Chapter 52 Dante's Deal

Chapter 52 Dante's Deal
Varek

The guards drag Cara’s husband into the hall on his knees before me. His face is pale, sweat slicking his temples. His head is bowed low with defeat, his shoulders slumped.

Dante comes in just behind, looking as on edge as he had been during the siege. 

“I only have one question for you,” I say. “Was Cara involved?”

He snarls. “Why would she be? That bitch cares no more for me than a worm. Something you know well. There was never any loyalty to me, no care.” He glares up at me. “You gave me a wife in name only. You have no idea how much you’ve humiliated me!”

“You humiliate yourself,” Dante says, cocking an eyebrow. 

“Shut up!” He yells. “I’m still your king!”

Dante laughs. “Your little crown is pretty, but that’s all.”

His face turns purple as his lips pull back in an ugly sneer. “For all your hatred of King Varek, you are much alike.

“Whoever said I hate him?” Dante asked, looking confused. “He’s a highhanded asshole, and you’re spineless, but that’s far from hatred.” He shakes his head and looks at Varek. “Cara convinced me to come. She hoped to have her child on Caldaran soil. Apparently, that’s important here?”

I work my jaw. “It can be.”

“She wants her sister to meet the child, obviously.”

Her husband snarls. “Even my own child— You—” He seethes. “You did this to me! I should have—”

I stare at him. “You blame me for your weakness and treachery?”

“You gave me a wife who would never love me! To compete with a dead man for her affection!"

I stare at him and shake my head.  “You chose to marry Cara in hopes of having a tie to Caldara’s military, a child who might be eligible for my throne because yours is hollow.” I sit forward and smile. “And you were never competing with a dead man. He’s very much alive.”

The color drains from his face, his mouth falling open before twisting into a snarl.

“You— I demand compensation! I cannot claim that child!”

I smile. “I doubt you’ll be alive long enough for it to matter.” I wave him away. “Have him hanged as well. I imagine that the crown now falls to you, Dante?”

He screams, fighting the guards for a moment before Dante rears back and punches him once, knocking him out. He turns back to me, not watching them drag him out.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” He grins. “And am I right in thinking that the valet that mysteriously showed up about a year ago is this man in question?”

I cock an eyebrow at him. “Does it matter?”

“Not at all, but he said he was from Caldara, and she struck that deal about a child in exchange for divorce…”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Cara…” 

She has always been obstinate, cunning, and outright ruthless at the best of times. I look at Ronan. 

“Ask Cara for the truth, Ronan. I’ll need to know for certain, one way or another.”

Ronan nods and slips out of the throne room. I stand and lead Dante to the private room attached to the room. I typically only use this office to have a drink while holding court. I pull out the bottle and pour two cups. Then, I light the fire to knock away the chill in the room before taking a seat. He sits quietly, eyeing the whiskey in the glass, clearly waiting. Whether it is custom in his country or cautiousness, he watches me. I take a long drink before taking a seat. 

Then, he sips. A part of me wants to throw him from the nearest balcony. The scent of sea salt still lingers in his and fills the room. I don’t want to deal with him. I don’t want to even humor the deal he is likely to want, but I sit across from him and draw out paper and pick up a quill, starting to write a general header for the contract.

“Given the situation, I am merely brokering a deal. She will have final say on it.”

He gave a small, satisfied smile. “I’d expect nothing less."

“What do you want?” I ask.

“Originally? I intended to raise the price of trade and gut you for what you did to my sister-in-law.”

The words aren't said with any sharpness. He sounds amused. 

“I didn’t realize you and Cara had become so close.”

“She is a lovely woman.” Dante shrugs. “My cousin is a fool. 

“Now, I’m going to be king, and that changes things.” My gut twists. "Am I going to have to broker another deal to keep Cara in my kingdom?"

I suppress a growl. He wants Fiona and Cara? How greedy can one man be?

"Cara will come back to Caldara. You'll have your own queen."

Dante's eyes narrow. "How long are you going to hold a grudge against your own flesh and blood about something that has never had anything to do with you in the first place?"

I set my jaw. “Why are you trying to be so adamant about keeping Cara?”

“Her future husband can’t return to Caldara and be with his child, per your decree, or did you forget that you banished the man?”

I blink at him. He’s talking about Cara’s mate. 

Dante sighs. “Look. You’ve already got the years of the original deal out of it. I’m willing to continue it with the same terms as a sign of goodwill, not in lieu of a proper courting gift and bride price.”

I stare at him, confused about what he’s saying, but not upset, per se. The shipments from his kingdom have long been the backbone of Caldara’s survival. 

“What are you offering?”

“A courting term of a year. You can send whoever you want to escort and chaperone," he scoffs. "Not that she needs it. And the bride price will be a tithe of goods of your choosing for a year. Given Caldara's situation, I'd suggest preserved meat and grain. It will keep your people fed through the winter. After the year, we’ll marry.”

His lips lifted into a smile that made him look as young as he is. 

“Solara wouldn’t need that sort of deal.”

Dante frowns at me, then scoffs. “I’m making this deal for Liora, not Fiona.”

I drop the quill in my hand. “What?”

I blinked at him, stunned and imagining Liora at Dante's side.

“You’re… offering a courting term for… Liora?”

"Yes." He tsks. "And speaking of my dearest adopted little sister, if you treat Fiona poorly,” his voice hardened, “I will ensure you starve. Your military will be too hungry to march beyond your borders, so don't fuck up."

He stands, pulls pages from his jacket, and tosses them on the table.

“I've talked to Liora about it, so make up your mind about it sooner rather than later." Then, he turns and leaves without a glance back. "Later."

I look down at the page and pull it towards me, opening it. It's far more detailed than the contract I signed with his cousin, complete with expected delivery dates, tonnage, maps with marked routes, and all the additions he'd offered. It would be good for Caldara, but what gets me about it is the very end of the document, where Liora had signed and sealed her name.

I sit back, staring at it. I had never thought Liora even wanted to get married. Her relationship with Ronan seemed to be the extent of her interest in relationships.

The fact that she spoke to Dante about this in detail makes me wonder how little I know about her. 

Then again, hadn’t she, Cara, and Fiona accused me of not caring at all? I sit back. My father’s voice whispers in my ear that this deal is good for Caldara. Leaving Cara in Dante’s kingdom is just fine. I hate that he’s right, and it’s the same voice that had me tear Cara from her lover years ago. 

“Not that had done anything.”

I glance at the contract and fold it up, pouring myself another drink and sipping slowly. I want to go see Fiona. I want to hear what she has to say about it, though I already know. It had been her last words to me: let them be.

A knock sounds on the door. I finish the drink and sit up. 

"Come in."

A guard strides in, bowing low, breath steaming in the cold air.

“My king, Princess Fiona is awake.”

I straighten too fast, and the chair groans beneath me. I drop the cup on the table and rush out the door before my mind catches up, my pulse thudding against my ribs.

I take the stairs three at a time to get to her room and knock on her door, but there is no sound inside. I open the door to find the room empty. I turn back as the guard comes up behind me, panting to catch up. 

“Where is she?”

“She went to the dungeons, Your Majesty.”

What the hell is she doing there?