and carefully pushes the window open. A moment later, Sarinder slithers down the rope and scrambles into the room, agile as a squirrel. He glances from one of us to the other and raises an eyebrow.

“Two of you?” He doesn’t look too surprised, so I assume Alina has explained at least some of our recent identity-sharing arrangements. To my relief, Shadow has concealed himself in the far corner of the room.

“Um, darling Sarinder, this is my sister.” Alina drapes a fond arm around his waist.

“Enchanted to meet you.” He makes an elaborate bow and kisses my hand, his glossy golden curls falling loose and brushing my fingers.

I turn to Alina. “How much does Sarinder know about the way we have been changing places?”

“Only as much as you would expect in the time we were waiting for the High Council to finish dealing with Lord Farang and the other traitors. In between arranging how we could meet up before the Eldrin whisk me away to Yarkfold, of course.”

“Whisk you away before you can get into any more trouble, you mean?”

“Ariel! That’s a bit much coming from you! Especially as I was honest enough to tell Sarinder that it was you and not me who saved his life. He hadn’t quite passed out by the time you found him and put pressure on that stab wound.”

“Much appreciated. And I’m grateful to you, Sarinder, for persuading your uncle that I was not the assassin. But you must both know already that there is no future for you together?”

Sarinder draws Alina into a protective hug. “I guessed my uncle would not approve of our affair straight away. There is always a great deal of official protocol in royal marriages. Rather too much if you ask me. Hence the midnight complications of climbing down ropes from the storeroom above.”

“So that’s why the window was open. I must have just missed running into you when I came in that way.” I try to ignore Alina’s delighted giggle while turning what I hope is a suitably severe big-sister frown on her. “You mean you’re hoping you can persuade Tandarion to actually allow this liaison?”

She exudes happiness  and confidence. “Of course! You know me, perfect persuader of recalcitrant aristocrats. Surely a King won’t be that much more difficult?”

“Except that the Khalim has already chosen one of his daughters to marry Sarinder and strengthen the new alliance between Samaran and Annubia. The treaty has been agreed and signed. If Tandarion tries to renege on a sworn affirmation like that, it will cause untold disaster with our closest ally.”

Sarinder’s face reveals his dismay.

“I did not know that.” He sits down abruptly, perching on the edge of the bed. “I suppose my uncle was waiting for the right moment to break the glorious news to me.”

I can tell from his gloom that he has been well educated on the need for a monarch to hold to his word and maintain the integrity of essential treaties like this.

Alina, on the other hand, has a considerably more flexible viewpoint.

“Ariel? How do we get around this?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” I can’t bear the distraught look she gives me. “Just make sure no one finds out that you’re spending time together. What were you planning to do once you were safely packed off to Yarkfold? It’s almost a day’s ride from here. Not the sort of time anyone can quietly disappear for––not if they want to remain unnoticed.”

Alina settles herself beside Sarinder, hugging him as if they have been lovers for months or years instead of two days.

“Yes I know, but Yarkfold is only three hours from Corinium and Sarinder will be returning there with the King in a few days’ time.”

I roll my eyes in exasperation. “You really have been working things out in detail, haven’t you? And I can assure you that a six-hour round trip with time spent together in between, will be just as impossible to keep secret when it involves royalty.”

She relapses into a worried silence for a few moments before coming up with a new idea.

“Are Kings allowed to have concubines in Samaran?”

I feel slightly reassured by her suggestion. I had feared that her only reason for seducing the crown prince was her desire to regain her status as Queen. If she is so quick to let go of that chance by finding a lesser role that might let her stay with him, then maybe she really is in love with the person, not the power. He is after all, charming and handsome––as well as boyish, enthusiastic, and somewhat naïve.

“I have never heard of a tradition that includes royal concubines in Samaran. The Khalim has dozens. That’s why he had plenty of beautiful daughters to choose from. But Annubia is very different from here.”

“So if we could work the same thing here, at least Sarinder’s official wife would already be used to the idea?”

“Maybe. Just don’t reveal your affair too soon. And be careful meanwhile. The alliance with Annubia is considered too important to allow one person to stand in its way. I don’t want to get back from Rapathia and find you’ve been executed for treason or something worse. If there is anything worse.”

“Rapathia? What for?”

“I don’t know yet. Right now I’m more worried about you.”

Sarinder disentangles himself from my sister and stands to face me, his expression serious as he makes a formal bow.

“Ariel, I appreciate your concern. I will make sure to keep Alina safe until we can find an acceptable solution.”

I don’t feel at all confident that a fourteen year old prince will be any match for the politics of a kingdom that has so recently emerged from a devastating invasion, but at least I have warned them that their love affair is far more dangerous than they first thought.

“Sarinder, I’m going to hold you to that promise. And Alina, don’t make it too difficult for him!”

I walk over to the open window and step onto the ledge outside. Shadow emerges from his concealment, grabs my waist as he leaps past me and launches us both into the first cold grey glimmer of dawn.

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