My cheeks heat again because I know what kind of favors I’d like to give him. I curse myself internally. I have got to stop thinking like a lovesick teenager.
“Go on.” He lifts his chin toward the door.
I leave without looking back.
I’m halfway through a book of fables when Brevan finds me in the library. “Caiden would like you to join him for dinner.”
I close the book and carry it with me. It can’t hurt for Caiden to see my new reading material.
I turn toward the dining hall.
“No, he wants to have dinner in your room,” Brevan says.
“Oh.” I turn the other direction, and the two of us finish our walk in silence.
I don’t say goodbye when I enter my room. It’s best for both of us that way.
Caiden is already waiting for me. The small table in my room is set for royalty. Someone brought in a black tablecloth and crystal candleholders that glitter in the soft light of the candles’ flames.
Silver and white plates and crystal goblets wait for us. Between the plates is a platter filled with meat and vegetables and potatoes.
“I heard you had quite the day today,” Caiden says.
“I did?” I hedge.
“Yes. Brevan told me it took nearly all morning to get you to hit the center of the target. He’s a bit obsessive, that one. Does it really matter where you hit your enemy as long as they go down?”
He picks up a bottle and pours ruby-red wine into each glass. “Please, sit.”
I settle in the chair he gestured to, and he sets down the bottle, then pushes my chair in before grabbing the book I placed on the table. “Fables and Tales of the Shatterlands. I remember reading this as a child. Some of them frightened me quite a lot when I was small. You might want to be careful with this.”
“I won’t read it after dark,” I say.
He places the book on the small desk, then takes his own seat. “I suppose you should thank my father for summoning Brevan and cutting your training short.”
“Yes, I am grateful,” I say. “It was bad enough when it wasn’t raining.”
He sips his wine, then serves food for both of us. It’s odd to see him serving me instead of waiting for the servants to take care of everything.
“I wanted to spend some time with you tonight because I have to leave for a few days again.”
“Oh no, can’t someone else go?” I ask.
“I know, but I’ll return in time for the ball,” he says.
The ball was quickly approaching, which meant Darkfall was soon. I’d lost so much time already. “Alright, don’t be gone too long.”
“So eager,” he teases. “You know, you really aren’t what I expected at all.”
“I hope that’s a compliment,” I say.
“It is.”
“Then, thank you, and I feel the same about you,” I say.
He grins. “I know.”
We make small talk while we eat. About the weather and the lack of snow. About the tales I read in the book. About my favorite holidays in Iskvaland. Thank goodness I heard most of the stories when I was very young.
