nose, and a stern expression very similar to Josef’s, who was the first to climb the stairs.
“Duke Finley,” Adela said, bobbing her head.
The man didn’t even look at her. His eyes were on Josef, looking the prince up and down with his hands on his hips.
“The wayward prince, back at last,” the duke said. “I suppose that means Osera is now mortgaged to whatever bounty hunter dragged you in?”
Josef stiffened. “There’s no hunter involved. I came back on my own.”
“Really?” the duke said. “Prince Thereson, doing his duty? That would be a first.”
He said this last bit over his shoulder to the well-dressed group standing behind him, many of whom laughed out loud at the duke’s daring. Josef clenched his fists and took a menacing step forward before Eli jabbed him hard in the small of the back.
“Do you think it is wise for you to speak so of the prince in the queen’s hall, Finley?”
Josef and Eli both blinked. The words had come from Adela, who was glaring at the duke like he was a pebble she’d found in her boot.
The duke sneered back. “No wiser than addressing the next king of Osera without his title, Adela.”
The princess’s scowl deepened, but Duke Finley wasn’t looking at her anymore. He leaned in to Josef, a smug smile on his face. “You’ve been gone awhile, cousin,” he said in a low voice. “One man to another, let me give you a little advice. Theresa thinks she can cling to her father’s throne even in death by marrying her failure of a son to the daughter of her favorite gold-digging maid, but you won’t last a day past the queen’s funeral. I am the named heir, but even if I weren’t, the people of Osera would never stand to have a common murderer as their king. The only reason they tolerate one as their prince is because of your mother. In any case, I wouldn’t get too comfortable, were I in your position.”
Eli winced. Though the duke’s voice was soft, the room around them had gone deathly still, and Eli had no illusions that the insult had somehow gone unheard. But before he could say anything to diffuse the situation, Josef opened his mouth and made it worse.
“I have no intention of being king,” he said. “Never have. As for me being a murderer…” Josef lifted his chin, and his hands drifted to the sword at his side. “You’re right. I’ve killed people. But I’m a swordsman, and so was every man I defeated. Death is something you learn to expect when you choose the life of the sword.”
“You’re quick to draw such a fine line,” the duke said, leaning back. “Must help you sleep at night.” He flashed the couple a final, thin smile and turned to walk back down the dais steps. “Congratulations on your marriage. I can’t think of two people who deserve each other more.”
Eli arched an eyebrow at the duke’s retreating back. “What a lovely individual.”
Josef grunted in reply, but Adela cast a cold eye at her husband. “Finley’s not the only one who thinks that way,” she said softly. “I wouldn’t speak so freely of the men you’ve killed, Prince Thereson.”
“I am not ashamed of what I am,” Josef said hotly.
“But others are,” Adela said. “You’d do well to remember that.”
Josef stared at her, but Adela was the picture of serenity as she turned and took the hand of the elderly lady who was next in line to wish the royal couple well.
It took almost two hours to greet all the nobility. They were arranged by rank, but Josef glowered at everyone equally, so it was quite fortunate that Adela was there to give the proper greeting to each noble before any offense could be taken.
After all the Oseran noble families had their say, the royal couple was shuffled down to the front gate to be announced before the crowd that had gathered in the square. The people cheered when Adela appeared, and she smiled and waved at them like a perfect princess. Beside her vibrant happiness, Josef looked like a looming vulture, hunched and dour, glaring at everything.
Eli watched the whole thing from the back, blithely ignoring the servant who was trying to convince him that he would be more comfortable waiting in his room. He tried sending Josef cues to lighten up, but Josef was too far gone in his dudgeon to notice, and Eli soon gave up in favor of watching Adela.
It was quite the show. The princess was the perfect mix of sweet shyness and hard Oseran duty with her long, glossy hair, pretty smiles, and shining armor. The crowd was mad for her. They cheered wildly, pressing against the guards. Adela smiled and waved back, looking down with becoming modesty whenever the people grew too wild. This, of course, only made the crowd cheer louder. It was a perfectly played performance. So perfect that Eli was beginning to wonder how long she’d practiced.
Finally, the presentation ended, and the royal couple was escorted back to the throne room. Josef looked like a ten-year veteran returning from the front as he walked over to the pillar to retrieve the Heart of War and the rest of his weaponry. Adela, on the other hand, was prettier than ever, with her cheeks glowing from the warmth of the crowd. She stopped a moment to greet the knot of royal guardsmen who were waiting at the throne room entrance, and then she excused herself and walked over to her husband. Josef stopped strapping swords to himself long enough to give her a questioning look.
“The queen asked that I give you a tour of the barracks,” she said, her voice almost shy. “In case you wanted to resume your duty as head of the Queen’s Guard.”
Josef wrinkled his nose. “Who’s head now?”
“I am,” Adela said.
“Impossible,” Josef said, getting back to the business of reattaching his weapons. “That’s a royal position, inherited by blood. Your father wasn’t even titled. How’d you end up with it?”
“Because your mother was too sick to do it herself and she didn’t trust Finley with her guards,” Adela said, putting her hands on her hips. “It should be the prince’s duty, but it’s not like you were here, was it?”
Josef stopped midstrap. “I get it, all right? I wasn’t here. I let people down. I’m a terrible prince. Message received, so you can all drop the guilt routine.”
“You know, it doesn’t have to be like this,” Adela said, crossing her arms. “You could try being a prince, at least in public.”
“I have tried,” Josef said, buckling his second sword back onto his hip. “Didn’t do me any good then, won’t do me any good now. I just want to get this over with and get on with my life.”
Adela gave him a scornful look. “Then I’ll see you tonight,” she said, turning on her heel. “And we can get on with getting this over with. Good afternoon, prince.”
Josef sighed. “Adela…”
But the princess was already walking away. Josef watched her go and then he turned and grabbed the Heart of War, slinging it on his back with so much force that Eli winced.
“You know,” Eli said as gently as he could, “she does have a point.”
“Shut. Up,” Josef said.
“It could be worse,” Eli went on. “At least you’re not stuck with some insipid court flower. I mean, despite the hobble of being married to you, she seems to be a popular princess. She’s certainly not bad to look at, not stupid, and we’ve all seen she’s a decent fighter.”
“That’s the thing,” Josef said, dropping his voice. “I can’t shake the feeling something was wrong with that duel.”
“Josef.” Eli tsked. “Calling foul just because she gave you a harder time than you expected isn’t very princely.”
“I’m not calling foul,” he said softly. “Adela and I were kids together, remember? We had the same sword instructor, and we dueled a lot. I knew she would be good. I just didn’t expect her to be that good.”
“That fast, you mean,” Eli said, lowering his voice to match Josef’s.
“It’s not even that,” Josef said, shaking his head. “She could have dodged that blow to the chest. I saw her feet start to move, but then she stopped. She let me win.”
Eli fought the urge to smile. “Maybe she didn’t want to embarrass you?”
“She’s not that good,” Josef grumbled, marching toward the door. “Come on. I need a drink.”
“But you don’t drink,” Eli said, running after him.
Josef started walking faster. “I do now.”
Eli left it at that and focused on keeping up with his swordsman. This was going to be some wedding night.
Two hours later, Josef had almost finished his one drink when a servant entered and told him his room was
