“Well get yourself together, woman,” she chided. “Of the two of us, you are supposed to be the one madly in love and well on the way to locking down a Valanova heir.”
I laughed, having not expected her to say that. “Well, I do have to appear mad at Renna later, so I was rather hoping to pull off the pouting consort all evening.”
Molly’s nose scrunched. “Not your best look, I’m afraid.”
I choked on a laugh.
Molly squinted at me. “Wait. We aren’t really mad at Renna though?”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Molly thanked Rinaldi, who had returned with her champagne. “We are the women who switched. Though things are obviously tense in my Assemblage, I was hoping yours had avoided it.”
I tried my best not to pity her. I knew she’d hate it. “It has. For the most part. It just needs to appear that there is more tension than there really is.”
“Ahhh,” Molly added. Her eyes seemed to fly to the king’s balcony, and I knew she had things figured out.
“Is there anything I can do to help with the tension in yours?” I asked quietly.
She took a generous drink of her champagne. “No. Keir just has to decide what he wants. But I don’t think he’s ready to make any decisions yet. He needs more time. So we are all stuck.”
I almost wished I could put up a sound barrier and ask her more questions, but I couldn’t. Deciding we were far enough away from the others, I asked, “And you don’t? Need more time?”
She shrugged. “I would honestly take more time also. I know our relationship was not love at first sight. Particularly since I was not even in his Assemblage to begin with. Things have rather moved at a snail’s pace. But he listens to me ramble for minutes about my books. Attentively. Asking me questions and walking in the gardens with me daily now that he knows what time I’m usually there.”
No wonder she liked the gardens so much.
She looked me in the eyes. “Why would he do that if he didn’t care for me at all?”
“He wouldn’t,” I offered, knowing exactly how busy the princes had been as of late. If Keir was still finding time to see Molly every day, she definitely mattered to him. I also knew for a fact how I cherished my friendship with Molly for the sole reason of her not being in the know on all the disloyal happenings in and around the castle. Keir might feel similarly, though I selfishly hoped it was more than just that. “And,” I added, “if there is one thing I know, it is also how good of a friend you naturally are.”
She tilted her head. “Particularly to those who try to keep me at an arm’s length?”
I giggled. “Yes, that. And I also feel as if Krew and I became friends before we crossed the line over to more. Not all love stories read the same, Molls. Yours doesn’t have to fit the mold; it only has to beyours.”
Her eyes went misty as she wiped at her eyes. “Stop making me cry, dammit.”
“Well stop cheering me up, then.”
We were quite the pair tonight. And I was so tired of keeping things from all the people I cared about just to keep them safe from the king’s wrath. I wanted to tell her Krew’s Assemblage was all but over. I wanted to tell her I now wielded magic. I had so many things to say and not enough safe spaces to say them.
* * *
We were seatedfor the play. Krew had Renna on one side, me on the other. That was normal for events such as these. What was not normal was the whispering Krew and Renna were doing while the play started up. The king was perched above us in this room, and I had successfully looked his direction only once the entire night. So far, my skin had stayed free of all traces of silver.
The play was a dramatic one of sorts. It was about how the magic was gifted from the gods to protect the lands. The part I found most hilarious was that one of the gods was portrayed by a woman actress. I was sure the king hadnotapproved that portion of the play.
Krew again whispered something toward Renna, and I slumped away from him. Trying my best to appear jilted by his lack of attention. The jealous lover.
I felt Krew down the bond.Are you all right? Too much?
I’m not truly mad. I am annoyed but really just trying to appear to be mad. Body language and all that.
He smirked next to me and reached a hand over to squeeze my hand a moment.
I squinted at him.Though if this were real, I would definitely be slapping that away.
Renna kicked his foot gently. I realized it must be entirely too obvious that Krew and I were communicating. I’d been nervous all night to say a word to Krew that wasn’t out loud, wondering if the King or the other Enchanted in the room would somehow sense it. Like the way I could feel the buzz of magic.
