Bab 503: Out of the Queen’s Ears II

King Marinus smiled. "Straight forward. That is a wonderful attribute to have," he said.

"Come on, King Marinus," Atticus said with a cold laugh. "There are only the two of us here. Isn't that what you wanted? To speak without inhibitions? Surely you have more kept in your arsenal than just petty cordiality."

With a wave of his fingers, the pearl spun in the air at the mercy of Atticus's magic. Now that he had the pearl in his grasp, Atticus found little to no need to keep up the farce any longer. Whatever entertainment he was willing to provide King Marinus now was solely out of respect for his wife's friendship with this sleazy king's daughter. 

If, for any instance, Princess Cordelia and Daphne's friendship were to abruptly end, he would be more than happy to burn the bridge with Nedour.

"Alright then," King Marinus said. "I hope that after your marriage with my daughter, you will make her the queen of Vramid."