The Archduke (Daindreth's Assassin, #0.5) by Elisabeth Wheatley

Author:Elisabeth Wheatley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy romance, male pov romance, hero pov romance, assassin romance, enemies to lovers fantasy romance, strong heroine fantasy romance, assassin fantasy romance
Publisher: Elisabeth Wheatley
Published: 2021-09-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

The room felt hot. Daindreth wasn’t sure if that was the number of bodies crowded in the audience chamber or his own nervousness.

Amira stood not ten steps away. She gave the appearance of stillness, but he caught her eyes flitting across the room behind her beaded veil every so often. She was wearing black again, silk, this time. The cut wasn’t as provocative as the night of the ball, but the scooped neckline and fitted bodice showed just enough to tease. At least he thought it did. But that might be because he was already so intrigued by her.

How would she react to his plan? What about King Hyle? Would the man agree? Protest?

There was only one way to find out.

Daindreth remained still as his own lawyers and King Hyle’s reviewed the marriage contract yet again. The archduke had kept his lawyers awake for half the night reviewing every syllable and corresponding statute to ensure there were no barriers to what he planned to do.

Dame Cormorant, his head lawyer, had argued with him for close to an hour along with Thadred and Taylan, but in the end, he had overruled them all. This was the only way to achieve everything he wanted—no war, only a minor scandal, and his sole hope of salvation secured by law.

Finally, the lawyers finished, and Dame Cormorant nodded to him. Daindreth inclined his head to her once.

She might resist his plans, but like Thadred and Taylan, she was loyal. Now that the course had been decided, all three of them would do everything in their power to see this plan succeed.

Across the table from Daindreth sat King Hyle. The man smiled easily over his greying beard, occasionally speaking with Daindreth and occasionally with those around him. If he suspected anything was amiss, he gave no sign.

At her husband’s side, Queen Hyle pretended to make small talk with the lady’s maid at her elbow, but watched every move of the lawyers like a sheepdog ready to bite the sheep back into order.

Fonra was beside her mother. She cast Daindreth a small smile and he forced a smile back. He hoped she wouldn’t be hurt by this. It was for her good as much as everyone else’s, he thought.

Amira remained as she was, alone and shoulders bowed in a deferential pose. She noticed Daindreth staring at her and looked away.

It was all he could do to contain himself. What did she know? Caa Iss had predictably not made a peep since Daindreth had entered her presence. How did she do it?

Dame Cormorant bowed from the corner of his eye. “Your Highness.” She laid the long scroll before him, nodding. “It is ready, as you requested.”

Daindreth perused the neat handwriting of the scribes, meticulously copied and revised from the original to leave out all mention of his bride’s name except at the very end.

Daindreth nodded and the lawyers presented the document to King Hyle.

The king glanced to a severe man in black velvet, Lord Cromwell, his lawyer. Cromwell nodded once and that seemed to satisfy the king.

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