Page 96 of War Queen
She pursed her lips. “It wasn’t the right time.”
“What do you mean ‘it wasn’t the right time’?”
“Not while we’re getting reacquainted.”
“You had all night.”
She didn’t have the energy for this. “I said not while we’re getting reacquainted.”
He grimaced. “You rutted all night?”
“Soren!” She stopped abruptly and smacked his arm. “Do you have to be so foul? And that’s none of your business.”
The corners of his lips turned up slightly. “Are you going to tell me you’re a proper lady again?”
She scowled at him. “I hate you.”
“I don’t believe that.”
Gods help her.
They reached the dining hall, and Soren stopped at the door. She’d almost forgotten. In Kharav, he respected the mornings as Salara-Mae’s time and didn’t eat breakfast with them. With Catherine’s tolerance in Mercia, Norah had grown used to sharing nearly every meal with him over the past several months. Being without him now seemed… amiss. She’d have to talk to Salara-Mae, but one thing at a time.
“You have to tell him,” he pressed.
“I will. Today.”
He gave a short nod, doubt still filling his eyes, and then left her at the door. She stepped inside and moved to the table where Salara-Mae sat sipping her morning tea.
Norah took her place at the end.
Mikael’s mother set down her cup and smiled at her. It was the most warmth she had ever shown. “It’s good to have you back.”
Norah smiled back at her. “It’s good to be home.” The woman seemed in high spirits. Maybe nowwasa good time to talk about Soren. “Salara-Mae, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”
The woman gave an agreeable lift to her brow.
Mikael entered and stopped by her chair. He gently clasped under her jaw and pulled her lips up as he leaned down to kiss her. His kiss was hungry and left her completely forgetting her train of thought. She blushed as they broke, all too aware of his mother’s nearness. But Salara-Mae said nothing. She took another drink of her tea as if she hadn’t even noticed. Norah smiled at him with chastising eyes, and he moved to take his seat at the opposite end.
What had she been thinking about?Oh right—Soren at breakfast, but she didn’t want to have that conversation in front of Mikael.
“Maybe we could resume our walks after breakfast again, this morning even, if you’d like,” she said, picking back up her conversation with Mikael’s mother.
Salara-Mae nodded. “I would like that, although I can’t this morning, I have new gown fittings.” She took another sip of her tea. “You should come; you need more gowns yourself.”
Absolutely not. “Oh… uh, no, I can’t, I—”
“You were just going to go for a walk.”
Damn.She wasn’t getting out of this one.
Norah glanced at Mikael, and he smiled at her. She sighed. Well, she wasn’t making any progress on either of her tasks at the moment: talking to Mikael or getting Soren back to the table. Time spent in dress fittings wouldn’t get her any further, and time with Salara-Mae meant time away from Mikael. Later, she promised herself.
“What news came yesterday?” she asked Mikael, remembering the messenger.
He swallowed his bite of food and took a drink. “There are rumors that the alliance between Gregor and Cyrus is weakening.”
“What?” That was great news. “Are you sure?”
