"Very well," Auguste said, with a wide, leonine grin, because here they were dragging out of him the information he'd planned all along to give. He looked at Laurent, holding his eyes as he announced: "You'll marry the Duke of Amberley."
Laurent's brow creased briefly with confusion, because he can't immediately place that name. He knows all the nobles of the court and most of the noble houses of neighboring countries. Amberley is a Veretian name, but... there hasn't been an Amberley in decades.
"There isn't one," Laurent insists, less certain than he would like.
"There will be by the time you're married." Auguste points at the door, patient but commanding, and very careful not to look at Nyx. He doesn't want to draw Laurent's eyes to Nyx's reaction and give the game away. "Go."
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Laurent's brow creased briefly with confusion, because he can't immediately place that name. He knows all the nobles of the court and most of the noble houses of neighboring countries. Amberley is a Veretian name, but... there hasn't been an Amberley in decades.
"There isn't one," Laurent insists, less certain than he would like.
"There will be by the time you're married." Auguste points at the door, patient but commanding, and very careful not to look at Nyx. He doesn't want to draw Laurent's eyes to Nyx's reaction and give the game away. "Go."