The Bloodsworn by Erin Lindsey

along with the entitled manner of her entry, was very telling indeed. Alix shot her brother a wry look.
    Rig met her gaze blandly, utterly immune to embarrassment. “Vel,” he said, “may I present my sister, Lady Alix.”
    â€œYour sister? Oh, I . . .” Colouring a little, the woman dipped into an awkward sort of bow, as if she were meeting royalty. Alix arched an eyebrow. And wait . . . were those robes . . . ?
    â€œYou’re a
priestess
?” Alix blurted.
    A dusky blush flooded the other woman’s features. “I am,” she said, and the hint of frost was back—with reinforcements.
    â€œVel,” said Rig, “will you excuse us? We’re not quite finished here.”
    â€œYes, of course. Apologies again, General.” She looked only too happy to quit the room, closing the door with a decisive
snap
.
    Alix and Rig stared at each other.
    â€œA
priestess
.”
    â€œWhat of it?”
    â€œYou’re bedding a
priestess
. An Onnani priestess, no less!”
    â€œWho says I’m bedding her?”
    â€œRig.”
    He shrugged. “I don’t see what business it is of yours.”
    â€œNone. I just thought you were through with casual relationships. Responsibilities of a banner lord, so on and so forth.”
    Rig snorted softly. “Is this your subtle way of asking whether I’m serious about her?”
    â€œNot at all, because I know you couldn’t possibly be serious about her.” Alix raised an eyebrow pointedly.
    â€œBecause she’s a priestess?”
    â€œA priestess. Onnani. Take your pick.”
    â€œThis from the woman who married a bastard.”
    â€œThis from the woman whose brother forbade her from marrying a bastard and would have forbidden it unto the end of the world had said bastard not become a
prince
.”
    â€œWell.” He scratched his beard. “You have me there.”
    â€œOn top of which,” Alix added bitterly, “look how well
that
turned out.”
    Rig sighed. “Try not to be too dramatic, Allie. Give it time. You’ll see things more clearly, and so will he.”
    â€œUnless I don’t make it back from Andithyri. Or Liam is found out, and ends up in the Red Tower, or . . .” She clamped her eyes shut, shook her head.
    She heard Rig stir, and a moment later, his arms went around her. Alix sank gratefully into her brother’s embrace, knowing it was the last bit of comfort she would have for a very long time.
    *   *   *
    â€œYou didn’t tell me your sister was coming.” Rig didn’t miss the faint whiff of accusation in Vel’s voice, nor the tense lines of her shoulders as she poured herself some wine.
    He didn’t miss it, but he didn’t acknowledge it, either. “I didn’t know,” he said simply.
    â€œHad a sudden urge for a visit, did she?”
    â€œNot exactly.”
    Vel waited for more; when it didn’t come, she took her irritation out on the wine jug, setting it down roughly enough to send liquid sloshing over the top. “My, you are wonderfully verbose this evening. And could you tell me what is so fascinating about that fire that you can barely be bothered to glance at me while we’re speaking?”
    Rig sighed and turned away from the hearth. “I’ve got a lot on my mind, Vel.”
    Her expression softened. “Bad news from your sister?”
    â€œSomething of an understatement, that.”
    Vel set her wine down and came over, slipping her arms around him. “Do you want to talk about it?”
    â€œSome of it I can’t discuss.” He’d learned that it was best to be direct with her about such things. She could nearly always tell when he was holding back; lying about it only hurt her. Anyway, she seemed largely to have made her peace with it. He was, after all, commander general of the king’s armies. Secrets came with