(Tor had discovered that when Para was feeling like Para, she let her sister help tie her hair up with ribbons, and that was part of why Hena was now collecting them, so she had the best selection for Para to choose from. Tor absolutely did not get teary-eyed and sneak Hena a plate of biscuits that Ada confiscated before she could make herself sick eating them all.)
Tor tried to look innocent. “Me?”
She snorted with laughter. “Yeah, no, that doesn’t work with me, Tor. I grew up with you, remember. You’re filled with hope again.”
Tor hadn’t realized that it was that obvious, and he made a mental note to be sure he still appeared resigned and a little bit depressed when he was in the company of others.
“Going to tell me what you’re really going to do?” Ada asked.
“I’m not sure you’d approve,” Tor admitted.
“Probably not,” she agreed cheerfully. “Tell me anyway?”
There was a certain wisdom in someone other than Rin knowing what was actually going on in case it all went horribly wrong somehow.
He sighed. “Varex gave some very specific orders. But he gave them in his ‘I am pissed, and I’m going to use small words and short sentences because I think you’re hungover’ sort of way.”
Ada’s lips twitched.
He repeated his revelation, and she smiled at him after a moment. “You’re swinging by Vayrin on the way to your real destination.”
Tor nodded.
Her brow furrowed, and Tor suspected she was making the same assessment of options as he had.
“Marwila?” she finally guessed.
Tor shook his head.
She eyed him askance. “The rest are children!”
Tor made a face back. “I’m definitely not interested in any children. Pelun, actually.”
Ada blinked at him, seemingly taken aback. “Oh, yes, I suppose. I thought you’d pick a woman.”
“You know I don’t restrict myself based on whether or not someone has a dick.”
She snorted. “True. But far more of the stories are about women than men.”
“What stories have you been hearing?” Tor asked, genuinely curious to know what rumors had spread, especially all the way to hissister.
“Fernila’s attendants?” she proposed.
He laughed and couldn’t help but look as proud as he felt, apparently, because Ada shot him a disapproving look.
“Look,” Tor said with a huff. “They were spending day in and day out at the castle. They didn’t have that much to do, they were generally very beautiful people, and they were altogether amenable to spending time with me. I don’teverseduce someone who’s unwilling.”
Nor someone who reported directly to him. He didn’t want to risk anyone feeling coerced.
“Everyone seems to be charmed by you.”
He smiled. “That’s the goal.”
Ada was silent for a moment and then asked, “You’re sure about Prince Pelun?”
“Of course I’m sure. There’s no one that Varex would disapprove of more unless I actually picked someone off the street.”
“Maybe that would be kinder,” Ada suggested.
