Page 61 of Spar of Hearts

“To friends, foes, and challenging woes,” Octavio cheered, raising his mug.

Friends. If only.

“Hear hear!” they answered. Roderick joined in quietly.

Octavio guzzled half his ale then wiped his mouth.

“What?” The knight held a hand to his chest. “You wouldn’t believe the week I’ve had without you topside.”

“I’m so sorry,” Roderick choked out, scrubbing his face. “How do I even start?”

“With a sip, perhaps?” Ornella swirled the golden liquid in her mug and took a hearty swig. “Loosen the tongue. Consider it a remedy I have prescribed. But only for tonight,” she said with a wink.

He obliged and took a sip. Memories of Anya’s inebriated kitchen raid slipped in behind the rush of alcohol. Damn it. She was there again. He’d holed himself up and she still managed to stick her muzzle into his mind.

Anya.

“Has An—” He caught himself. He was hardly qualified to use her name anymore. “Has Her Highness come out of her cabin?”

“Yes. Though she’s in and out constantly,” Annette said softly. Her tapered ears fell back.

He took another sip. “Why?”

She was normally damn near dormant when he was awake.

Bernard tapped his mug down. “Without you, all issues affecting route and speed had to go through her. There were more icebergs too. And with the star charting, she’s hardly slept a wink.”

“We offered to ask you those questions. We were sure you would not ignore a matter of duty, even if you did not come out,” Ornella added, “but she refused. We are bound to obey her command. But we are not asking those questions now, so we are not disobeying. We are just having a meal.”

Octavio drained the last of his ale with a satisfied smack of his lips. “Long story short, she’s been running herself ragged so you wouldn’t be disturbed.”

Even after what he did to her?

“You need to take over my duties, Octavio. Here and in Petorus.”

Octavio shook his head, blinking fast. “What? Why?”

The words rushed out of him. “My actions were not befitting of a knight. And if Her Highness does not strip my title, the Duke surely will.” A strange wash of relief followed the admission.

Octavio blinked again, then spoke. “Why would he do that? You saved his life. That’s ridiculous.”

“He told me as much before we left for Eteross—that I’d been spending far too much time away from Petorus. He ordered me to return after the Council’s final session.”

“But you were ordered to go on the expedition. The Duke cannot overrule the Crown, right?” Bernard asked.

“I volunteered. He’ll see it. He’ll see in the minutes that I stupidly volunteered.” He scrubbed his face. “I just wanted to be…”

“Be what?” Annette cocked her head.

“Useful. To my people. To Millicent. Her injury…it’s on my hands. It’s my fault. If I’d worked harder, been better, less forward with her, I could’ve stopped her from joining the Hounds.”

“Woah there, Millicent? As in, Millie Layne?” Bernard asked.

Roderick nodded, eyes downcast. “She was my fiancée. All my life, I was told I would marry her. Get a title, marry her, and protect both our families in the shroud of nobility. We were engaged for two years.”

“Ah. And now she is married.” Ornella nodded.

“Looking back, it was selfish, was it not? Putting that pressure on her. What was she going to do, say no? Turn down the chance to protect her family? I had her trapped. She was a rabbit in my noble snare. Maybe she was hoping I would end it sooner. Cut her loose. Maybe that is why she prolonged our engagement. She wanted me to put her out of her misery, to save her from the guilt of backing out. But I hung on, desperate for her to love me.”