“Town?” Leya’s spirit perked up. “I’ll come with you. There’s nothing for me to do here.”
Mihr stopped dead. “I don’t know if that’s wise. The sire—”
“The sire what?” a smiling voice asked.
Leya glanced back, and Asennka glided toward them like the angel she was, as Haroth shut the door behind her.
Mihr hastily curtsied. “Lady Leya wants to visit the town, but I’m not sure—”
“Oh, stop fussing.” Asennka waved Mihr off. “The town is perfectly safe. Leyathi will be fine. Everyone will respect that a Chosen is with us. And I’ll be there. Besides, I came over to see if she wanted to go out with me.”
Leya eyed this influential noble who came to her aid, and Asennka smiled. “Prince Aerén took her there,” she said smoothly. “It’s where I met her. Come, Leya. If you want to see my world, you should. Besides, I have my guard with me.”
Mihr eyed Asennka, her eyes dark with worry.
“Maybe we can take Severn with us as our guard,” Leya said. “If that’s okay with Haroth. I want to see your beautiful city, Mihr. I saw a little last evening with Aerén—I mean Prince Aerén.”
Darn, she had no idea how to address him when speaking about him to others.
Mihr immediately bobbed her head, seeming relieved. “Severn is a good fighter, my lady.” She hurried off.
Smiling, Asennka hooked her arm through Leya’s and strolled them through the living room door and onto the terrace. “Servants can be so tiresome with worry.”
Leya frowned, but since she didn’t sense any unkindness in the comment, she remained silent.
Asennka dematerialized them…and they took form on a sidewalk in front of a store. A blond guard joined them.
Mihr appeared with Severn a second later, and the trio walked behind Leya and Asennka. Leya threw her friends a smile, but only Mihr responded. Severn remained stern and vigilant.Okay, then.
“If you see anything you like,” Asennka said, dragging Leya’s attention back to her, “charge it to the castle. Haroth will take care of it.”
Seriously? Back home, she bought her clothes in thrift stores.
Leya shook her head. “Oh, no, I’m fine.” All she wanted was to enjoy the sights. So, she strolled along with Asennka, feeling a little like a walking Fort Knox with the guards.
* * *
“My eternal thanks, sire.” The male denizen rose from his deep bow, gratitude chasing away the worry in his eyes, due to receiving a piece of expensive underground land to farm.
Seated behind his desk in his city office, Aerén pinched the bridge of his nose as the male who worked as an aide in the council’s chambers finished the paperwork for land now taken.
Hell, he’d been away too long. Hismaterihad seen to this side of running Cidéra, but with her missing, the council was supposed to handle it. Apparently, they’d insisted aboveground would do for the citizen’s farming. In this damn heat?
He had to visit those councilfossers, it seemed.
“Are all the people in Shegria facing this predicament?”
Lykon, lounging against the wall beside Thiorr, murmured, “No. Just those who prefer farming their own crops.”
Aerén nodded. “If there’s anything else important enough that needs my attention, let me know,” he told the aide, pushing back his chair. It had been a long day. He rose and stretched, his stiff spine cracking.
Late afternoon sunlight poured into the large office, highlighting the cream walls and furniture. He stopped at the window, staring down at the Eptara River separating the city and at the yachts sailing past.
“Lyk, those rebels captured yesterday?”
“Still nothing. Thecaenisremain lips zipped.”
Vae, he should just kill them, but so much bloodshed wasn’t good when trying to keep the peace and preserve what was left of the magic. He rubbed his jaw and stilled as a trio of females stopped on the sidewalk, his attention zeroing in on the petite one in a blue gown. He had to plant his feet on the floor not to storm out there and demand Leya return to the castle.
