Next to the fireplace, the Queen stood, still laughing as I entered the room. Her hair hung down in loose curls, and she wore a simple gown of pristine white. Even though she looked more relaxed than I usually saw her, she still wore gaudy diamond earrings, and the heavy necklace that lay on her collarbone was encrusted with sapphires. I presumed the wineglass on the mantel directly beside her to be hers.

But the big surprise was the man standing next to the bar, pouring himself another drink. His back was to me, but his broad shoulders and blond hair were unmistakable. His sharkskin jacket was discarded on the sofa, and the sleeves of his white dress shirt had been pushed up.

Prince Kennet seemed to be having some kind of weird party with Mina and Evert.

“Oh, Bryn!” Mina exclaimed when she saw me. “You look so lovely!”

Kennet turned around to look at me and smiled appreciatively, but I didn’t have time for that.

“Thank you, my Queen,” I replied politely. “I was called away from a wedding to—”

“Doesn’t she look lovely?” Mina asked Evert, interrupting me.

Evert narrowed his eyes, as if needing to get a better look at me, and I stood up straighter and repressed an irritated groan. “Yeah, yeah, she does,” he slurred.

“The Skojare good looks help with that,” Kennet said with a wink, making Mina erupt in laughter again.

“If you won’t be needing me for anything more, shall I wait in the hall, sire?” Reid asked, and I didn’t blame him.

The King and Queen were drunk, or at the very least buzzed, both of them bordering on obnoxious.

“Yes, of course.” Evert waved Reid off, and the guard bowed before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

“Your Highness, you summoned me?” I asked, trying to find out what exactly I was doing there in the first place.

“That was all my idea, I’m afraid,” Kennet admitted. With drink in hand, he effortlessly climbed over the back of the love seat and sat down, extending his legs out on it.

“Oh yes, Prince Kennet came all the way here from Storvatten to thank us personally for our help in sorting out their troubles,” Mina explained, and as she spoke, her hand went absently to her lavish necklace. “He wanted to extend his gratitude and strengthen the friendship between our tribes.”

“As I understand it, the troubles are still being sorted out,” I said carefully. “Storvatten is in great turmoil without a leader.”

“That’s all been sorted out.” Evert waved his hand again, nearly spilling his drink as he did. “The Prince is the King.”

I shot a look at Kennet, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. When I’d left Storvatten, Lisbet had all but guaranteed that she would be appointed the ruler in Mikko’s absence. She had assured me that she would do everything in her power to get the position in order to ensure her and Linnea’s safety.

So how exactly had Kennet gotten the title? There was a chance the Skojare in charge of making the decision had thought it would be best if they stuck with the Biâelse bloodline and overruled Marksinna Lisbet.

But as Kennet barely stifled his smirk, I couldn’t help but suspect he’d fought Lisbet for the title.

“Acting monarch,” Kennet corrected him, which meant he had all the power but not the official title of King. “And only until my brother is exonerated.”

I stared at Kennet evenly. “What if your brother isn’t exonerated?”

“That would only be if he is actually guilty of everything he’s accused of, and if he is, he shouldn’t be the King.” Kennet sat up straighter. “It is still a terrible mess in Storvatten, you’re right, but we’re on the right path to figuring everything out and making it a safer place.

“And that,” he said, lifting up his glass, “is all thanks to you and the Kanin. So here’s to you.”

Mina hurried to grab her glass off the mantel and raised it in a toast. “Skål!”

“Skål!” Evert shouted, then proceeded to drunkenly spill his drink all over himself.

Mina looked at her husband with pity as he tried to wipe the alcohol off his shirt. “Oh, Evert, my love. Let me help you.” She rushed over, using the length of her dress to help dry him off.

“I don’t even know how that happened.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t … I think I’m drunk.”

“I think you are, too, my King,” Mina said with a bit of a laugh and smiled up at him. “Why don’t we get you up to bed and into something dry?”

He reached out, stroking her face in a moment of tenderness that I hadn’t even known the King was capable of. “You’re so patient and beautiful. What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“All the right things,” she assured him, and then she stood up. “I’m sorry, but I hope you can excuse us both.”

“Yes, of course.” I bowed slightly.

“I’m sure Bryn and I can entertain ourselves in your absence,” Kennet said, wagging his eyebrows at me.

THIRTY-EIGHT

idyll

The very moment the King and Queen left us alone, Kennet leapt up from the sofa and bolted toward me. I had hardly a second to react before his arm was around me and his lips were on mine, but I put my hand on his chest and pushed him back.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, looking up into his startled blue eyes.

“Kissing you. Isn’t it obvious?” he asked like a guy who was used to taking what he wanted without any protests.