“I see.” Raisa folded her arms, her mouth going dry, and a leaden weight collecting in her stomach. There was no way Geoff would send Gerard as a representative. “Do go on,” she said.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lord Hakkam shifting from foot to foot by the door, as if thinking he might need a quick escape.

“I bring bad news. My brother was attacked by brigands on his way here, and he and his entire family perished,” Gerard said, making no attempt to look sorry.

“Brigands?” Raisa cleared her throat. “I am most sorry to hear that.” Which was absolutely true.

Gerard smiled. “Given what happened, you can imagine why I am wary of traveling anywhere without my guard. Still, I felt it was my duty to come since I am the last surviving Montaigne brother. And now the undisputed king of Arden.”

C H A P T E R  T H I R T Y - S I X

A DANGEROUS
DANCE

Somehow, Raisa managed to get through dinner without throwing up on the new king of Arden or anyone else. She accomplished that by eating very little.

Montaigne had been placed next to Raisa, as befitted another head of state. He had no gift of social conversation (not that Raisa was in the mood) but talked mostly of armies and politics and the challenges of governing Tamron, crushing resistance, and bringing the nobility to heel.

Raisa suspected that his choice of topics wasn’t because he saw her as a peer or confidante, but because those were the only things that interested him. Or because he saw this as an opportunity to intimidate her.

He also asked numerous questions about the military and political situation and structure in the Fells, which Raisa deflected by giving vague answers and then changing the subject. She did not trust Gerard Montaigne, and although he likely had plenty of spies in place already, she was not going to be one of his sources of information.

All through dinner, Raisa struggled to rein in her acid tongue. You are a grown-up, she said to herself. And a queen. You cannot indulge your temper. You have to be strategic, and weigh every word. He is here to gather information. It’s best if he underestimates you.

There’s no need to let him know you despise him. Not yet.

The head table hosted foreign dignitaries mostly, including various dukes and princes from the down-realms, the kings and queens of We’enhaven and Bruinswallow, and a prince from the Southern Islands loaded down with a fortune in jewelry.

I don’t even like most of these people, Raisa thought. And I trust them even less. She couldn’t help but think back to plainer meals in the barracks at Wien Hall, the easy camaraderie over shared misery.