His brow wrinkled. “Surely not,” he said. He put his elbows on the chest and looked up at her. “I’ve won the day, Tryneowy. Another quarter hour and every man . . . or woman . . . defending your king would have been struck down, except yourself. You were not counting on Grand Duke Elwis to save you? Or the soldiers in the mountains? They’re both cut off from you, and I have even more reinforcements on the way by sea. Your king has my sister as a hostage. And I have you. I don’t believe you are going to slay my sister any more than your king believes I’d slay you. As if I could! You are the prize I wanted, Tryneowy.” He took her damp hand and brushed his lips against it. It sent shivers of fire up her whole arm.

He rose and pulled her up with him. “Rest. You are weary and tired. I don’t want you to regret your answers. I don’t want you to say later that you didn’t have your full wits when you promised to be mine. That you were forced to be my wife, my queen, my confidante.”

She looked him in the eye, seeing the earnestness in his words. “I will not have you,” she said.

“Do not say that,” Gahalatine said, shaking his head. “What must I do to earn your consent? I know you surely will not accept me without terms. I am prepared to make them.” He stabbed his chest with his finger. “It was you at the Battle of Guilme. The Painted Knight. The king’s best-kept secret. You are not just a wise maiden, but you are a warrior too! Do you not understand how intoxicating I find that? How much you intrigue me? Very little does that anymore. I wish to join with you, for you would shape me into a better man, I know it.

“I have faults and flaws, but a lack of honor is not one of them. I would never take you by force. Tryneowy, I am dazzled by you and all that you have accomplished. You’ve earned my respect and admiration. I had heard about your disfigurement, but in truth, I find you very attractive. Being with you right now is tormenting me in ways I hadn’t anticipated.” He turned away from her, perhaps to conceal or control his emotions. “I’ve been caught in a trap the Wizrs set. Brought perilously close to submitting, for there was no other choice. They sought to force me to marry another, the king’s sister. Someone they could control. They promised me that she would be everything I desire in a wife. You are my chance to be free of them.”