Lily watched them with a strange mixture of happiness and sorrow. “Tomis always promised me we’d go dancing one day,” she said. She rubbed a hand on the slight swell of her belly. “We never did.”
“Tomis... he was your husband?” Lily had never mentioned him by name.
Lily glanced at her, eyes shimmering wetly, then quickly looked away. “He would have been. Truth is, we never got married proper like—just said the vows to ourselves.” She looked down at the ground and scuffed her shoe. “He joined up with the soldiers to make money so we could have a real wedding. Then, after Tomis died and I found out I was gonna have a baby... well, my da isn’t a nice man. It would’ve been bad.”
So, the abuser had been the father. It was a shame Gabriella couldn’t risk taking the time to track him down and serve a little justice on him. She wouldn’t mind unleashing her monster on a man who would abuse his own daughter—especially a daughter as kind-natured as Lily. “So, you came here.”
Lily nodded. “I heard about these Seafolk coming here to look for wives, and I figured, why not? I heard they were good to women, and at least my baby would have a chance for a better life than me.” She shook her head and swiped at her tears. “I’m sorry for lying to you, Your—” She stopped herself before saying the title, and took a ragged breath. “I’m sorry,” she said again in a low voice, not looking at Summer. “If you want me to leave the school, I’ll understand.”
“Leave the school?” Gabriella regarded her in genuine surprise. “Why would I want you to leave?”
Amber eyes blinked solemnly. “Because I lied to you, ma’am.”
“Gabriella. You agreed to call me Gabriella.”
“That was before.”
“Before what? Before you confirmed what I already suspected?” Summer smiled. “Don’t be silly. You’ve a home here, Lily, if you want it. A place to live, a job, an education. We’re going to the plazas tonight to have fun, and so you can meet the Calbernans to see if any of them suit you, but if you’d rather stay in Konumarr and raise your baby on your own, there will always be place for you, if not at the school, then at the palace.”
“Yes, ma’am—Gabriella. Thank you.”
“There’s just one more thing I need to know.”
“Ma’am? I mean, what is it?”
“How old are you, Lily, truly? I suspect you aren’t the twenty years you claimed.”
Lily bit the inside of her cheek. “I’ll be seventeen the first Freikasday of next month.”
“I see.” So young. “Tell me, are you really interested in marrying a Calbernan? Or did you come here just because you thought marrying one of them was the only way to provide for your baby?”
Lily looked around at the towering, muscular, tattooed men laughing, dancing, and talking with the women of Wintercraig and Summerlea who’d come in search of husbands. “Well, they are just about the prettiest men I’ve ever seen.”
“They are that.”
“And like I said, I heard they’re kind to their womenfolk. A girl could do worse, I expect.”
“I imagine she could, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to marry.”
Lily sighed. “You know, I really did love my Tomis. We grew up together. But he’s gone, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life alone. I want a father for this baby. And I want more babies after that. I need a husband for that.” Lily turned to Gabriella. “I just want a good one. Not one like my da.”
“All right, then.” With a smile, Summer draped an arm around Lily’s waist. “If a Calbernan husband is what you want, let’s go find you a good one.”
She wasn’t there.
Dilys felt Summer Coruscate’s absence the instant he stepped foot on the palace terrace, where his officers and the ladies of the court had gathered for the evening’s entertainment. After gearing up for the hunt, having his quarry thwart his plans by not showing up at all left him feeling both bereft and more than a little surly.
When Spring and Autumn stepped out onto the terrace to join the festivities, he made a beeline for them, barely remembering to paste on a welcoming smile as he drew near. He forced himself to indulge in the usual pleasantries before asking about the whereabouts of their sister. His effort at subtlety must have fallen shy of the mark, because both Autumn and Spring looked a little taken aback.
The two Seasons shared a speaking glance, before Spring informed him, “Summer sent word that she wasn’t feeling well this evening. She retired early and asked not to be disturbed.”
“Did something happen between the two of you?” Autumn asked. There was a tone in her voice Dilys couldn’t quite place.
“Ono,” he denied. “Nothing happened.” His curiosity rose. “Why? Did she say something had?” He hadn’t managed to get within a hundred feet of Summer in several days, but after the way he’d put his foot in his mouth that first morning, he’d scrupulously avoided saying or doing anything any of the princesses might take offense at.
“No, of course not.”
“Then did any of my officers said or do something to upset her? Because if they did—”
