Page 90 of A Fragile Enchantment

“Jack was indeed hiding something.” The story poured out of her. It felt good to share the burden with someone else: the mess that Kit and Jack’s father had left for them and the ways Jack was trying to manage it. He listened without interrupting her, even when she shared his father’s role in it, his expression growing stormier.

When she finally finished, he let out a low whistle. “That son of a bitch. That’s enough to sink him forever. If this gets out, Parliament will remove him as regent. And they’ll almost certainly try to block his succession when the king does finally die. Barring that, the King of Castilia may do worse than call off the engagement. He doesn’t strike me as the type to take entrapment lightly.”

“Yes.” Terror knotted in her chest when he laid it all out like that. “That all sounds likely.”

Sinclair frowned. “So why are you telling me all this, when you know what I could do with it?”

“Because.” She clenched her hands to fists in her lap. “I believe you want to earn forgiveness. And despite everything, I trust you. I know you don’t want to hurt Kit, and I know you want what’s best for our people. And maybe… Maybe there’s a way to fix all of this. Jack still has the opportunity to change his mind.”

“Change? Jack Carmine?” Sinclair laughed derisively. “You’re talking about the same man I know?”

“I believe he wants to do better,” she said. “I believe heisbetter than his father. He just doesn’t know how to be, and he certainly doesn’t know how to stray from a path he’s begun walking down.”

Sinclair rose from his chair and rummaged through his barcart. Glass and metal rattled softly together. “I need a drink. You look like you need one, too. I have brandy. Want some?”

She’d never had brandy before. “Please.”

He poured her a glass and pressed it into her hands. Outside, the flowers whispered against the windowpane. Warm evening light flooded into the room.

Sinclair swirled his drink. “I will grant that Jack has a conscience. Parliament won’t take a chance on Kit. He’s too young. Which means Jack is the best shot we have for making things right with Machland. But only if we save him from his own stupid scheme.”

Deep down, she had to admit this was all terribly exciting. Here in a leather wingback chair, sipping her brandy from its snifter, she could almost imagine she was an influential gentleman discussing politics at a club. “And how do you propose we do that?”

Sinclair’s eyes glittered with mischief. “What else could I mean? We have to stop the wedding.”

Niamh nearly spit out her brandy. “What?No. We cannot do that.”

“Why not?” He leapt out of his chair, practically crackling with energy. “If there’s no wedding, Jack has no plan. The situation with the protesters shows no signs of letting up, which means he will have to make concessions somewhere—either by getting funding elsewhere than Pelinor, or by letting his advisors actually help him. The way I see it, Castilia isn’t getting anything out of this arrangement, so stopping it is the only ethical thing to do.” He paused. “Besides, have you seen the way Rosa looks at Kit? She’ll be thrilled to be rid of him.”

“I suppose I haven’t noticed,” she lied wanly.

“Granted, it might take a bit of a delicate touch,” he continued, undeterred. “We somehow need to pull this off without causing a collapse of international relations between Avaland and Castilia, or the complete destruction of Jack’s reputation. It’s almost impossible, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Butwhy?”

“I could use a little excitement.” He smiled bitterly. “And despite everything that’s happened this Season, Kit is still my best friend. Is that sad?”

Kit’s voice echoed in her mind.Sinclair is stupidly loyal.And well, she still loved Kit, too. “No, not at all. Unless you consider me sad, too.”

“Kit has his charms, I suppose,” he said teasingly. “I’ll allow it.”

Niamh grinned back at him.

Sinclair tapped his chin. “The easiest way is to get either Kit or Rosa to call it off. Young people change their minds all the time, so it wouldn’t raise too many eyebrows. I don’t know Rosa. But I know Kit.” He fixed her with a lingering look. “And I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”

Niamh’s face burned. She hadn’t told him about Kit’s proposal, mostly because she’d longed to forget it herself. “You saw him after the party. He will never want to speak to either of us ever again. Whatever you are implying, I have no sway over him, I assure you.”

“Come, now! Where is that can-do attitude of yours?” Sinclair crossed his arms. “Just bat those pretty blue eyes at him and apologize. He’s had a few days to cool off, and he’s a complete pushover for you, in case you haven’t noticed.”

She very much doubted thatbatting her eyeswould improve this situation, but she supposed anything was worth a try at this point. “Say hedoesaccept my apology. Then what?”

“Jack is afraid of being found out,” Sinclair said. “I threaten to expose him. Kit refuses to go along with his plan. Just like that, he has nothing over anyone. I’ll even write a little column about how, oh, I don’t know, Kit has a grand new vision for Avaland. No one will dare to touch Kit. There’s absolutely no reason he has to be a martyr for his father’s mistakes.”

Niamh heaved a long sigh. “All right. I’ll try to talk to him again.”

“Excellent! And as a matter of fact, I just so happen to know where he is right now.”

Niamh perked up. “Where?”