The queen’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I know, dear. It’s something I’ll never forget, but…”

“But I’m to wed in a back room before a single priest, as if I’m a serving girl with a growing belly. People will talk about me, Mama. You know they will. They’ll question whether I’m married at all.”

“They won’t dare,” the queen said, smoothing down her skirts nervously. “I will forbid it.”

“It could affect the succession,” Raisa said, very conscious of Micah Bayar right next to her. “If we have children, their legitimacy may be questioned.” She turned and gripped Micah’s hands. “I couldn’t bear that.”

“Your Majesty,” Lord Bayar said. “Let’s proceed. She’s just overwhelmed is all.” He glared at his son as if to say, Try something stronger.

“I know I must serve the realm, Mama,” Raisa said. “But why should it be at the expense of my dreams?”

“I had no idea you felt this way,” the queen said, flustered, as always, by conflict.

Raisa pressed her advantage. “You are the queen. Proclaim that Micah and I will marry in the fall. That will give us time to plan.” She wrapped her arms around Micah’s waist and rested her head against his chest. “I want everything to be perfect.”

“Your Majesty, we can’t risk waiting,” Lord Bayar said. He crossed to the queen and took hold of her hands. “Anything could happen before then. We could be invaded. The princess heir could be kidnapped. The clans could rebel. She needs a gifted husband to watch over her.”

Raisa watched the two of them out of the corner of her eye. No doubt Bayar was pouring magic into her as Micah had done. She already knew that the wizard held an inappropriate influence over the queen. She just didn’t know if her mother could resist it.

She remembered the conversation with Elena in the garden, months ago. The warning her grandmother had given her.

Queen Marianna turned toward Raisa, swiping tears from her eyes. “Oh, sweetheart, we can’t risk waiting. I’ll make it up to you somehow. We’ll throw a reception like the world has never seen. We’ll invite everyone. You’ll see.”

Then Raisa was crying too, tears of fury and disappointment, knowing she was truly on her own.

What would Hanalea do?

“It’s all right, Raisa,” Micah whispered, patting her back awkwardly. It was all she could do not to swing around and punch him in his perfect nose.

“Where…where would we go after?” Raisa asked, thinking there still might be a way out, a way to prevent this thing from being consummated. “Might we go back to my apartments, and…”