-Felicity-

I decided I didn’t want to go back to my father’s mansion. Instead, I took a carriage to Duke Owen’s place to see if Reid was there.

I was shown into a drawing room, served tea, and left alone momentarily. The quiet was nice.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Duke Owen said as he entered the drawing room. He grinned at my surprise. “Reid will be down shortly, but I wanted to speak with you.” The silvering red fox accepted my bow and returned it. “That uniform looks good on you. I’ve been saying for years women were just as capable of wielding a sword as a man. I’m glad someone finally proved me right.” He took a seat across from me but did not accept a cup of tea. “I assume you heard what he’s been saying lately?”

I took a deep breath, knowing without needing to be told which “he” Duke Owen was referring to. “About Felix,” I said.

Owen laughed and slapped his knee.

I took a sip of tea. Yes, it was funny, but I was getting tired of telling the same joke.

“Oh, my dear, I knew the moment I saw you at the award ceremony,” Owen said, getting hold of himself quicker than I’d expected. “You look just like your mother, especially with your hair dark like that. She always wanted to be a knight.” He took a breath, looking unexpectedly teary. “I’m proposing an engagement of convenience.”

Setting the teacup down, I lifted a brow. “To Reid?” It wasn’t that he was a bad match. “I’m in the process of sending Felix away to the Order of Lorelai. I’m mad at my father, but the Lyon Duchy is a cornerstone of the country. I can’t in good conscience leave it without an heir entirely…”

Owen smiled. “But you’re not above letting him suffer for a while, thinking he’s lost both his children.” Duke Owen relaxed on the couch, draping his arm over the back of it. “An engagement doesn’t necessitate marriage,” he said. “And even should it go through, your family has consistently had twins.”

“What’s in it for you?” I asked.

“Annoying Keith,” Duke Owen said cheerfully.

I stared at Duke Owen’s face, trying to discern if there was another reason beneath mere pettiness that Owen could be getting out of offering this engagement. The thing was, I was “technically” the only person in my family as Baron Mortuary. I had no father to approve or dismiss any proposals. I had full control over whether I accepted Duke Owen’s or Duke Lyon’s offers. On the surface, it was a situation anyone would envy.

Duke Owen and Duke Lyon had been friends once, I recalled. That was a long time ago, though, and I didn’t know the story of why they weren’t anymore. What I did know was that had my father known I was his daughter, he intended to marry me to Middleton’s son, who was younger than me by nine years. The light went on for me. “He’s going to try to adopt me,” I realized. “If I refuse to marry Felix, that’s what he’ll do next.” I scowled, gripping my knees in silent fury. “Then he’ll try marrying me to Middleton’s little boy.”

Owen waited quietly while I worked through my thoughts.

Regardless of what he was getting out of the public humiliation of Duke Keith Lyon, I was getting backed into a corner by my father, and I needed to do something unexpected to get out of it. Owen was offering one way out. Allying myself with Owen would certainly shift the balance, but it might also make too many waves in court.

“I’ll have to think about it,” I said finally. “I’m not saying no. I’m not saying yes, either.”

Duke Owen smiled at me. Reid took after his father in most respects, and I had to admit, I wouldn’t mind seeing that face every day for the rest of my life, but I also had to keep in mind the politics involved. I was positioning myself to take over the duchy, even if Father had no idea it was happening. My husband needed to be capable of assisting me, and Reid, being the heir of his father’s lands, would have his hands full dealing with the southern border.

The duke stood and bowed. “Thank you for entertaining the offer,” he said as Reid stepped into the drawing room. 

Reid’s shoulders dropped with a groan. “Dad. What’re you doing?” he asked.

Duke Owen grinned at his son and patted his shoulder as he left without answering.

Turning to me, Reid said, “Ignore everything he said.”

“He proposed an engagement of convenience,” I said, retaking my seat and picking up the teacup. The tea was cold now, but I sipped it anyway. “I said I’d think about it. My father is telling everyone he wants me to marry Felix. If I refuse, he’s probably going to try to adopt me. He’s probably already in the process of doing so since he moved my things to his mansion. I’m weighing my options right now.”

Reid dropped onto the couch opposite me, occupying the spot his father just left. 

I looked Reid over. No, it wouldn’t be a burden to see that face every day for the rest of my life. Reid’s competent, not exceptionally annoying, but he’s also cocky.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Reid sighed. “I don’t know how I feel about that. I still… keep thinking of you as a man.”

I looked down at myself, then shifted my posture to put my knees together and slant my legs. “Is this better?” I teased.

The look Reid gave me was just what I needed to lighten my mood. I cackled. “At least I know if I accept your father’s proposal, I can break it off later without anyone getting their feelings hurt,” I admitted. I left my knees as they were. I needed to practice sitting like a lady. It had taken months of study to move like a man convincingly.

Reid wrinkled his nose and pursed his lips at me. “You don’t know that. I might take it seriously and court you. Just to see if I can get under your skin.”

“Ha. Yeah, right.” I finished the tea and set the cup down. “You wouldn’t be able to take it seriously.”

“Want to bet?” Reid retorted, leaning forward, hands on his knees.

“What’s with the sudden competitive spirit?” I asked.

“You’re the only woman other than my mother who’s seen me naked,” Reid said, “I think you should take responsibility for that.”

I lifted my hands in a shrug. “So? Prince Daniel ripped my shirt off. You don’t see me hounding him about that.”

Reid’s face went pink, and he reeled back, “He what? You said it got stripped…”

“That bar fight in Plith. When I came back to camp bloody, and Prince Daniel had a broken nose? I told you I got involved in a bar fight by accident. His Highness tried to interfere, tripped, and ripped the front of my shirt off.”

Slapping his hand to his face, Reid made a weird noise between a sigh and a groan. His ears were pink. “How can you look him in the eye?”

“I kicked his butt. And the dumb drunks that saw.”

Reid bent forward over his knees, covering his face with both hands. “You broke his nose…” he said, muffled. “I couldn’t believe it when he said he tripped, and that’s how his nose got broken. Not with his blessed Luck. But it makes sense now. You overpowered his Luck!”

“I wasn’t letting him get away with it unscathed. I figured I'd eventually win if I focused my efforts on one spot. Bouncing his face off the wall repeatedly was rather cathartic. He’s Lucky I didn’t break his teeth instead.”