Free Broken Road by Unknown Page B

about!
    “‘In three weeks, three ceremonies will take place,” she continued reading. “‘And for those, you must be ready.’”
     
    The first will be a public ceremony, in which you will be invested with the diadem of Berlin. Per our earlier announcement, your husband will not be anointed Grand Duke alongside you. He will continue to be addressed as “Lord Berlin”, which will not affect your stature in any way.
    As the Grand Duchess of Berlin, you are required to attend the second ceremony; the creation of our son as both Archduke Conrad I of the Holy Roman Empire and as King Conrad II of Jerusalem.
    Finally, we intend to keep the promise of betrothal made to Your Grace last spring. In order to appease both the courtiers and the people, we will continue to refer to the Ladies Berlin as “Her Grace, the Duchess Caroline of Hartford” and “Lady Grace, Marchioness of Queensberry”. As the Duchess of Hartford and the eldest daughter of the Grand Duchess of Berlin, it will be seemly for the King of Jerusalem to marry Lady Caroline, which is our intention. The final ceremony, therefore, will betroth the Duchess of Hartford to the King of Jerusalem, culminating in a feast and a ball.
     
    “He goes on to say that the attendance of our daughter is compulsory for all events, but you may abstain from attending the second ceremony. The Emperor does, however, require you to attend the betrothal ceremony, as the Queen of Hungary has agreed to stand as proxy for the late Empress.”
    “The messenger came just now?”
    Krystállina nodded.
    “And you put him up for the night?”
    “The messenger was the Duke of Bavaria. He had to return to court, but said he would be back for an answer in three days.”
    “Call him back,” Amihan ordered. He seemed agitated. “Whatever the cost, whatever the expense, call him back!”
    The God of Thunder had been pacing, but suddenly stopped and stared at his wife. “We are ending this charade. Summon the Duke of Bavaria and tell him he can have his holdings back. Have him apologize to the Emperor for your sudden lack of desire to be a Grand Duchess. Make up any story you like as to why we cannot pledge Chárí to Conrad, but we are leaving at once . If we are lucky, perhaps Keimeme and his people will take me back.”
    “We are not leaving.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “I’m tired of running away.” Krystállina sat primly in her chair, which she’d moved next to the fire to ward off the last of the spring chill. “We left Thessalonica why? Because you thought your father was going to hunt us down?”
    “I did not know he was using inept trackers.”
    “What about Milano?”
    “That was your fear, not mine,” Amihan reminded her. “You heard that Cardinal Mindanelli was a great hunter of sorcerers and you wanted to leave Milano as soon as you gave me that letter.”
    “What kind of a god are you, that you are afraid of a human that can sniff out magick? What kind of fiancé were you, that you didn’t assuage my fears and tell me that you’d handle him?”
    “I was afraid for you! ” he snapped. “No cardinal can kill me, but I am sure you would have been tried for witchcraft as soon as Mindanelli found that I was untouchable!”
    “Isn’t that what I signed up for?” Krystállina jumped to her feet. “Did I not lay my life on the line when we made that binding pledge?”
    “We were not married yet.” Amihan leaned against the wall. “Besides, I meant the pledge to be more to spite my father than to put you in danger of other mortals!”
    “It doesn’t matter! I pledged to stand beside you for as long as my life might last. Beyond that, after your little closing ceremony!”
    “Your life might not last much longer.” He sat down and relate d everything Aĺakána had told him, being careful to emphasize every reason they had to leave Vienna.
    “Lord Léi Shēng has no confirmation that we are the Bestwicks,” she pointed out.
    “But if this courtier keeps