Kiss of Snow

24

I raised my gaze to meet hers, and she took my hand, squeezing her fingers around mine. “We’re royal. Sometimes we don’t get to choose.” she said, her voice sad.

“Rose!” We both turned at Iris’s screech as she bounded through the door like a lolloping puppy. “How wonderful you’re here!”

Grimelda followed Iris through the doorway, her mouth pursed in displeasure.

“Grimelda.” I stood and indicated Rose. “Do you remember my sister, Rose? She’ll be staying for…” I paused. I had no idea how long Rose intended to stay. “A few days.”

“I see.” Grimelda huffed and turned in the direction of the kitchen. She walked away, her skirts swishing her annoyance. What was that about? Perhaps she was upset I didn’t warn her we’d have an extra mouth to feed. Of course, I had no idea Rose was going to arrive either.

I didn’t care if she was grumpy though—I was just happy to have my sister back, even if for only a short time.

Sixteen

Keane

F

our more men milled around to entertain Lily on her latest outing, hopefully all of them ready to shower her with the attention she deserved and that her station demanded. My role was to be invisible, but I’d come close to breaking that a couple of times on the last date when Theund had barely had the manners to reply to Lily’s attempts at conversation and Covack had fallen straight to sleep. That man behaved like his favorite drink was a sleeping draught. Perhaps Danzin was putting something in his drinks and secretly knocking out the competition.

I chuckled to myself because I needed to find the humor somewhere. Watching Lily with other men was hard, even when I kept reminding myself of my place in life. Perhaps everything seemed harder because of my place in her life.

This afternoon, Grimelda had sent Lily out to build a snowman with the other lords she hadn’t had a date with yet, and not all of them seemed used to the cold. Today she was spending time with Lord Gusten and Lord Lasloe, both from Talador and comfortable in the snow, along with Lord Vasso and Lord Hirth. Lord Vasso, whom Lily had dubbed Dopey, had the most issue with it, but Andaria was a more temperate kingdom, with talk of leafy forests and dappled sunshine. It was probably somewhere I’d like to see one day, but for now I just maintained a steady gaze on their clumsiest export.

I glanced toward Vasso at that thought, just in time to see him launch a huge handful of snow right at Lily. It caught her full in the face and she coughed and sputtered. I started forward at the same time as Vasso, but he tripped over his other foot and landed face-down in a snow drift.

I ran over the snow, light on my feet after a lifetime of practice. Sun and Moon, I was standing too far from Lily if it took this long to reach her. That handful of snow could have been any sort of projectile, and I wouldn’t have been by her side to prevent serious damage.

“Your Majesty, I apologize,” I said.

Lily brushed off the top of her dress. “It’s just a bit of snow, Keane. I’m fine.”

I nodded, but still. It might not have been. I stood closer to Lily as her suitors continued to pat snow onto their snowman. Lord Vasso offered an apology to Lily, and she smiled up at him as she accepted. He was probably the best-looking man here, not that I was expert at such things, and I bristled seeing them together.

“Princess Lily!” Lord Lasloe, the one who wouldn’t quit smiling and laughing, boomed Lily’s name across the quiet clearing. A couple of birds took sudden noisy flight from a nearby tree, leaving snow to fall from their vacated branch.

Lily looked up and smiled at the man she’d nicknamed Happy. Perhaps she liked what she saw. I narrowed my eyes. He was definitely friendly, but perhaps a little too charming. I put him firmly in my mental no pile with the other six. None of them were good enough for her.

“May I escort you back to your carriage for a warm drink?” He held out his arm, all chivalry and manners.

She took his arm gracefully. “Why, Lord Lasloe, I’d be honored.”

They chatted the whole way back to the carriage and my steps seemed extra heavy as I realized I could be following Lily and the next king of Talador.

I stood outside the carriage as they drank some hot cocoa Lasloe had asked the cook to prepare before the outing, and my warm breath fogged up the windows from the outside as I kept constant careful watch.

Shortly, a second lord arrived, looking to take over from his competition. I beckoned him closer and knocked on the door of the carriage. “Your Majesty, Lord Hirth is here.”

Lord Lasloe groaned. “That’s my cue. It has been lovely to spend some time with you, Lily.”

My stomach twisted at his inappropriate use of her first name, but I battled to push my jealousy back down.

The second lord climbed into the carriage, and I shut the door behind him, but not before he produced a large handkerchief and proceeded to sneeze into it with gusto. Less than three noisy minutes later, he opened the carriage door and climbed back out.

“I can’t stay in there,” he wheezed. “I think I’m allergic to all the furs.”

I inclined my head in acknowledgement. It would be no great loss if he left this place.

“I’ll send the next man,” he called as he hurried away, seemingly relieved he didn’t have to sit with Lily any longer.

The next man turned out to be the clumsy oaf from Andaria. Really, only the Sun and Moon must have known where Dahlia found these men. Lord Vasso yanked on the handle to the carriage so he could climb in, and I winced as the spring snapped under the force he applied.