Sienna gave her a weak smile. "You've been talking with Celesta again, haven't you?"
Devri linked their arms again and pulled her forward to continue their walk. "It never ceases to amaze me that you are not only on a first-name basis with the Queen of Winter, but that she regularly comes to visit. Just a Naiad? You're practically a lady of the Court."
"We were friends as children. I used to accompany Father when he would transport the late King Maeth to visit Celesta and her mother at the royal residence near Autumn. She was half pixie, and I was a Naiad in a home full of elf children, which meant we were almost always left alone together."
Devri squeezed her arm. "Their loss," she answered stoutly. "But Enna, I am only going to say this once today, so please listen carefully: You are so much more than whatever that fool made you believe. His words are about as useful as the notes from an out-of-tune violin. If I weren't bound by Siren laws not to use my voice to bring harm to another fae, I would make him throw himself into the sea. But just because he's too blind and misguided to see your worth doesn't mean the rest of us are. You are beautiful, inside and out, with the kindest, most loving and loyal soul that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. You’re bright and funny and have a deliciously snarky side that comes out every once and a while, and I hate that Erik made you feel like you need to hide that all away."
Tears sprang to Sienna's eyes once more, though this time for an entirely different reason. Her friend's fervent praise was almost loud enough to block out the echoes of Erik's words that had been simmering and festering in the back of her mind since he had called off their engagement six months before.
Almost.
“I'm an elf, Sienna. I was willing to make an exception for your Naiad blood before, but your magic is gone. I know you're not so selfish as to expect me to remain in a relationship wherewe will be so unequally tied. I need a wife who can stand as my equal.”
“Darling, do you really want to spend the rest of your life wondering what others are whispering behind your back? Knowing that they're speculating what kinds of actions you must have taken to coerce me into marriage? No one will believe that I married you for your looks alone, and without your voice, you can't even access your magic. I'm doing you a kindness. That isn't the kind of life you want.”
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"
Devri's tone was dark, and her perfectly symmetrical face drew together in a frown.
"No," Sienna answered quickly, shoving the words back into their box.
"Good. Because he's not worth another of your thoughts. You are too good for him, and we can only be thankful that he spared you the pain of finding out his true nature after the two of you were already tied together."
Sienna nodded wordlessly, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
I want to believe it. I want to believe it was for the best, but Erik hurt more than just me when he broke off the engagement.
"And that's why you're going to come to the Midwinter Festival, and you're going to dance with every man who asks you."
Devri's words finally registered in her brain. "I'm—I'm what?"
Her friend patted her hand. "You need to move past him. What better way to get him out of your mind than dancing with some handsome young fae?"
A flash of panic and anxiety caused Sienna's heart to hammer in her ears. "I don't know, Dev. I don't think I'm ready for that yet."
"Fine, you don't have to dance. But I still think you should come. It will be better than sitting alone up in that lighthouse like you do every other night."
"It's part of the job. Besides, I'm not actually up in the lantern room all night. I'm at home in the sitting room."
Devri gave her a flat look. "Yes, that is much better," she responded drily. "Sitting alone in the bottom of the lighthouse."
"I'm not alone; Papa is usually there with me."
The Siren let out an exasperated sigh, but the smile playing at the corners of her mouth indicated it was all for show. "Well, as long as your demanding social calendar allows it, will you please consider coming? It won't be nearly as fun by myself. I don't understand half of these new traditions or why we're doing them. Whose idea was it to bring trees indoors and decorate them with ribbons and lights?"
Sienna chuckled, relaxing at the change in topic. “I believe it stems from Celesta’s desire to make Alex feel at home here.”
“Ah. It’s ahumantradition, then.” Devri wrinkled her nose.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s just…not fae. Humans don’t even have magic in their realm.”
Sienna bristled. “And not having magic is a bad thing?”
Devri’s eyes widened as she comprehended the implication of her words. “Of course not! But even if you can’t access your magic right now, you were born a Naiad. You’re fae. You understand magic.”
“So does Alex; that’s why he was brought here in the first place.”
