“Raiah, come here,” Vanya said, stepping close and reaching for her.
“No!” she shrieked, holding on to Soren tighter. “No! He’ll go away again!”
Soren looked as if he’d been punched. “Raiah, I’m not going away right now.”
She was young, but she was Vanya’s daughter and an Imperial princess and knew enough about how words could mean many things. Her grip on Soren somehow seemed to get tighter. “Right now doesn’t include later.”
Something that might have been humor at any other moment flashed across Soren’s face before he turned his head to press a kiss against Raiah’s. “I know.”
Raiah grumbled something too low for Vanya to hear, but which made Soren’s lips twitch into a smile. Vanya was about to take her from him when Taisiya stepped into the courtyard and came their way.
“Your absence has been mourned,” Taisiya said, her shrewd gaze on Soren.
Soren whispered something to Raiah before bending to set Vanya’s daughter on her feet. She still clung to his hand with both of hers, leaning in close, mindful of the weapons he carried. “Taisiya.”
“Well met, Soren. Or should it be prince now instead of warden?” Her gaze cut away to the vow Vanya held before he could answer, expression never changing. “I see there are discussions to be had.”
“Valide,” Vanya said warningly.
Taisiya clicked her tongue at him. “The Imperial court awaits. We will discuss this after.”
It was the better choice, given who peered curiously through the windows. Vanya didn’t care for an audience when the ramifications of the vow he held and the debt he owed was finally acknowledged. “Then let us depart.”
Taisiya held out her hand to Raiah. “Come along.”
Raiah frantically shook her head. “No! I want to stay with Soren.”
“Raiah,” Vanya said firmly. “You will go with yourvalide.”
Before she could throw a fit, Soren knelt beside her, catching her attention. “Go with Taisiya. I’ll be at court as well, and she can show you where I stand.”
“You won’t be sitting with us?” Raiah asked.
Soren’s gaze flicked to Vanya before returning to her. “I must stand with those I came here with.”
“But you won’t leave?”
“Not right now.”
“Promise?”
Soren nodded gravely. “I promise.”
Raiah sniffed and let go of his hand so she could wipe the tears from her face. “Okay.”
She stepped away from him to go stand with Taisiya, who took her in hand and nodded at Vanya. “We will see you in the Constellation Hall.”
Taisiya left with Raiah, his daughter looking back at Soren every step of the way, as if she were afraid he’d disappear. Soren, for his part, never took his eyes from her.
“She missed you,” Vanya said roughly.
“I missed her, too,” Soren said quietly as he stood.
Vanya refused to look at him, keeping his attention on his daughter. “You were of my household once. I won’t have you pretend to be again only for it to hurt her when you must leave.”
His name, when Soren spoke it, came out cracked. “Vanya?—”
“Go stand with your people, Alasandair. I must tend to mine.”
