Part of her was tempted to follow him, comfort him—but she knew she had to stay. If she was to rule here, she had to be stronger, calmer, and cleverer than anyone else. She sipped at her wine—an inferior vintage, sharp with tannins, but she was glad of the warm burn sliding down her throat.

On Constance’s other side, the Duke pushed his food around his plate as if he’d forgotten what it was for. The physician had disappeared.

“Try to eat something, Father,” she said gently, helping him cut a sliver of the pungent fish and raise it to his mouth. The Duke chewed with his mouth open, like a toddler.

Lord Veredith leaned closer across the table. “It is good to see you again, my dear,” he warbled, patting the back of her hand. “You have grown into a beautiful young woman. How are the Santinis?”

The Santinis were her mother’s family. Their estates in the southeast of Valorian were a scattering of islands called the Wishes, like a rash of freckles in the shallow turquoise sea. Long ago, they’d been a royal house in their own right, and even now their territory was known for its unusual freedom and outlandish customs, the Santini Contessa for her independence. As the family rarely visited court, Constance had never met them—but she’d done her research. “They are well. My uncle Alberto sends his regards. I believe you met him once, when my mother’s match was first arranged?”

“I did indeed. Splendid, splendid.” Lord Veredith sipped his soup, a good deal of it spattering onto his long beard. “It was a magnificent day. The sun was shining. The horrid storm cloud was not yet imagined. A crowd gathered in the lower town to cheer on the new Duchess as she arrived in a gilded carriage.” His eyes had filled with mist. “She was beautiful, golden skinned, blue-eyed, and willowy tall. You have your mother’s figure, dear, and her eyes,” he said, “but your coloring is your father’s.” He continued, his voice warbling higher as his emotion grew: “I remember her stepping from the carriage. Your father was there, straight-backed and proud—his hair as fair as hers was dark. A young man then. Yes, they were a fine couple. And as they made their way into the castle, the whole city was alive with music. Never since that day have I felt—”

“These are sad times,” Constance cut in, not wanting to hear more.

Lord Veredith patted her hand a second time. “Indeed, my dear. Indeed they are.”