THE WINTER AND THE CROWN // Harry Styles (#TCTM2)

Marry Me

This chapter contains smut.

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A letter from Calanthe arrived the day after the dance. Reyna opened it in the presence of Harry, Lance and Jo.

"What does she want?" Jo asked impatiently while Reyna read it at her desk.

"Why are you here?" Lance asked Jo. He was standing by the door with his sword drawn and rested by his side. He'd been more guarded since last night, as was she and everyone else in the castle.

"Why can't I be here? Is it because of my sex?" Jo retorted, for a second forgetting that Lance was a king. Reyna could not blame her. It must have been devastating for Jo to be the last of them to find out about Mary's betrayal.

"No," Harry told Jo as he leaned forward in his chair with his hands together and elbows on his knees. "It's because you're a maid."

Jo shot him a pointed look. "I'm Her Majesty's Lady-in-waiting."

"A maid," Lance chimed in.

Jo flicked her gaze between the two of them. "Are you two best friends now or do you just collectively hate me?"

Harry and Lance exchanged looks before turning back to Jo. "You really want us to answer that?" Lance jokingly asked.

"She's here because I trust her," Reyna said, rising behind her desk. Jo made a face at Lance, and he burst out laughing.

"What does she want?" Harry asked Reyna.

Reyna folded the letter and put it aside as she leaned against the desk, arms crossed. "She wants the witch to be returned to Theros."

As expected, Jo was the most horrified at this news. The real reason Reyna had asked for Jo's attendance was that she cared about Jo and would never want to make a decision that would hurt her friend.

"Let's do that," Harry said.

"No!" Jo and Lance objected at the same time.

Harry froze and blinked blankly at them. Reyna felt bad that he didn't know the whole story. She couldn't figure out how to let him in without having him carry all her heavy burdens. Harry would always do too much for her; she didn't have the heart to drag him deeper into this.

Lance cleared his throat. "We need her. She may have insider information."

"I don't trust her. She set Reyna up for death," Harry said, his face twisted with anger.

"Mary knew the forest wouldn't harm Reyn," Lance calmly told Harry while his eyes stayed fixed on Reyna. He knew no matter what they all said, it was up to her to decide Mary's fate.

"I don't want her to have Mary," Reyna said.

Jo clutched her chest in relief. Lance sighed and looked over to Harry, who seemed the most confused.

Reyna took a deep breath. "Calanthe says she'll be at the border in two days, and she wants me to be the person who brings her the witch."

"She doesn't only want the witch," Harry said through clenched teeth. "It's clearly a trap."

"Don't go, Reyn," Jo pleaded, her face pale with fright.

Lance said nothing; the look he was giving Reyna had conveyed every single one of his thoughts. Reyna studied each of the three faces in front of her, and her heart stung a little. These people all knew what it was like to lose her. She didn't want to put them through it again. However, she had to be pragmatic at this point and not let her feelings get in the way. Whatever was best for her kingdom would be best for her, even though it felt the complete opposite.