The Kraken King, Part 7 by Meljean Brook Read Free Book Online Page B

her close, but his voice was rough as he said, “If you choose to go, I won’t stop you. I’d rather you don’t come until I know my town is safe, but I won’t make this decision for you. But if you do come, know that I will put you above everything. I will take risks for you that I wouldn’t take for anyone else. So if you go into this battle knowing how you might be used as a weapon against me, also know you are endangering us both.”
    She stilled against him. Her chest filled on a ragged breath. Then she lifted her head, nodding and wiping her cheeks. “You’re right. There is no decision to make.”
    No. But there was one he hadn’t considered before. “Would you prefer to stay here? I can arrange for guards at either location.”
    He hadn’t thought it would be so hard for her to decide. But she stared out over the balcony for another long moment before she asked, “At which location would you worry about me less?”
    It didn’t matter. The worry wouldn’t stop until he held her again. But at least he could know that she was among friends. “The embassy.”
    â€œThe embassy, then,” she said, then gave a hollow little laugh before shaking her head.
    Still unhappy about staying, Ariq guessed—though there must be relief, too. Her loyalty wasn’t only to Mara and Cooper, and she’d told him before that she needed to be near Helene. “You won’t have to abandon your obligation to your friend.”
    Her back stiffened slightly. “That’s all settled,” she said, and her voice had the same hollow edge that her laugh had. “Her predicament was resolved rather painlessly.”
    Perhaps it had been. But the brittleness in Zenobia’s posture said that whatever the obligation had been, it was far from settled, and though it might have been painless for her friend, it hadn’t been for her. He’d seen his wife irritated by and exasperated with Helene, but not this. “Did you argue?”
    She shook her head and forced a smile, then tugged at the belt of his tunic. “We don’t have long before you have to go.”
    â€œSo you should tell me quickly.”
    â€œIt’s not important. Not compared to—”
    He stopped her. “I won’t send you into the hands of your enemies, either. Even if they call themselves friends.”
    She closed her eyes. “It’s nothing so dramatic. Something she said upset me. But you’re leaving, it’s not important, and it won’t be the first time I’ve locked myself in a room with my typesetter so that I can avoid her.”
    Hiding herself away. And she said it wasn’t important?
    â€œI’m here now,” he said. “And you told me that we should share our troubles.”
    Her smile was sad and soft. Her fingers curled around his belt again—not tugging this time, but simply hanging on. “I would share them. But it’s not for me to say.”
    And his wife could keep a secret. Better than her friend did.
    â€œHer pregnancy?” he guessed.
    Her gaze shot to his. Mouth dropping open, she simply stared at him before asking, “Did the ambassador tell you?”
    So that was what they’d been waiting for—to see how Basile Auger would accept the news. “My mountain walker did. I’ve commanded hundreds of female soldiers. I know what it means when they began spitting their breakfast over the side.”
    â€œThen you knew from the start!”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œBut you didn’t say anything.”
    What would he have said? Her pregnancy had nothing to do with him. “It wasn’t my place to speak of it. She was away from her husband and obviously with child, but I didn’t know the story of how that child had come about.”
    â€œThe story,” she echoed. “If you
had
asked her, that’s exactly what you’d get.”
    â€œA story is