"The King, the Prince—and you."
I thrust a hand toward him. "You are a man."
"Wait. Swear to God that Her Highness shall never know."
"On my honor."
Then he accepted my clasp and looked straight into my eyes.
"And all this to you?"
"I love her."
"And she?"
"It is mutual. Do you suppose she would have put her life before mine if not? She knew that the lieutenant would have killed me."
"Ach! It never occurred to me in that light. I understood it to be a frolic of hers. Will you make her happy?"