“Fuck.” He surveyed her. When her lips curved into a bitter smile, he swore again, but this time it sounded almost affectionate. “Fuck.”
When he approached her, she fell into his arms. Erril was like a brother Maal had never been.
“What city?” he asked. “Where?”
“Goldfrost. Near Sapphire Lake.”
He swore and laughed again. He tightened his embrace. “Fuck, Lannahi. I want to see that. You wearing a crown.”
She leaned back and met his eyes. “Will you practice with me?”
He smiled. “Of course.”
***
The next morning, Lannahi went for a walk around the city. Like Letiri and Maal, who had left the palace at sunset of the third moon, she wanted to take advantage of the fact that news of her Challenge hadn’t yet spread. Until a herald from Blacktower arrived and publicly read the latest entries from the Royal Chronicles, she was first and foremost a court singer, not the king’s daughter with plans of conquering a distant city.
Lannahi admired the rich ornaments and bas-reliefs carved into the colorful walls of the surrounding buildings and the enchantment-powered wagons driving through the wide streets. She tried to etch these images into her memory. If she won, she would live among the landshapers whose cities blended into the landscape. Despite her curiosity, Lannahi knew she would miss the familiarity of her homeland.
Upon returning to the palace, she told Esau of her plans. With a soldier’s haircut, a uniform buttoned up diligently, and a serious expression, he was the opposite of Erril not only in appearance but also in character. He was quicker to master his surprise.
“Is that why you sent Souhi to the Free Cities?” he asked. “To gather information?”
Lannahi stifled a smile. She knew that her guard paid her assistant no less attention than her. “I didn’t tell Souhi why I needed the information.”
“She probably guessed it anyway.” Esau furrowed his brow. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I would have helped you—” He hesitated. “I would have helped you prepare.”
Lannahi contained the emotion that had squeezed her throat and said, “You swore loyalty to my father. If he started questioning you, you would have to tell him the truth, and I couldn’t afford that. I needed his surprise upon hearing the Challenge to be genuine. People have to believe that it wasn’t his idea.”
Esau was silent for a moment, watching her thoughtfully. Then he moved closer and gently took her hand.
“May Fate be on your side, Lannahi.”
***
Souhi’s reaction was even more reserved.
“I see,” she said.
After a tactful pause, she added, “Should I make a list of things to pack?”
***
After practice with Erril, Lannahi left the training room with the intention of taking a bath, but she didn’t even have time to reach the stairs when her way was blocked by a petite woman with pale green skin, a pointed chin, and short messy hair whose color constantly changed. Lannahi guessed from its violet hue that Blann was now waging a battle with her thoughts and, from her stained apron, that she had abandoned her work in the kitchen. Again.
“I heard a very peculiar rumor,” Blann announced, her aggravation clear in her sweet voice.
“What rumor, Blann?”
“Apparently, you Challenged a landshaper.Apparently, you want to conquer a city in the winter forest.”
“It’s true.”
Blann’s wide green eyes grew larger, and her hair turned purple. “But it’s cold there.”
Lannahi contained her amusement. Flowerspeakers often looked at things differently than most fae, but Blann’s concern was sincere.
“Winter is longer than it is here,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t mean it’s not warm in the summer.”
