When Dante and Prim returned to her chamber after dinner, taking a plate of food for later as neither had eaten, he used his sensing gifts to ensure there was no invisible threat in her room. Then he left, the two escorts at her door nodding amicably at him, only to return a few minutes later through her window. She badgered him to tell her what the princesses talked about, and he loved how annoyed she got when he only sang that she should respect her friend’s privacy in response.

She tried to push him and it turned into a play fight that rivaled their spar earlier, eventually ending with their clothes off. He had been up for a second round that day, after all.

The princesses hadn’t talked about much. It was a sweet, hesitant conversation in which both admitted marrying someone they’d known only a few weeks wasn’t ideal--his chest ached in mortification that he had suggested such a thing to Prim--but that if it had to be done, both would rather see Torra wed Kallia over Egan.

Dante knew Neros hadn’t had his brother’s interests at the forefront when he wanted to take his place, but Princess Torra seemed to, even though each princess coyly agreed their mutual attraction made the situation more bearable.

Dante had stopped focusing on their conversation at that point, though he could still hear the sounds of their kissing over the silence in the entertaining suite, Prim and Egan having already abandoned what little conversation they offered one another.

After Prim and Dante’s rematch, of which he claimed victorship as she was the one on her back this time, Dante had left to check on the Cavs. He hated leaving her, but seemed to have trouble finding time during the day. He flitted out in his hummingbird form to shift into his natural form in midair, the night sky concealing him. He took the long way, enjoying stretching his wings and getting some air time in.

Everything seemed to be in order in the Cavs. Still no one was trying to continue Sol’s work. Dante had a talk with the man running the fighting pit, advising him to use the cut Blukke had required him to set aside for them to make sure the street children Sol had left behind were being fed and housed. Dante didn’t sense any bad intentions when the man agreed, though he would make a point to talk to some of the kids the next time he checked in and make sure it was being done.

The moonlight danced on Dante’s iridescent blue hummingbird wings as he flitted into Prim’s room for the second time that night, finding her already asleep. She hadn’t bothered to redress and his eyes flowed over her decolletage peeking out of the covers as he undressed himself and climbed in, wrapping an arm around her and feeling her fingers find his.

“Sweet dreams, my love,” he whispered into her ear. She made a sleepy, satisfied noise in response, squeezing his hand tighter.

#

Dante stood outside the queen’s chamber along with over a dozen other guards. When Prim had arrived, the queen had everyone evacuate her chambers. The queen’s handmaidens had left, Dante overhearing them discuss strolling the gardens, but all the guards remained in the hallway. Dante could clearly hear Prim telling the queen exactly what Kallia had told her to, though she did it much more eloquently and even explained the princes’ rationale behind their plot--that Egan and Neros only wanted Kallia away long enough for Neros to become eligible for marriage. Dante couldn’t hear any kind of reaction from the queen upon learning the foreign princes were responsible for the attempted attacks on the castle.

He stared over the head of the guard across from him, trying not to look like he was staring at the woman as he listened to his woman make her case.

“Egan is not fit. I understand the need for an alliance, and I think there might be another option.” Again the queen made no reaction that he could hear, and Prim continued. “Princess Torra.”

The silence stretched on and Dante knew Prim must be trying very hard not to fill it, wanting to make Queen Mallis say something, anything.

He heard a deep breath from the queen. “I’m not blind to my daughter’s preference for women, Primrose. But marriage for a princess isn’t about preferences or love. It’s about what’s best for our country.”

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“With all due respect, Your Majesty, with the news I just shared about Prince Egan, surely he is not what’s best for our country?”

There was another long pause and Dante leaned into the wall so hard the stones dug into his wings in an attempt to get closer, hear better.

“Who have you told of this news?” the queen asked.

“No one. I came to you first,” Prim lied as the princess had commanded.

“Tell no one.”

Dante wished he could be in there with Prim, if not to help explain to at least be there for support. He couldn’t see to aim a phantom hand at her, not even able to offer her a comforting touch.

“If this is about an heir, I have some ideas. Adoption, of course. But even if you wanted Orlana blood, a man could be chosen to perform that service. Or a collection of men could donate samples and they could be inserted manually. I’m sure there are many noblemen who would be honored to have their bloodline in an Orlana, even if they couldn’t claim the child as their own.”

The queen allowed another long silence to pass. “Kallia will marry Prince Egan. There is no alternative. Thank you for telling me what you discovered.”

Dante heard shuffling and Prim’s footsteps coming toward the door, but then they paused.

“Do you know what the Lanhami’s gifts are?”

“Of course,” the queen said immediately, though she didn’t elaborate.

“What are they?” Prim pressed.

“The king is a dreamweaver, the queen is a firebringer, as is Torra. Neros had the gift of lightning and Egan has the gift of water.”

All elementals except the king. His gift of commanding sleep must have been very helpful with five kids. Dante knew he certainly could have used such a gift when Marnie was younger.

A moment later, the door cracked and Prim slipped out. A flood of guards entered the queen’s suite as the handmaiden strutted purposefully toward Kallia’s wing. Dante followed.

“Did you hear that?” Prim asked quietly, keeping her eyes forward.

“Yes.”

“She doesn’t care that Egan was involved with the plot against Kallia. She wants it swept under the rug.”

Dante shot his hand out to palm the small of her back. “I heard,” he reminded her. He didn’t remind her that Egan wasn’t technically involved, just a spineless bystander.

“King Achrod would be livid. Kallia is going to be livid.”

He didn’t bother asking her why she didn’t just tell the king. He knew the king and queen ruled side by side, but perhaps Queen Mallis still had more authority as the Orlana by birth.

Once inside Kallia’s chambers, Prim explained word for word what the queen had said. Kallia’s face was unreadable as she sat at her writing desk and wrote a note addressed to her mother that Dante could read with his heightened sight from across the room:

Prim told me of your decision. If this is final, please make the announcement tonight.

She then copied two identical notes:

My parents have accepted the alternative. The announcement will be made tonight rather than the agreed upon date. Please respond immediately with your confirmation that this is still what you desire.

The princess didn’t let Prim see the contents as she commanded a guard to have the first delivered to her mother and the identical ones to the foreign prince and princess, but raised a brow at Dante’s questioning look.

“I’m not sure you understood,” he said in answer.

She narrowed her eyes. “You read my correspondence?”

Dante recalled Prim’s insistence when they were traveling that such an act was a death sentence, though it seemed the princess had extremely high standards for deeming an act worthy of capital punishment. Really, any punishment. Still, he knew that was a rude thing to do. “Apologies, Your Highness,” he said quietly.

“Keep it to yourself,” the princess said, flicking her eyes to Prim.

The handmaiden murmured under her breath so only Dante could hear, “I’ll wrestle it out of you later.”

Dante hid his smile as he imagined another naked sparring match in her chamber, though if the announcement was made tonight, she’d know the contents of the letters before he’d get the chance to make her work for it.

A short time later, Kallia received a note. Then a second. Then a third. She was careful not to let anyone see them as she read each, though Dante made no attempt after the way she’d looked at him before.

Kallia folded two of the papers, tucking them into her dress pockets. The third she tossed to Prim, who read it then stared wide-eyed at Kallia. “If she’s moved the announcement to tonight, we’ll need to get you ready. I’ll fetch Bristol.”