The Crystal Flame by Shirley McCoy

Author:Shirley McCoy [McCoy, Shirley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, fantasy, spicy, medieval, sorcery
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2017-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

As they broke their fast, Finn and Thomas discussed their plans for the day, which included scouting around the outskirts of the camp.

Before Joan could express her wish to join them, Lyssa said, “Perhaps Joan might show me around while you do that? Finn has told me so much about you and it would please me if we could know each other better. The forest and meadows hereabouts are lovely and I would like to see them up close. We would stay within the perimeter, of course.”

The snow queen’s smile was encouraging and friendly, and really, what else could she do but acquiesce? So, an hour later she found herself walking about the encampment. In a stiff tone, she began to point out the various areas and sights of the place. “If you go left, you will see the river Trill—”

Lyssa placed a hand on Joan’s arm and the rest of her words died in her throat. “Actually, while I am interested in the area, the beauty of the river and the woods and so forth, we’ll get to that later. But first, well, my real motive was to talk to you.”

Joan tensed. What on earth could Lyssa have to talk to her about? On so short an acquaintance and with so little in common, she couldn’t imagine what the other woman might have to say.

“I am in love with Finn.”

The statement was blunt and to the point and Joan couldn’t help but admire it. Lyssa went up in her estimation.

But the queen was not finished. “I think I fell for him the moment I saw him. I’m a very fortunate woman because, well, he loves me too. In fact, he loves me so much he’s asked me to marry him.”

Joan took a moment to gather her wits enough to speak, but she managed to get her tongue working at last. “I wish you every happiness.”

The queen inclined her head, and the gesture was so regal Joan wished she possessed a little of the other woman’s poise.

“There are several reasons I am telling you this,” she continued. “The first is that I want you to understand that there is no one else for me but Finn. I will do my utmost to be a loving and loyal wife to him. I have no interest in any other, certainly not Thomas.”

Joan’s cheeks burned. Apparently she had not hidden her feelings for Thomas as well as she supposed if the queen was aware of them.

“Secondly, as a result of knowing true joy for the first time, I want everyone else to know the same. Perhaps it’s presumptuous of me to mention it, but I’ve seen the way you look at Lord Thomas and the way he looks at you.”

Joan longed to deny it. For the queen to see not only that she was smitten, to all intents and purposes besotted with Thomas, was beyond humiliating. But even worse, she had to believe that Lyssa was mistaken about Thomas’s desire for her. It was not the same for him.

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