Aislinn_Kerry_ _A_Queen's

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me time to think. I think we could both use time to think on it.
Nume s smile spread a fraction. I have thought on it enough to
know my own mind. But I ll not begrudge you some time. It is, as
you say, a highly unconventional proposition.
Lad, Conall growled, pitching his voice low. What the hell
is going on? If I didn t know better, I d think negotiations had
fallen through before they d even begun, but she s smiling far too
nicely for the words I hear coming out of your mouths.
Luke startled, staring up at the other man. You understood
that? An awful weight settled in his stomach.
I recognized a few words. Conall scowled. And like I told
you earlier, none of the words I know are fit for polite company.
He hesitated, his expression growing bewildered. Gods, lad,
you re not really calling her a whore, are you? He snorted and
rolled his eyes. I suppose it s only fair, I m fair sure she called
you a bastard a minute ago, but even so I d not have expected it of
you.
Luke rocked back, staring at him, agape. What? For heaven s
sake, why would you Oh gods, no. No, we re talking about
Bastard children. And mistresses. Gods help the whole lot of us.
Conall glanced at Nume, then regarded Luke with a wary
expression. I suppose you d best start at the beginning, and clue
me in to this conversation, then.
Luke sighed and brought his hands up to his face. He told them
about the conversation he d had with Nume, and the proposition
she d made, and he didn t have to look at Conall to sense the
tension that slid through the other man. He grimaced, expecting
anger and a wholly-justified tirade. What Nume proposed was
infidelity, after all.
He did not expect Conall to throw his head back with laughter.
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A QUEEN S DOWRY
Luke stiffened and raised his head, scowling. This is hardly a
laughing matter.
No? It is, a little bit. Conall s face stretched into a grin.
Your princess is not so clever as she thinks. I know you, lad, and I
know well enough what you like. This Ilian girl is not going to
please you.
Luke s cheeks burned like a brand. Addy choked with laughter,
her hand flying up to her mouth. Conall glanced at her and his
expression twisted with consternation. Oh gods, my mouth
Don t stop on my account, Addy said, giggling. By all
means.
It s nothing to do with pleasure, Luke snapped, scowling at
their mirth. Only procuring an heir.
Conall s grin was lopsided and far too amused for Luke s taste.
He glanced at Addy, then lowered his voice and murmured, You
think you can manage the one without the other, do you?
Luke pushed away from the table. You are taking this in
stride. I had not thought about it so well at all, for it had not
occurred to me that you might favor the idea!
Conall laughed again. He took Luke s hand in his and gripped
it when Luke tried to pull away. Lad, he murmured, still
watching him with a lopsided smile. Don t think I like the idea,
by any means. But you said it yourself. It s a matter of progeny
and heritage, not love or passion. I am a whore s son I am well
acquainted with the notion of sex as a business transaction. He let
go of Luke s wrists and slid his hand up to cup Luke s jaw, tilting
his face up to meet Conall s sobering gaze. I do not want to lose
you, he murmured. And we all know it is the only option the
Ilian delegates will offer in negotiations. If keeping you and
keeping the peace means letting you get a woman with child
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A QUEEN S DOWRY
Well. He eased back, letting a bit more space between them.
Gods know, I will not be bearing you any.
Conall, Luke chided, frowning. This is not a matter for
levity. Please, be serious.
Oh, I am, he assured Luke. As serious as it gets. His
thumbs brushed over the line of Luke s jaw. You, in exchange for
an heir? Yes. It is a barter I d be willing to accept.
But& Luke drew backward, putting space between them. His
chest felt much too small, his heart pounded much too hard. No.
This is madness. It couldn t possibly work. My people our
people They would never accept this.
How well do you think they d accept a king who has no intent
to produce an heir? Addy asked from the table. That s a nice
way to throw us all into civil war. Our people will suffer if you let
your country go to war because you ve died without an heir and
everyone wants a piece of the throne. She made a low, harsh
sound. Look at what s happened with Darrin. We had an heir, and
he still tried to take the throne for himself.
Traitor, Luke groaned. He turned back to Conall. And you.
You were supposed to be& He trailed off, uncertain of what he
meant to say, and Conall gave a warm laugh.
What s that? Jealous and possessive and irate? He took
Luke s hand in his own again, and squeezed it tight. How s this
for possessive? he murmured. You re mine, lad, and I ll not
share you with another. But this princess of yours& He glanced
across the table to where Nume sat, then sighed and pressed a kiss
to Luke s knuckles. She s not trying to keep you. She s trying to
help us, I think. As best she knows how.
Some pirate, Luke muttered, chagrined. Letting some
woman waltz in and claim a share in your bounty.
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A QUEEN S DOWRY
Conall laughed and kissed him again, hard and firm upon the
lips, despite the audience. Well, we ll see if it comes to that.
Perhaps the diplomats will be more reasonable than we expect.
Perhaps a lot of things. He grinned. But I still think she s ill-
equipped to satisfy you, lad.
* * *
It seemed to Addy that the whole of the palace had crowded
into the receiving hall to see what tribute the Ilians had brought
with them. Crates and boxes crowded the walls, stacked high as a
dozen Ilian servants rushed about trying to put order to it all, so
that the elegant space seemed more like a storeroom than anything
else. An area had been cleared in the center of the hall, and a few
crates opened. Addy rose onto her toes, trying to peer past Luke
and Conall to see the tribute as it was lifted and displayed.
There were mountains of brightly dyed silks in the top of the
first crate. The diplomats lifted them out, displaying gleaming,
polished gems beneath, and then furs patterned so wildly that it
seemed they must have been dyed, loops and whorls and stripes in
shades of russet, ivory, brilliant orange, deepest black, more
dramatic than any game found in Samar.
A small box made everyone catch their breath, more precious
than all of the larger ones combined because it was filled to
bursting with precious spices from Ilia and the countries near her, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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