She blushed the color of the rose in her hand. “He has such a big mouth.”
Nudging her shoulder with mine, I couldn’t help but laugh. “He cares for you. He wanted to see what I could do to make it happen.”
“Of course he did.”
“And I told him there was nothing I could do. At least not yet. But check back with me in a couple of months.”
“Tessana, you did not!”
I grinned at her. “Why should I be the only one to marry a second son? They seem to be much nicer than their firstborn brothers. Andre might not be heir to the throne of Barstus, but he genuinely cares for you. And in my opinion, that is more important than the potential power he might wield one day.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” She spared a quick glance in my direction. “Is that what you’re hoping for as well? A love match?”
I thought of Alexi’s harsh beliefs that royals weren’t allowed love matches. And then I thought of Taelon and all I would give up to be with him. And all that I would not give up—the Crown of Nine for instance.
“I don’t think I’m allowed to hope for a love match. I don’t even get to have a king. Consort. That’s what they’re calling him. The Queen’s consort.” I shuddered. “It sounds ridiculously torrid to me.”
She snickered into her hand. “So not a love match, but a lover.”
A surprised laugh burst out of me. “Dragon’s blood, Katrinka! No!”
She giggled harder. “Queen of the Realm and her assigned lover.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re going to make me sick. Now I’ll be alone forever just to avoid anyone calling him that.”
“You won’t be alone forever,” she said sweetly but sincerely. “And I don’t think you’ll have to worry about forsaking love to find someone worthy. Too many are already in love with you for that to be the case. The right man will make himself known to you, Tessana. Love and power. I believe you can have both.”
Her words were surprisingly thoughtful. And I somehow felt more optimistic about my future. Even while I wondered if she meant Taelon. Or had she mistakenly assumed Oliver was a potential husband.
I quavered again. Arrows and assassins might not have been able to take me out yet. But much more talk of Oliver as my lover would surely be enough for me to drop dead on the spot.
We’d started to sort of follow Shiksa as she led the way through the winding maze of flowers and cobblestones. The sun was warm in the blue, blue sky. And it seemed a perfect day for a walk.
“You know our mother used to speak of magic. Often really.”
“I remember,” she said. “And I don’t remember much, but that... that I can conjure as clearly as if she were still alive today. All of us sitting at her feet while she spun tales and told stories from that great big book.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her it was a spell book. And that I now possessed it. But something held me back. Fear that she would think I was as mad as Ravanna. Or insecurity that she would tell our uncle.
“I’m glad you’re here, Katrinka. This isn’t at all what I thought it would be. And I don’t know how I could do it without you.”
“I’m glad I’m here too. You’re right to think that way. I don’t know how you could do this without me either.” Her smile was as wicked as I’d ever seen it, and it made me laugh. “She’s terrifying. Isn’t she? One second I feel as though I’m safe, cared for. The next, I feel the urge to hold my neck lest she chops it off because my breathing bothers her.”
“You’re not alone in that. I haven’t heard Mrs. Blythe speak once. Probably for fear of having her tongue cut out.”
We’d come to the end of the hedge maze. The black cobblestones ended, and a forest of White Oaks with fluttering clear leaves began. Where fallen leaves blanketed almost every forest, the translucent nature of these made it seem as though this forest floor was glistening in the sunlight. It was too enchanting to resist exploring.
I remembered the massive moat we’d crossed to get onto the castle grounds, so I knew we were still well within the protection of the Keep.
“Should we explore the woods?” Shiksa had already started pawing at the ground, making sure it was safe. “We won’t go too far.”
My sister looked around uncertainly. “I remember our father taught us to love long walks.”
I smiled and took a tentative step forward. The ground was not too spongy for our elegant slippers. “You’re right. He would leave his duties whenever there was sunlight and gather us up from our lessons so we could explore a new part of the castle grounds.”
Katrinka followed me off the path and onto the wild earth. “Mother was always so vexed with him.” She laughed and then mimicked our mother’s voice. “They will never learn to read, Fredrix, if you’re always running off with them.”
I joined her as we wandered aimlessly through the pretty forest. “I remember them arguing over it.” I laughed with her because it wasn’t a real fight. I couldn’t remember them ever having a mean-spirited row. But this was a strong marker of my childhood.
