He smiles, which sets his irises ablaze and my heart aflutter.
Does he know about the list I’m going through, Faerie by Faerie? And if he does, by commenting on the statue’s material, is he sending me a subliminal message that my clandestine operative of planting listening sigils has his seal of approval?
23
ISLA
Isit at my vanity, which I’ve transformed into a desk, tracing over the dotted lines of the Glacin alphabet Shoshair penned for me and packed inside my trunks.
I almost wept when I discovered the booklet slotted between my winter clothing, and then I did weep when I read the note she wrote on the first page in neat, amply-spaced, block letters—a script which she developed solely for me.
MY LITTLE LOVE,
I’M SORRY TO HAVE TRICKED YOU INTO STAYING AT MY SIDE. I HATE THAT I DID AND HOPE YOU CAN FORGIVE ME. YOUR PARENTS CAN BE VERY CONVINCING, BUT THE FAULT REMAINS MINE. SINCE I HEAR YOU WILL BE STAYING IN GLACE FOR A WHILE, I THOUGHT THIS BOOK COULD COME IN HANDY.
DON’T STAY AWAY TOO LONG, OR I WILL HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THE ICE LAND TO VISIT MY FAVORITE GRANDDAUGHTER. AND YES, YOU ARE MY ONLYGRANDDAUGHTER, BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU ANY LESS MY FAVORITE.
I LOVE YOU TO THE FARTHEST REACHES OF THE UNIVERSE AND BACK,
SHOSHAIR
“What do you think of Antoni?” Lachlano asks from where he lounges on my bed, tossing his lucky pebble and catching it again and again.
“In what way?”
“Do you think he has an angle?”
I dip my quill into the inkwell. “What sort of angle?”
“He’s a very ambitious male.”
I look up. “I can’t tell if you think his angle is seduction or murder.”
“Honestly”—Lachlano throws the pebble, catches it—“I think he’s angling for a ravel, but if there is no ravel, then perhaps he’ll resort to serpenticide, followed by a coup.”
I gape at him. “Do you really think so?”
“I don’t know.” His fingers close around the pebble and hold it there. “I just find it odd that the male, who keeps to himself and hates everyone—especially royals—is constantly hanging around Naeva. I mean, he insisted on staying in Glace to sightsee, yet spent the past month in or around the capital, and then, the instant Naeva hops aboard a ship to go home, he boards the same ship.”
“Antoni’s not going tokillNaeva or…or…”
He spins his head to look at me, his blue eyes knocking into my violet ones.
“Do you genuinely think he’d try to take her by force?” I rasp, my pulse pounding so fast I suddenly feel lightheaded.
“I think that if he tried, Naev would hack off his cock with a sigil before he could get it inside her.”
“Go,” I croak. “You’ll catch up to their ship in no time.”
Although disappointed that my cousin had to leave early this morning, our desire to stick together in the north wasn’t realistic. Naeva might not be queen, but she’s part of the Akwale, and therefore has many duties.
“They’re not traveling alone,” Lachlano points out.
“Yes, but none of her guards are winged. I’d feel better—now that you’ve freaked me out—if you traveled with her.”
“Isles…”
“Imogen and Vance are here.”
