“We spent our early namedays together, but none since then,” Thyra said softly. “It’s a nice idea.”
I’d been more worried over the question ofifwe should have such a celebration with everything going on. But if I couldn’t celebrate my nameday with my twin—and the very fact that we were still alive, when everyone else in our family was dead—what were we doing this for, anyway?
“Do you need any help planning?” I asked.
Saga beamed as she shook her head. “Absolutely not! You two just show up.”
“I’m going to end the night on a high note.” Thyra stood from her armchair. “The rest of the rebels are due to arrive tomorrow. I don’t want to be hungover when they do.”
As it was getting late, we all agreed to call it a night, and our party disbanded. I went to Vale and kissed his cheek.
“Bed calls, but you look like you’re having fun, so don’t feel pressured to join. I won’t wait up.”
“Sleep well.” He kissed me on the lips.
I left with Clem and Anna, both of whom had also stayed behind to say goodnight to the males they adored. We parted when they reached their rooms, across from one another, and I continued on to mine, relieving Astril of her guard over Sassa’s Blade.
I was slipping beneath the quilt when a knock came at the door. I waited for Astril to speak, but a different muffled voice met my ear.
Is that coming from Thyra’s door?I sat up.
My nosiness fortified by the spirits I’d imbibed, I slipped from my bed, tiptoed to the door, and placed my ear against the wood. A masculine laugh—Thantrel’s laugh—rang through the hallway before the door closest to my suite shut.
A grin spread across my face, and looking forward to teasing my sister again, I threw the door open wide.
Livia stared back at me from Thyra’s door, and I did not miss Astril’s lips quirk up. They were hiding something.
“Thantrel is visiting her suite?”
“I was told not to say anything,” Livia answered.
A laugh tripped off my lips. “I don’t need you to tell me.” I marched across the hallway and, without knocking, opened my sister’s door.
Neither my twin nor Thantrel were in the main room. “Thyra! Thantrel! I know you’re both in here!”
That same masculine laugh erupted from the bathing chamber, and my mouth fell open as Thantrel’s head poked out.
“Shouldn’t you be asleep, Isolde?”
“Why are you inmy sister’s bathing chamber?”
In answer, Thantrel’s head disappeared. I paused, assessing the situation like I probably should have before. He hadn’t been wet, and I’d seen his shirt. He was clothed. Maybe Thantrel was giving Thyra an eyeliner tutorial?
“Now that you’ve barged in, are you going to join us?” Thyra called out.
Well, I supposed that I was. I crossed the main suite and poked my head inside her bathing chamber. My cheeks flamed.
“You’re in the bath!” I sputtered as I took in my sister, hidden beneath mounds and mounds of bubbles, a wicked grin on her face.
Thyra threw a handful of bubbles at me. “Well spotted.”
“I thought he was showing you how to do his eyeliner or something.” Stars, it sounded so stupid when I said those words out loud.
Thantrel gave me the most smug, self-satisfied smile.
“You’re saying that eyeliner tips made you seek me out, sister?” Thyra’s tone was too sweet, too innocent. “Or did you really just want to catch me kissing this pretty male?”
I said nothing, which prompted a booming laugh from Thantrel.
