Queen Rising (Fallen Realm Book 3) by Joline Pearce

Author:Joline Pearce [Pearce, Joline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Back at the Ansi village, I briefly outlined my plan to Brenica. She seemed skeptical, which I admit unnerved me. My confidence might be marginally higher than it was when Sakaya scolded me (except where Lorcan and everything sex-related is concerned), but only because I doubt I could make the situation worse.

After our brief discussion, I went up to our room to clean up. I removed my leather top and skirt and put on one of Cata’s old undershirts and a pair of underwear, which are more than sufficient coverage for this sultry place. The leather is more practical. It doesn’t stick and wrinkle the way fabric does, and in this humidity, washing and drying is difficult. With thin leather, all you do is wipe it with a damp cloth and hang it from the piping. Easy to maintain.

Sweat curled the hair at the nape of my neck. It’s grown a bit longer in the weeks since I was first rescued. When I get back to Čovari Village, I’ll have to ask Saskaya for a trim. I rinsed away the grime with a cloth dampened with cold water from the pipe system. The purple paint on my body didn’t budge.

Through the partially open flap covering, I caught sight of Lorcan and Tovian talking with a clearly upset Tahra. Poor girl. She didn’t like being left behind this morning.

When she wrapped her arms around Lorcan’s neck, my empathy evaporated. He didn’t push her away. Instead, he hugged her back.

I waited. The longer Lorcan let her linger in his arms, the lower my stomach sank. Tovian glanced uneasily at me. I met his eyes for a brief second before tugging the entrance flap closed.

I have bigger things to worry about. But this is exactly why I cannot marry Lorcan. I always hated my father’s focus on optics. Now, I understand their importance. Look perfect. Be unemotional. Never let anyone rattle you, no matter how rude or how deeply their words and actions cut. I don’t want to stick a cork back inside my emotional champagne bottle, but I can’t go around letting everything bubble out, either.

By tolerating Tahra’s overt affections, he’s giving the impression that he isn’t faithful to me. Tovian saw it. Even if Lorcan is only begrudgingly humoring her the way he did Raina all those years—and after weeks of observation, I’ve come to believe that’s all there is to it—Lorcan’s behavior invites questions. I know he’s been with women from this village, overheard whispers about his first visit here. Will they try again, now, thinking that he doesn’t honor his commitment to me?

Lorcan doesn’t seem to understand this, and I don’t feel as though I can bring it up. He’ll brush my concerns aside as unwarranted envy. I am jealous. But that doesn’t mean my worries are unfounded.

Not to mention how much it hurts to have his infidelity constantly thrust in my face. A fact I will have to contend with for the duration of our agreement.

It’s not perfect, but my plan is the right one.

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