The Heir by Suzanna Lynn Read Free Book Online Page A

Ashmur’s attempts to arrange a marriage between the two
Kingdoms.
    She and Baylin rose and were dressed in warm
fur-lined clothes by their servants. They then seated themselves to
eat. The sun shone bright and warm through the tall windows and
felt nice against the morning chill.
    Luana picked at her food. She was hungry,
but nothing seemed to satisfy.
    “Do you not feel well?” Baylin asked.
    “Could you get me some apples?” Luana
requested. She had a terrible craving for the fruit at the moment.
It seemed the nausea was beginning to let up and the hunger was
taking over.
    Baylin laughed. “Apples?”
    Luana blushed, realizing how odd the words
sounded when she blurted them out. “I’m sorry, they sound so
delicious. I know they aren’t growing in Grasmere right now, but I
can’t get over the craving for them.”
    Baylin smiled, reaching his hand out and
laying it on top of hers on the table. “I will get you as many
apples as you like.”
    Luana smiled and returned to her meal, but
she could feel Baylin’s eyes on her. “What?”
    Baylin seemed to be smiling to himself. “Oh,
nothing.”
    “What is it?” Luana pressed. His wide grin
caused her to giggle.
    “It’s only,” Baylin began, “my mother craved
apples when she was carrying me. My grandmother craved them with
both Father and my uncle.”
    Luana smiled warmly at him, understanding. He thinks it’s a boy because I want apples.
    She felt a delicate flutter in the pit of
her stomach at the shared delight in his thoughts. His excitement
about their child was intoxicating to her. She stared at him with
loving eyes. Please let me give him a son. He deserves to have a
son.
    As they were finishing their meal, a knock
came at the door. Baylin rose to answer it.
    Luana could not see who it was when he
opened the door, but she could hear a woman’s voice. “Baylin! So
this is where you have been hiding.”
    Luana craned her neck so she could see who
it was.
    “Oh,” Baylin said. “Princess Isla, what do I
owe this honor?”
    Luana turned her head back to focus on her
plate. She tasted bile in the back of her throat, feeling the icy
tingle of nerves mixed with anger travel all over her body.
    Princess Isla. Luana was miserable. I never thought I would have to meet her, this woman who plans
to take Baylin from me.
    “Well, when you refuse to present yourself
to your guests, the only choice is for your guests to come to you.”
The woman cackled as she walked past Baylin into the room.
    Luana could not help but look up to see the
Princess. She was tall; closer to Baylin’s height. She had to admit
that the Princess was pretty, but her face and expression seemed
hard and unpleasant.
    Isla was dressed as though she was already
Queen of Grasmere. She wore a magnificent rich crimson velvet gown
with a black and gold silk filigree underskirt. The bodice was
encrusted with, what appeared to be, small faceted rubies that
shimmered in the light. The edges of the gown were trimmed in gold
braided embroidery that traveled from the front of the gown all the
way to the back of her long train that trailed behind her when she
walked. On her head she wore a gold circlet with a round ruby in
the center. It gleamed in contrast with her raven hair.
    The Princess turned and saw Luana staring at
her. “This is your bed wife?”
    Baylin looked uneasy, unsure what to do or
say. “Princess Isla, please allow me to introduce Luana.”
    Isla’s jaw tightened as she studied Luana.
She reminded Luana of a snake deciding when to strike a mouse.
    The behavior that most surprised Luana was
Baylin’s. He treated her as though she was an equal to the
Princess. She knew he loved her, but she never considered herself
to be on the same level as anyone in the castle. He really does
want me for his Queen.
    “Father says she is with child,” Isla
continued, never removing her eyes from Luana.
    “Yes,” Baylin replied. He took a deliberate
step, putting himself between Luana and the