Chapter 91
Harden leaned back in his chair, lips tugging slightly at the corner. “You’ve met my circle. The ones no one dares speak about too loudly.”
He lifted his glass, eyes glinting with something unreadable.
“We’re the ones they call the Dead Court,” he added smoothly. “Not because we’re dead. But because the last person who crossed us ended up that way.”
I blinked. “That’s…comforting.”
Roan let out a soft laugh beside him. “He thinks it sounds intimidating.”
“It kind of does,” I said dryly.
Roan stepped closer, his movements lazy, confident. His height alone made him look like he could crush boulders with his bare hands, but his expression held nothing but warmth. Mischief, maybe.
“To build trust,” Roan said, gesturing around the room. “That’s why you’re here. You’re not just another servant, Elena. Harden’s not that generous.”
My eyes narrowed a fraction. “So this is some kind of honor?”
Roan didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took my hand gently in his much larger one and, without rushing, brought it to his lips. He kissed the back lightly–his gaze never leaving mine.
“Hello, beautiful,” he murmured against my skin.
I froze.
Behind him, I heard Harden’s chair scrape slightly, the legs dragging faintly over the stone.
A sound too soft to be accidental.
Roan smiled wider. “You’re very beautiful, Elena. Your eyes. Hair. The way you stand even when you’re tense.”
He let my hand go, slowly. “Everything about you speaks art.”
I stared at him, trying to piece together if this was just flirtation or something else. My throat was dry. “Are you….an artist?”
Roan tilted his head, the smile never quite leaving his face. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Depends on what you count as art.”
Seraphine let out a soft, derisive sound, but didn’t speak. Her silver eyes blinked slowly–still unsettling, still watching,
Harden didn’t speak either.
But when I finally looked at him, his expression was carved from stone. No smile. Just ice.
I straightened a lade. “Why are you telling me all this? Letting me in like this? Did you forget that I’m a spy
Koan chuckied “No one forgets what you are.”
Londynicred, crossing my arms.
Harden Bosally spooke, his voice other than wine, laced with that low resp that always made my skin prickle
” said at fors and share my coun, Fiena,” he said, not breaking eye contact You’re here in learn
bed “Learn what How to avad Seraphine a death starest
Thas carved a facut sack from a Fren fadun quad tus lurad like he was vaguely amused Maybe. Or maybe Turyst
Harden ignored my matsas The wig 1 gave piss Ther language
Kaght
94
3:06 PM
Chapter 91
That frustrating string of ancient symbols I’d been fighting with for days, the ones that looked like they were drawn by a drunk crow.
“I’m still trying not to cry every time I write the second line,” I admitted. “Is it cursed or just emotionally abusive?”
Roan chuckled. Harden didn’t smile.
“It’s the Old Tongue,” he said simply. “The language of kings. Of contracts. Of oaths that can’t be broken.”
I paused.
That sounded…intense.
“So…like magical Latin about how handsome and amazing you look?”
Harden didn’t laugh, but his brow lifted. “It shows what you want to see love. So clearly you are seeing me as handsome with the best jawline in the whole of the North. With hair as silk…”
“Okay enough.” I said.
Harden chuckled. “The old tongue is much older than Latin. And far more binding.”
”
“Binding,” I repeated slowly. “See, that’s the kind of word that makes me nervous.”
“It should,” Seraphine said quietly. Her voice was low, with a rasp like wind scraping bone. “People have lost themselves in that language.”
I swallowed, suddenly feeling very small.
Roan nudged me gently with his elbow, voice lighter. “Don’t let her spook you. It’s just words.”
“Magic words,” I muttered
“Words are always magic,” he replied.
Okay, poetic warrior. Noted.
“But still.” I looked back at Harden. “Why give that to me? Why not one of your generals or advisors or-” I gestured vaguely at Seraphine and Talon. “Your…Shadow Avengers?”
Roan laughed. Seraphine rolled her eyes. Talon näight’ve blinked. Unclear.
Harden didn’t move for a moment. Then he leaned forward, elbows on the table, hands folded like he was bracing for something.
“because it’s a language,” he said slowly, “that should only be known by the king… and his bride.”
Silence
Sharp, clean silence.
I stared
His gaze didn’t waver. “You heard me.”
“Brider” I speed, because maybe I’d blacked out and hallucinated that part.
Ruan mastered. “Ali, hree we
*ou want the so learn this because what I’m going to marry your My voice jumped at least half a pitch higher than intended Harden didn‘) tdank. “This is the palace”
Rom koked far too and for women in the sadly of an emotional nululomat
I scoffed, kirpping back. “You’re grading”
“I don’t joke.‘ Harden said valsty
“That’s true,” Roan added “He doesn’t
I turned to tam “You’re not helping”
3:06 PM
Chapter 91
“Not trying to.”
I turned back to Harden, my brain short–circuiting. “Is this some kind of political strategy? Marry the spy to keep tabs on the enemy? Because, spoiler alert, I am still Alaric’s-”
“You’re not his anything,” Harden cut in sharply, his voice cold.
That stung more than I cared to admit.
“And this isn’t about Alaric,” he added, quieter now. “It’s about you.”
I folded my arms tightly. “I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t have to,” he said. “You’ll see it for yourself.”
I stared at him, something twisting hard in my chest.
Roan leaned against the table, resting his chin on his hand. “You’re taking this surprisingly well.”
“Am I?” I snapped.
“No,” he said cheerfully. “But it’s entertaining.”
“Remind me to thank you later.” be added.
Harden stood slowly, his movements too graceful for a man his size. “You wanted to know why you were here. That’s why.”
“To be your bride?” I asked, flat and disbelieving.
“Well, to convince you to be.”
It made me laugh.
Like—really laugh. That kind of sharp, uncontrollable laugh that bursts out of you before your brain can catch up. I laughed until I had to press a hand to my stomach. I think even Seraphine flinched.
“My gods,” I gasped, finally catching my breath. “You’re serious?”
Roan just leaned against the edge of the table like this was the best entertainment he’d had in weeks.
Harden didn’t move.
That made it worse.
“Oh, you’re serious.” I blinked at him, that hollow ache in my chest twisting, “You actually think that’s going to happen?”
+15
“There’s a logic to it.” Seraphine snapped, suddenly standing. Her voice was sharp now, almost brittle. “This isn’t about flowers and love letters, girl.
It’s about survival”
*Larus ter
1er ver eyes flared, cere and too bright. “You’ve seen the petal”
Hardens & expression stufied juas slightly. “Seraphine”
“They” aber wird, turning toward bir “You want her to agree to this? Then don’t sugarcoat it.”
“Wines gata!“* I asked slowly, trying to pince it together—why the air suddenly felt charged.
“Don’t play dung har scapped. “You sucked it. You saw it. That cursed flower has been dying one drop at a time for years, and we are running out of prials
“Seraphine” Hardes said ag
ain, more fr
Sår turned on fur wase rising “If das is scene joke in you–if you think you can just kiss your festurs and pretend you have a choice–then may be you to the wrong girl after all.”
