Astra nodded. She knew Ameera was right, but her bones still ached at the worry the commander might fuck her entire world up with one word to the king.
“If you’re worried about his influence over Mirquios, perhaps you use the next few weeks to befriend him. You can be quite charming when you want to be.”
Astra returned to her desk and stabbed a fork through something vegetal, thinking about Ameera’s suggestion. “I suppose I am delightful when I don’t have the pressure of impending war and marriage on my shoulders.”
“Exactly,” Ameera chirped. “You can do this.”
“I’ll try,” she relented, taking another bite. “While I’m tackling that problem, do you mind taking on this one?” Astra held Ehlaria’s book up between them. “I can’t translate this dialect. I think we’ll need to find an expert, but I don’t want anyone in the court to have it. Can you take it to the city this week?”
Ameera nodded and took the book with her as Astra returned to her dinner. It took an inordinate amount of energy to finish her plate before finally falling into bed.
Astra had hoped to spend the next day tucked away in her room, but when Ameera did not appear with a breakfast tray or to usher her to whatever plans had been made on her behalf, she knew she’d have to brave the palace on her own.
She couldn’t very well hide until Lunelle returned, as appealing as the notion was.
She slipped into a pale green set of pants and a sleeveless top, something her mother would have frowned upon, but with half the courtiers in Pluto she didn’t much care for fussing with anything else. She ran a comb through her unruly curls and watched as they sprang back up, wild in a way that wasn’t fit for a princess, but a perfect fit for her.
Astra tried sensing Ameera in the halls, but it was clear by the time she got to the courtyard Ameera was gone.
“Astra!” Nayson jogged across the garden, a warm cascade of greens and blues enveloping her as she threaded her arm through his.
“Good morning, Father,” she said, relaxing slightly with his kind eyes fixed on her.
“Ameera told me to inform you she was running an errand in the city this morning. She said you’d know what she meant.”
“I do,” she said, smiling. “Thank you.”
“Do I want to know what she meant?”
Astra shook her head. “I don’t think you do.”
“Good enough for me!” He guided her across the gardens, their early morning blooms still turned to the sky above. As they approached the dining hall, he banked left, confusing Astra.
“Are we not heading to breakfast?”
“I am tired of entertaining the court,” Nayson breathed. “I don’t know how your mother does it day in and day out. I thought we could have a more exclusive meal this morning.”
They rounded the hedges of the palace gardens, the gently bubbling fountain tickling her ears in the morning breeze. She took a long, slow breath, pleased at how much easier it seemed to be now that only a skeleton crew remained in the palace.
They approached a small table, set with crisp linens and an array of teas and coffees. Two bowls exploded with berries and pastries.
Nayson gestured to the head of the table. “Give it a try, queen-to-be.”
“Oh gods,” Astra said, her cheeks heating. “I’m going to hate the queen thing so much more than ‘princess.’”
“I wondered how you felt about such a lofty title. A nickname is one thing, but a true crown…” Nayson watched his daughter’s face carefully, looking for any hint of regret. He winced and took the chair to her left, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, but knowing a Tether made any notion of undoing impossible in her heart.
He’d fought that battle himself, and if anyone could handle it, it was Astra.
She scanned the spread before them, trying to decide between a lemon berry tea or something stronger when her eyes landed on a third place setting.
Before she could even ask, she felt a wave of warmth wash over her.
“Luxuros!” Her father exclaimed, his warm gaze flaring as the commander sat. “You got my invitation.”
“Good morning, Nayson,” the commander said, scooting his chair into the table. “Princess.”
“Nayson?” Astra asked, surprised at the lack of formality between them.
