A soft breeze stirs the silk canopy above my bed, carrying the faint scent of spices and lavender. Morning light filters through the open window, golden and warm against my bare shoulders. The luxurious bed in Bastos is far softer than the one at Ivystone—too soft, maybe. I could stay here all day, wrapped in silk sheets and the caress of the breeze, if the world would allow it.
Well, perhaps not all day. The Bastosi heat is bound to come in not far behind the rising sun.
The door bursts open without a knock, causing me to spring into a sitting position, clutching the sheets to my chest.
“You’re still abed?” Nadya’s voice rings through the chamber, brightand full of energy.
I groan softly, sinking deeper beneath the covers again. “What time is it?”
“Late enough. And you’ll want to hear this,” she says, practically skipping across the room to throw the curtains aside.
I rub at my eyes and find her already rifling through my vanity for some rouge, her dark curls bouncing with every movement. She’s dressed in a pale-turquoise gown—far more modest than what the Bastosi women wear, but the gauzy fabric still hugs her frame. Her face is flushed, and her deep-brown eyes sparkle with excitement.
“What did you do?” I stretch, feeling the pull in my limbs. The aftereffects of using my magic have left me sore.
“I asked around,” she says, running a finger over one of her eyebrows. “And I found someone who knows where my great-aunt lives.”
That gets my attention. I sit up fully, pushing the sheets aside. “Here? In the capital?”
“Just outside it. A little village to the south.” She spins to face me, hands clasped in front of her. “And I want to go see her.”
I arch a brow, still too hazy with sleep to match her enthusiasm. “Doesn’t that sound… impulsive? What if she doesn’t want visitors?”
“Oh, come now, what elderly recluse wouldn’t want to see a charming, long-lost relative?” She plops onto the edge of my bed with a grin. “Besides, aren’t you desperate to escape all of this for a little while? I know I am.”
She’s not wrong. While I would like to seek out Dante and find out what kind of trial the queens put him through, I’m aware that it’s also likely he’s already locked in endless meetings with the Bastosi lords and ladies or discussing alliance terms with the queens. All the while, I’m expected to sit in mourning, looking demure and tragic. “I suppose I could use a change of scenery,” I admit, though my mind already ticks over the details. “We’ll likely have to bring Sir Holden. I doubt the king would approve of us wandering off on our own.”
Nadya waves a dismissive hand. “I can tolerate the walking slab of muscle if it means sating my curiosity.”
“And what, exactly, are you hoping to find?” I ask, watching her closely. There’s an edge of something deeper beneath her playfulness—curiosity, yes, but something else too.
“I don’t know,” she admits, her smile faltering for the briefest moment. “But I remember my mother’s stories. There was always something…oddabout my great-aunt. And if there’s even the smallest thread to follow, I want to pull it.”
“‘Thread’? You mean about possibly being in the same bloodline as the Bastosi sorceresses?”
She lifts one shoulder, shooting me a shy smile. “Maybe.”
I swing my legs over the side of the bed, the cool marble floor sending a shiver up my calves. “Fine. But you’re waking Sir Holden and taking the blame if he growls about it.”
“Deal.” Nadya bounces to her feet and grabs my hand, tugging me toward the wardrobe. “Now, come on. Let’s find Indira before you change your mind.”
I let her pull me to my feet, laughter bubbling in my chest despite myself. “I can dress myself. And you’re far too eager for a woman who snuck off with one of those Bastosi dancers last night.”
“You saw that?”
“You give me too little credit, my friend.”
“Much like the company I kept last night, I’m a woman of many talents,” she says breezily, throwing the door open. “And today, those talents involve dragging you on an adventure.”
Twenty minutes later, Indira’s sharp tugs at the laces of my gown speak louder than any complaint she might voice aloud. This mourning gown is thankfully thinner than the thick gown I wore in Podrosa, but I’m already starting to feel the sweating begin.
“I’m not sure what the sudden urgency is about,” she mutters, securing the last loop with a little more force than necessary. “Where, exactly, are you two off to in such a rush?”
Nadya leans against the vanity, plumping her curls with a palm. “Just a quick outing. A little air, a little exploration. Nothing too scandalous.”
Indira sniffs, smoothing down a crease on her apron. “Well, I’ll alert the coach master, but I’m not responsible for chasing after your guard dog. If you’re looking for Sir Holden, he isn’t at his post.” Without waiting for a reply, she spins on her heel and strides toward the door. “And if you get yourselves into trouble, I won’t be the one dragging you out of it.”
“I think that’s the closest thing to concern we’ll ever get from her,” Nadya says dryly as the door clicks shut behind her.
