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when to be honest.”
    Flavia hmphed. “He had a point, though. Men have been known to drop dead after taking a new young wife.”
    Danaë suppressed a groan. “The king strikes me as a man in the prime of life,” she said, getting up at the maid’s urging and moving to the dressing table. “I don’t see him dying after a single night in my bed.”
    “I suppose not,” Flavia admitted. She unpicked the jeweled pins from Danaë’s hair, letting the dark tresses wave down across her shoulders. “Once he lets go of that misery-guts attitude, I’m sure that he’ll make a decent enough husband. I’ve talked to some of the maids here, and they say that he’s kind and gentle behind that gruff manner of his.”
    Danaë frowned. “He beds his maids?”
    “No!” Flavia said, scandalized. “He’s not touched one of them, which is a rare thing among nobles if you ask me. I’m telling you so you don’t worry later on, when it comes to tender matters.”
    “Oh.” Danaë considered her reflection, fingering the single lock of dark blue hair that curled over her eyes. Something occurred to her. “He doesn’t expect me to be virgin, does he? I’ve heard of men who prefer to bed virgins.”
    Flavia clucked at that. “The king strikes me as the sensible sort. As long as you’ve taken your childbane regular-like, he won’t care about the disposition of your maidenhead.” Putting the hairbrush down, she separated out strands from each temple and began weaving them back, pulling the hair away from Danaë’s face.
    Danaë submitted to the braiding, thinking of her parents’ marriage. Political at its beginning, it had blossomed into a true love match within the first year, with Cresus doting on his beautiful wife Clarae. After her father’s drowning, her mother had pined away in her chambers, joining him in his marble mausoleum within six months.
    The familiar wave of guilt swept over her. She glared at the golden bracelet on her right wrist. It was worked with sigils, the same as the copper and silver bracelets she’d worn for years had been. Each bracelet acted as a brake on magical ability, and all mages were mandated to wear them as students until they passed the novice, apprentice, and adept exams. With the passing of each exam, one restrictive bracelet would be removed and the student allowed greater access to magical power. The adept’s band would be removed once the student became a magister, trusted with full access to elemental magic. 
    In her case, it would never be removed. In her darkest moments she wondered if it was an appropriate punishment, all things considered. Father, I miss you. I’m so sorry.
    “There.” Flavia examined her work critically, then nodded in satisfaction. “A beautiful bride for a beautiful night.”
    Danaë tried to smile at her reflection. “Let’s hope his majesty agrees.”
    ****
    Matthias waited a good fifteen minutes after Danaë had left the reception with her retinue before heading up to his own rooms. His valet Mohrs had instructions to have a hot bath and shaving items ready. Once Matthias was presentable, he’d go to his new wife’s rooms and do his duty.
    Nodding to the guards at the stairway that led to the royal family’s wing, he wondered if he would be able to do what was necessary. Natural needs drove him to the occasional bout of self-release, passionless and prosaic, but he hadn’t touched a woman since Hanne.
    He remembered the flicker of desire he felt when he first noticed Danaë’s body. It would be enough to rouse him, at least for a few minutes. After all, it’s not as if she wants you. The quicker you can make it, the happier she’ll be.
    He paused at the top of the staircase when he saw Prince Darius leaning against the stone of the hallway, waiting. He had to assume it was for him.
    “Good evening, your highness,” he said.
    “Good evening, your majesty.” The younger man’s expression was polite, but a coldness ran underneath it.