My carefree heart clatters at the contemplation. “Force him to go home tonight.”
“He’ll never leave you here alone.”
I raise my gaze to the midnight sun burning through the dense snowflakes. “The sky was dark with stars, Mádhi.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that he won’t leave you here alone,” she repeats.
“I’m not alone.”
“You know what I mean.”
I wind my fingers through hers and squeeze our palms together. “I do, but saviors also need saving.”
9
ISLA
The following morning, at breakfast, I learn from an exuberant Izolda that Konstantin has canceled his hectic schedule and will be sailing with us to Voshna. I assume he got talked into coming early by his brother or Aodhan.
As I spoon fish roe onto a sadly unsalted pancake, my gaze goes to where the Ice King presides over a gigantic slab of quartz, conversing with Taytah Daya and Eponine of Nebba.
“Will you be coming earlier, too, Ksenia?” Elio asks as a servant slots herself between us to splash bittersweet rowan tea into our empty cups.
“I won’t be coming at all.” Izolda’s twin mustn’t be a morning person, for she hasn’t smiled once.
Then again, I don’t remember her smiling last night during dinner either.
As she butters a thin toast, which she then dips in the ruby-red tea, she adds, “I already have plans with some friends. I’d bring them along, but space was limited.”
When Izolda purses her lips, I grasp that these friends are either not part of high society, or unpopular with the Korols.
“I still can’t believe you got Kostya to agree on a weekend-long Jubilee.” Ksenia polishes off the rest of her toast, then butters a new one.
“Maybe he secretly likes to party?” Elio ventures.
Ksenia snorts. “My older brother abhors being the center of attention. Unlike my other siblings.”
I doubt I’d mistake the sisters had Izolda not gotten her cheekbone inked with our feather, but I’m still glad for the distinction. Makes it swifter to tell them apart.
As a few Nebbans funnel into the dining room, and good mornings are exchanged, Ksenia says, “I dated Lev a few years back.”
She takes a nibble of her bread. I wait for her to add more. She doesn’t.
Which message is she trying to convey? That she was there first? That she still has feelings for Lev?
“Two decades ago,” Izolda says with an eyeroll. “And then you broke up with him because you found his mother overbearing, and his father seedy.”
“It was just a remark. Nothing more. He’s a great person and a fantastic lover.”
Her bluntness causes Elio to choke and sputter. I don’t react, since I bet that’s what she’s after. I bet that’s why she brought up Lev’s bedroom prowess in the first place.
“…But like my sister explained, his mother comes first. Just thought you’d be interested in knowing this, considering how well you two hit it off last night.” She dips her toast, chilly blue eyes pinned to me.
I recline in my seat. “Then we have that in common, since my parents always come first for me too.”
Ksenia lets her bread soak for so long that when she lifts it, a piece plops right back into the crimson liquid. After holding my stare just as long as she held her toast submerged, she turnstoward Naeva, “I heard you wanted to swim across the bay. Will you still be doing that?”
My cousin sighs. “No. I was warned there were orcas, and that they like to play with serpents.”
