“I’m turning in,” Selena stood, a shadow of a smile over her mouth. She waited for Aitne to finish as well before standing, and Aitne climbed to her feet without a word, drifting off with Selena to the room they shared.
Leal watched them go, peanuts crunching in his mouth. “Does your friend have a husband, Lady Princess?”
I glanced up to find Dimas interested in my answer as well.
“No,” Kye said, swerving the last of his bread around the empty rim of his bowl. “But she’s not interested, and she has an older brother that will tear your limbs apart.”
Aren smiled into his slowly disappearing meal. Leal sank in his seat, chewing his peanuts loudly. “Fair enough, I suppose.”
Belly sated, my feet and fingers finally warm from the lack of winter wind, I was suddenly ready for bed. “Are you sure you don’t like soup?” I asked Leal. “I’m finished with mine.”
“Give it here, then,” he said, reaching for it. Kye met my eyes, giving me a short head tilt down the hall in the direction of our room. I smiled back at him, and we both stood.
Loud slurping ensued behind us, followed by the sound of Aren groaning in annoyance. “Aalto and back, Leal, you could suck a sun-damned wine bottle out of a pigeonhole.”
“I know,” Leal shot back. “I’ve informed the Crown of my disability, but they haven’t offered me compensation.”
73
Maren
How long have you known Dimas and Leal?I asked as Kye checked his pockets for his key, the beef stew still warm and cozy in my stomach.
He paused, counting years in his head.Since I was about fifteen. One fucker never speaks, the other doesn’t shut up.He fit the key in its lock, twisting the knob, and I crossed my arms as I followed him into the room. Four walls, wood. One floor, wood. One ceiling, wood. They pulsed softly.
I closed my eyes.And Aren?
Kye’s hands found mine, pulling me gently to the edge of the bed and sitting me down.Aren’s only a few months younger than I am. He was born in the palace; his mother is one of the cooks and his father retired from the royal guard a year ago.
I nodded. I remembered him explaining Aren’s father was a captain. I hadn’t realized his mother lived in the palace, too.
Fabric stretched, and in my mind’s eye Kye knelt on the floor, hands tugging at my otter fur boots. “How’s your leg? Should I ask Aitne to come work on it?”
“No,” I sighed. I’d gone without my splint for a few days now. “It didn’t pain me at all today. I think I could almost run on it.” I laid back on the mattress, stretching muscles sore from riding, tired enough to fall asleep without even shedding my clothes.
“There’s a clawfoot tub in the bathroom.”
My eyes popped open.There is?
I knew we’d be stopping here so I packed a couple jars of sea water.
My sea water? From Juile?
Elbow bent against the mattress, Kye held up a jar for my inspection. Mostly clear, with a hint of teal gray. I took it from him and uncorked it, bringing the jar to my nose and breathing in the scent of salt and sea. Sand and rock and wind and stone.
Home.
Kye pulled me to my feet, leading me under the slowly shrinking wooden ceiling to a bathroom that would have been magnificent in the springtime, with a window the size of the wall that opened on hinges, overlooking the mountainside. The fireplace shared the same wall as our room, the tub cast in glorious iron.
“I’ll ask a servant to boil water for you,” Kye said, gazing at the bathroom from over my shoulder.
“Don’t bother.” I stalked to the window, unlocking the latch and swinging it wide, calling to the ice crystals outside to melt so I could summon them in.
Kye fit his fingers into the doorframe above his head, leaning as he watched me work. “We need to talk about what will happen when we reach Winterlight tomorrow.”
My eyes darted to him. “Okay. What will happen?”
“The generals will fill me in on whatever they’re planning. My guess is some kind of attack. My unit won’t be at the front lines. They’ll keep me near the back. But I’d like you to stay in Winterlight.”
