Page 130 of War Queen
Well, she didn’t know if the lord commanderwasactually smiling. She squinted, trying to focus on the telltale creases of his eyes. She hated not being able to see his face right now.
“Why would he be smiling?” Mikael asked again. His voice was different now, and Norah glanced up to see his expression had changed.
She held on to his hand. Mikael knew who Soren was. Now the question would be if he could support Soren in his happiness. She watched him closely as the realization came to him. His nostrils flared, and his breath came slightly uneven.
“Don’t get weird,” she said.
His lips tightened. “I’m not getting weird,” he quipped back, as he stood, getting weird.
She kept her hold on him and leaned into him softly. “He deserves this.”
He glanced down at her. “This?” he said angrily.
“Yes, whatever you call the happiness of being with another. Soren deserves it.”
“But not with…” He stifled a snarl as he looked back out at Soren and Phillip.
“Not with a man?”
“That’s not what I was going to say.” The hard line of his lips turned into a slight frown. “Not with that one.” His frown deepened. “A better one.”
“Better than the ruler of an empire?”
“When has that mattered?”
The corner of her mouth tugged down.True. But Phillip was more. “Phillip’s beautiful and smart, and makes you feel happy, and he’s good with a sword. And you know that sword part has always mattered to Soren.”
He grimaced and looked down at her. “You think the Aleon king is beautiful?”
“Are we not looking at the same man?”
He puffed a breath between his teeth as he looked back across the floor. “Soren can do better.”
Was he serious? “Fine. Name your match.”
His brows drew together. “I’m not going to mate-match my lord commander.”
“Ha!” She grinned triumphantly. “Because you don’t have a match.” He crossed his arms. She wedged her hand between them and tugged at him to open up. “Phillip’s shown himself to be a good king and friend. If Soren sees your disapproval, he won’t allow himself that happiness. But he deserves to. Would you keep him from that?”
He was quiet for a time, then said finally, “I want him to be happy.”
“Then you should let him know. But take care. I never told him you knew about him.” And she pulled him down and kissed his cheek.
Soren drew in a deep breath of winter air out on the terrace. The music and laughing carried from the inside out into the night. He needed a moment of quiet, but he supposed this would do. He typically skipped socials; he didn’t know what had made him come to this one.
That was a lie—yes, he did. He cursed the Aleon king under his breath.
Back in Aleon, Phillip had made his interest quite clear. Of course, Soren’s interest had been in killing the man who wore the face of a dream he’d carried for some time. Of all the people, why did it have to be the Aleon king? He had hated Phillip for ruining it.
And then something changed. Soren started to like the ruin. The man in his dream hadn’t smiled, but Phillip smiled. Often. And he laughed—something Soren despised. Until he found himself not despising it anymore.
Something felt different now, and he wasn’t sure if it frightened him or excited him. He wasn’t sure of anything anymore with this man. Only that he wanted more.
But that wasn’t possible. He couldn’t face Mikael with this ask. Mikael wouldn’t understand. No one would, except for Salara.
A presence came beside him. He didn’t need to look to know who it was.
“Salara is dancing with the Aleon king,” Mikael said, breaking the quiet.
