They hurry down the path they took to get to the tower, and as footsteps approach, Arisanna pulls Cerian into an empty room.
“Is there a reason we need to hide?” he whispers. “We’re bound. We were supposed to be together all night.”
“Yes, but look at me! I can’t let everyone see me like this. What would my mother say? Abandoning my hoop skirt was one thing. This...this is—”
“You spend far too much time dwelling on what your mother would say. It was cold, and you needed warm clothes so we could go stargazing. It was a practical choice.”
Well. When he puts it like that, it sounds perfectly reasonable. Which is what she was thinking when she donned his clothes last night.
Still. Mother might find the idea of Arisanna spending her wedding night under the stars quite scandalous. As if their night together approached anything as scandalous as the nightgown the maid left for her.
Besides, Cerian’s right. She’s his wife now. They did nothing inappropriate other than miss their departure time. She cringes at that. Hopefully, there will be time for a shower before she has to say goodbye.
The thought of leaving makes her sad. At least it won’t be forever.
“I suggest we return to my chamber as if nothing is amiss. Let people think what they will,” Cerian says.
He’s spoken a lot more to her since she took him to see the telescope. Thank the heavens he liked it so much. His silence was wearing on her.
“All right.” She takes an even deeper breath than before and slowly exhales as she pushes the door open. Once again, the corridor is quiet, and this time, she leads him through the main passageways back toward the guest wing.
A few people pass and stare, but most quickly look away as smiles tug at their faces. She can only imagine what they must be thinking.
As they near Cerian’s chamber, the unmistakable sound of concerned voices rises to greet them.
“What do you mean, they’re not there? Did you check?”
That’s Mother’s voice. They must have just discovered her and Cerian’s absence.
“They were in Cerian’s chamber at some point, but the rooms are empty now.” It’s a softer voice, and Arisanna glances at Cerian.
“My mother,” he whispers.
“If I’m not mistaken, they’re heading this way now,” another voice says.
Was that Tharios?
Arisanna frowns as she searches the corridor surrounding them. There’s no mirror or anything to give their presence away.
“How does he know that?” she whispers.
“Tharios has life magic. He can sense my magic.”
“So you knew they’d be able to find us?”
Cerian’s eyes widen slightly. Is that his guilty face?
“You could have said something,” she whispers when he doesn’t respond.
He looks away. “Forgive me. Shall we make our appearance?”
With a sigh, Arisanna adjusts the blankets in her arms and nods as Cerian leads them around the corner. Aside from Rominy and Elowyn, both their families are there, and all talking ceases. Tharios glances from Cerian to Arisanna and back again before smirking, and Cerian’s parents look relieved.
Mother’s face contorts in combined embarrassment and dismay as her eyes sweep over Arisanna, and Arisanna tries not to fidget under her gaze.
Father smiles as he lobs a wink her way. He can probably guess where Arisanna took Cerian since she and Father used to trek to the observation deck themselves so long ago.
“Are you all right?” King Lorial asks calmly in Nunian. “We were concerned when you weren’t ready to leave at the time we discussed.”
