A Little Knowledge by Emma Newman

you’re thinking,” Sir Iris’s smile was more a predatory baring of teeth, as if the man had forgotten how to smile with warmth or humour. “That I wouldn’t dare replace such a high-profile member of the family. Perhaps you don’t appreciate how many ways the Irises would benefit from placing another son on the Londinium throne. The Tulipas are very upset with you. Nathaniel may have dealt with that ridiculous widow but that hasn’t stopped the Patroon’s constant demands for compensation. The Rosas will rise again, eventually, and they will direct all of their efforts against you.” He patted a pile of letters to his right. “I have several very promising candidates ready to take your place, and many interesting offers of wealth and favour from the various parties you have wronged. Perhaps it would simply be easier to accept them and send you off to learn some harsh lessons for a couple of hundred years.”
    “There is no need to threaten me, sir,” Will said. What a pathetic triumph to finally be able to finish a sentence. He seethed beneath his polite smile.
    “Good. I cannot bear disappointment. I would rather keep you in Londinium for now. There are other cities I want to focus on. But if you show one more error in judgement, I will personally oversee every single decision you make in office until I am satisfied you have our family’s best interests at heart. If you fail to keep that wife of yours in check, I will strip you of your title and put someone more worthy on the throne instead. Do you understand?”
    “Perfectly. Sir.” Will stood at the flick of Sir Iris’s wrist, shame and anger sitting badly in his stomach. He had never been dressed down so harshly in his life. He’d never complained and had done nothing more than try to be an impeccable son. With each step towards the door, the sense of injustice built until he couldn’t bear the thought of walking out of that room being seen as a stupid child by the most powerful man in the family. He had schemed, taken risks, and even killed a man to claw his way to the life he had now, and the relative freedom it gave. He was not going to lose it all now.
    “Sir Iris,” he said, turning before he reached the door. “Please may I ask for your advice in a sensitive matter?”
    The Patroon’s hawkish eyebrows raised from a deep scowl to one of surprise. “You may.”
    “I believe my wife to be under the influence of powerful Poppy magic, something done to her before our marriage. I think this magic is driving her to behave in the way she is.”
    Sir Iris’s eyes widened. “Something that survived the wedding ceremony?”
    “My understanding is that it was a form of wish magic put in place before the engagement and somehow triggered after we were married.”
    “Could you have been influenced by this too?”
    “I cannot be certain, and I don’t want to blame my error in judgement on this, Sir Iris. My wife is a passionate woman, and I’m not so weak as to seek an excuse for my failings in controlling those passions. But I do believe she is driven in an unnatural way and that our marriage would be happier and easier without this magical influence.”
    Sir Iris stood and came around the desk. “You were right to raise this with me. I’ll inform our patron.” Another smile, not exactly warm, but better than the one before. “It all makes sense now. Once your wife is put right, I’m sure you will impress me again, William.”
    “I will do my very best, Sir Iris.” Will said and then, masking his surprise, he watched Sir Iris offer his hand and shook it.
    He left the study filled with relief and a warm glow from winning the Patroon’s hopeful approval once more. He felt a pang of guilt at the thought of Cathy losing the Poppy magic she had preserved even when Lord Iron offered to break it. She evidently thought it benefitted her somehow. But he had to keep the throne and keep her safe. She didn’t see how self-destructive that wish was