Page 75 of The Queen's Line

"Does he?"

I hummed at Owen's question. "Not in the way the council was hoping. I do find him curious though. He's a bit like one of Cosmo's statues. Beautiful, intriguing clues, but ultimately unknowable."

"No one is unknowable," Owen said, toying with a strand of my hair that had fallen loose.

"Perhaps not. But it was a strange attempt at seduction, and yet somehow, the most personality I've seen out of him yet. I suppose if I were Camellia, it might've worked. Not that she would've bothered with the fencing in the first place."

"Mmm, but you aremyprincess. My Mistress," Owen purred, arching up to kiss my chin.

I gave up my staring contest with Farraque and let him watch as I bent to kiss Owen, gently and slowly to make up for the slight frenzy we'd just woken from.

"My Chosen," I murmured, pecking and sipping at Owen's kisses. "My pure-hearted man. My…" I blinked and pulled away briefly, staring down at Owen, resting a finger against the dimple on his chin to hold him still.

I sat up slowly on my knees so I could take him in, the defined planes of muscle, the taper of his hips, the long nose. Owen was some odd and perfect creation, aristocratically beautiful and undeniably rustic. He was steady as a rock and as open with his heart and mind as anyone I'd ever met.

"My love," I said, a bright smile blooming.

Owen's eyes brightened and he sat up, arms looping around my waist and pulling me into his chest. I was on my knees, cupping his cheeks as I pulled long kisses from him, Owen humming happily with every press.

"Never been in love before, but I think this must be it," Owen murmured, his grin making our kiss more of a bump and nudge of our noses. "Bring the Hunger back so I can make love to you properly."

I laughed and shook my head. "No! No magic now, I just want this with you." I kissed his cheeks and forehead and chin and back to his mouth.

We stayed like that for a long time, smiling at one another, kissing when we could, careful not to irritate Owen's burned back or to stir up my Hunger again. It was there, of course, but it let me have the moment as I needed it, purely ourselves.

When I looked up at last, ready to dress and move inside, Daniel Farraque was nowhere in sight.

* * *

"Even if youdismantle the land law now, there's no reason why the merchants should sell it back to the farmers, or means for the farmers to purchase it back," Wendell said.

"Can't we make themgiveit back?" I asked, but I raised my hand and shook my head before anyone could answer me. "No, I know. That isn't fair either."

My Chosen and I were tucked away in my suite, our new ritual of the evening. I spent my days with Cosmo or Owen, enjoying the pleasures of the Hunger and making a minor spectacle of myself. And then my nights now went like this, working over matters of legislation and politics in secret and away from the watchful eyes of Daniel Farraque.

Wendell and Thao shared a bench, Wendell's lap full of texts on the laws of Kimmery as Thao studied our maps.

"Some of the land lies fallow," Cosmo said. "Merchants don't make good farmers, but they dictate the crops that are planted. The ones that don't listen to the men who work the fields lose ground by not rotating their crops. If you dismantled the law and the crown was willing to buy the land, I bet the merchants would sell it cheap."

"And then it could be returned to the farmers, but fallow?" I asked, frowning.

"It can be made rich again," Owen said with a shrug.

I blushed. "Are we back to the method where I go about the country using the Hunger to make the crops grow?"

Owen laughed and I enjoyed the sight of him, propped up against my pillows, snacking on candied nuts with his thighs spread—almost in invitation. "No, although I'm sure they wouldn't mind the help. The right rotation of crops will help restore nutrients. It would take time and a great deal of work, but if the land was their own again, the farmers would probably be glad for it."

"You could import olive trees," Thao said, drawing the room's attention and smiling. He shined under our focus, and I was discovering a new itch of interest. Thao had always been beautiful, it was undeniable, but ever since I'd lost my patience with him, he'd been changing. He was elegant, princely, confident, but the burn of pride had softened in him.

"Olive trees?"

"They grow on the mountains in Mennary," Wendell said, nodding. "There's land on the mountains here in the North that could be allocated, and an olive…orchardmight remain private."

"Mother would send us trees," Thao said, sitting up as if he were ready to write the letter now.

"Won't it be too cold this far north?" I asked.

"Ah," Wendell said, face falling.