Harlan stepped inside and walked over to Blake. ‘I’m heading to the barracks. I’ll be home as soon as I can.’
Blake pushed up on her toes and kissed him. ‘Good luck.’
He kissed her again, then nodded a farewell at Eda before leaving.
Blake walked around the bench and took Eda’s hand. The two women stared at the back door, not speaking for a long moment.
‘Where’s your belt?’ Blake asked, breaking the silence.
‘I used it as a whip when I lost my knife.’
Blake rubbed her forehead. ‘Of course you did.’
‘Harlan’s not going to say anything to Roul, is he?’
Blake shrugged. ‘He might.’
‘Hemight?’
‘He loves you like blood. He’s going to watch out for you.’ Blake ran her thumb over Eda’s calloused palm. ‘Lyndal and I wondered how long it was going to take the pair of you to fall in love. She said a year. I said two.’
Eda withdrew her hand. ‘I confessed only to a kiss. I said nothing of love.’ A lie. The words were a piece of armour.
Their mother rushed into the kitchen, a hand pressed to her chest. ‘Queen Fayre’s carriage just pulled up out front.’ She looked between her daughters for an explanation.
Blake shrugged and looked to Eda, who raised her hands.
‘I had no idea she was coming.’
Candace waved her out of the kitchen. ‘Go and clean yourself up this instant.’
Eda rolled her eyes. ‘She doesn’t care what I look like, Mother—trust me.’
‘Well,Icare.’ Candace pointed to the filthy rope holding up Eda’s trousers. ‘I care very much. Off you go. Quickly now.’
Blake followed Eda out of the kitchen and upstairs to the bedroom, throwing a washcloth at her as she filled a basin with clean water. Eda scrubbed her face, neck, and hands clean, then put on the undergarments and a dress Blake had gotten out for her.
‘Much better,’ Blake said. She combed out Eda’s hair and twisted it into a bun at the nape of her neck.
They returned downstairs, and Candace informed Eda that Queen Fayre was waiting out front to speak with her.
‘I invited her in. However, she insisted she was fine.’
Eda nodded and lifted her chin. ‘Then I’ll be back soon.’
Outside, the queen stood in front of her carriage looking up at Wright House. ‘Such a big difference since the last time I laid eyes on it.’
Eda walked over to her and curtsied. ‘Me or the house?’
Fayre ran her eyes over Eda. ‘Both. It seems you really can play all the parts.’ She nodded at the path. ‘Shall we walk since the rain has stopped?’
Eda nodded and began strolling along the path that circled the house. The only sounds were their feet crunching on gravel and the bleating of distant goats.
‘It is time for my son to come home,’ the queen said after a long silence. ‘Chadora is far too vulnerable without a king. News is spreading of our prosperity.’
“Prosperity” was a stretch, but the kingdom was certainly doing better than they had been under King Borin’s rule.
Fayre lifted the skirts of her dress as they navigated a puddle of water. ‘If I could only get an hour alone with my son, I could make him see sense. Belenus only knows what misinformation Queen Isabella is filling the prince’s head with. There is a reason my letters are returned to me unopened.’
