Chapter 40 #2
“For not hating me for keeping something else from you. I . . .” There was one other secret he was holding onto—two, if he counted needing the perfect moment to tell her he loved her.
Although, Kas was fairly certain Nesrina would give him a pass on his hidden identity.
He hoped. It didn’t directly impact her the way the other secrets had.
There would be time for that discussion later, though.
“Do you think my papa knew?”
It was Kas’s turn to shrug. “I don’t know. Hevva thinks it’s possible. Ehmet told her Hothan’s correspondence grew infrequent after he had an argument with Queen Adellan, not long after Hevva and Ehmet’s handfasting, maybe two years after King Hethtar the Third died.”
“When I was around ten? That’s when Papa got . . . weird . . . about nobility.”
“It is?” Kas chanced a glance at Nesrina, who was staring at her toes tenting the blanket.
“Yes. He used to speak so fondly of his time at the palace, tutoring the ki—Ehmet. My brother, gods . . .”
Kas gave her a few moments to process the whole “secret sibling” thing.
Eventually, Nesrina began to voice her thoughts aloud, “Papa talked so fondly of Kirce when I was young. He had nothing bad to say about nobility then. Mostly, he told me about the splendor of the palace, the food, teaching Prince Ehmet, and visiting the sea. But it changed. I don’t know exactly when, but I was nine or ten.
He stopped wanting to answer my questions.
When he talked about his time at the capital, it was nothing more than a ‘great honor’ to have worked for the royal family, not ‘the best time of my life’ anymore.
I didn’t question it. I figured I asked too many questions, and he tired of discussing it.
His negativity crept in after that, influencing my mind too.
But . . . Do you think blood magic is real then?
” Nes changed the subject, and Kas went with it.
“I do. I told Hevva as much. Why else would Rihan fill a godsdamned canteen with your blood?”
“Ohhh. You think Ehmet’s injury was a successful blood gathering attempt, not a failed murder?”
Kas squeezed her hand. “Exactly. It fits that Rihan was tasked with stealing blood.” If that was the case, it was also possible, nay probable, that the arrow in the clearing was meant for Nes, not Ataht, but he didn’t want to guilt her any further, so he kept the suspicion to himself.
“I should have known, or worked out that Ehmet’s illegitimate at least. He never acted like his dad.
Nekash, on the other hand, he’s similar to the old king in demeanor and proclivities. ” Kas sneered.
“Wait, are you saying Nekash is behind this? And why does it fit that Rihan’s involved? In the cottage, he said that thing about the true or rightful king. Did he mean Nekash?”
She was so quick, it was unbelievable. He hadn’t considered Nekash’s involvement, only the immediate connection between Rihan and the blood magic. “Now I think Nekash is behind it. It makes the most sense. And Rihan’s been working for him. Reassigned to his guard.”
Nesrina cocked her head at him. “Since when?”
“Since Ehmet heard about what the arsehole did to you at the symposium.”
Nes grimaced.
Stroking his thumb over the back of her hand, he said, “I didn’t know, not until Hevva told me. What happened there?”
“It was while you were talking to King Hethtar—”
“I think you can call him Ehmet . . .”
The shadow of a smile flitted across her face, and Kas nearly leaned in to kiss her, but the timing was too poor.
“He tried to kiss me, got mad when I pushed him away,” she explained.
“I’m sorry, I misread that situation, argued with you about it. I should have been there to protect you. I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“I don’t need protecting.”
“I know you don’t, but I want to.”
She squeezed his hand, and they sat there in silence for a minute, processing everything, thinking through details.
Always appreciative of a good summary, Kas’s reasonable suspicions poured from his mouth, “I’m almost positive Nekash coerced Rihan into stealing your blood and the king’s.
Nekash will donate his own. When the runes show Ehmet is related to both of you, and you’re not a relation of Nekash’s .
. . Ehmet’s reign will be over. The prince is going to prove his brother illegitimate and take the crown. ”
“Nekash is trying to prove Ehmet illegitimate,” she bit out. “He won’t succeed. You said Hevva’s riding south? She’ll get there in time. She’ll fix this. They’ll fix this.”
“I hope so.” Kas turned onto his side to pull Nesrina toward him. Curling up, she burrowed into his chest with their interlocked hands nestled between their bodies. Gently, he scratched her back.
“But Ehmet’s a fantastic leader. Nekash would be awful for Selwas.”
“I agree. And that’s why this can’t get out. Not now, likely not ever. It means we have to keep letting the masses believe chaosweaving’s a mutation Are you all right with that?”
With a nod that rubbed her hair against his chin, she released his hand. Kas feared she was going to pull away, but she pressed her palm against his chest and left it there. “Your heartbeat is calming,” she murmured.
“You’re tired.”
“So tired.”
She glanced up at him, and he pecked her on the forehead before imploring, “Nes, I need to hear you say it. We cannot tell a soul about this.”
She mimed locking her lips and tossing away the key. Then, she reached up with her bandaged arms, clasped the sides of his face, and pulled him down to press a firm kiss against his forehead.
Kas tipped his head up at the last possible moment and captured her lips. One slow, searing embrace later, he released her with a hushed, “You need to sleep.”
“Yes.”
She must’ve been exhausted to not argue on that front, when there were so many things they could continue to discuss . . . like her other “yes.”
“I’m going to let you rest for a while, and I need to send a letter after Hevva with more information.”
“What are you going to say? How are you going to tell her?”
“I have a few ideas. I’ll ask after Nekash, which will stand out as incongruous to her but not to anyone else.
And I’ll include the symposium program with a note that makes a clear reference to the ridiculous and unbelievable session on fae blood magic.
We chatted about it briefly before she left—she already knows I have suspicions.
But everything you said confirms it. Maybe I’ll ask after Ehmet and reference his blood loss.
That should do the trick. Hev’s not dumb, she’ll catch on. ”
Nes nodded, sleepily. Her eyes were struggling to remain open.
“Rest, please. I’ll check on you in a few hours. I have a couple quick things to take care of.” He winked.
She smiled softly as she settled against the pillows. “Come back for me?”
“Of course. And if I haven’t, come find me yourself. I know you will.”
“I will. Promise.”