Alora took her in, stunned. “You look… like a princess yourself.”
A shy flush colored Theia’s dusky skin. “Hardly.”
House Alder was of low nobility, with no real standing in the way of court, but when they had sent their daughter to the castle to become one of Alora’s ladies in waiting, she and Theia had found kinship right away. At last, fortune had been kind to her family.
“The king bestowed upon my father the title of a Duke when he named him Warden of the Seas,” Theia said timidly. “A reward for his loyalty and service.”
Alora raised her brows, smiling wide. “Lord Admiral of Argyle’s fleet! A high honor. Which I have no doubt was well earned. And now you have become a fine court lady like the ones we to play tricks on when we were children.”
“I think you mean you and Caelum.”
“Speaking of, where is he? Did he ever become a knight as he’d hoped?”
Theia fidgeted with her sleeve. “Yes, of course. As son of the Commander of the King’s Armies, it’s expected of him. He stands to take his father’s place one day.”
She glanced down at Alora’s plain skirts, humble and filthy compared to her gold gown.
“How have you been?” Theia asked softly. “I wrote to you … but I received no reply.”
Because Alora had never received any letters.
“Didn’t you know? Post in the Midlands should be sent by enchanted ravens made of smoke or your letters may be tucked away in walnuts and tossed in a rain pool.” Alora teased but shecould guess why she never received them. Their smiles wavered, and she hugged her friend tightly again, inhaling her soft scent of daffodils “I missed you.”
“I missed you more,” Theia whispered. “I am sorry about your brother.”
“You heard?”
Theia pulled away, nodding with a sigh. “The whole kingdom has. His funeral was a grand thing to behold.”
Alora turned away to look out of the window to the kingdom outside. The setting sun burnished the buildings in deep auburn hues.
She didn’t blame Rhian for the life she had lived. She mourned the one she had never been allowed to share with him.
“How… how did it happen? When?”
“Illness took him a week past. He … went in his sleep.”
Good.
Then her brother didn’t suffer.
“It feels strange to come back like this,” Alora murmured.
“Everything’s strange lately,” Theia said, moving to stand beside her. “There’s been… unrest.”
The word was said carefully, drawing her attention.
“Argyle is not the same as you remember it, Alora. It’s changed…”
She faced her, trying to read her expression. “What do you mean?”
Theia bit her lip, like she had said more than she meant to. “I think it’s best I leave politics for the king to explain…”
The mention of her father made her stomach hurt.
Then Alora noticed the gold ring on Theia’s finger and she gasped loudly. “By the gods, look at this diamond, it’s almost as big as my head. Has Theia found herself a husband? Who, pray tell, has stolen my dear friend’s heart?”
Theia reddened, laughing nervously. “Um, well, we are courting at the moment… but it’s an arrangement between our families. We had no choice in the matter.”
