He sat in a plush wingback chair, and I took the one across from him. “What do you think of the palace?”
“It’s beautiful,” I told him truthfully, “if a little cold.” I glanced toward the window. “The heights take some getting used to, too.”
“You’ve lived on the plains your whole life?” When I nodded, he said, “The flight here must have been intimidating.”
“It was a little frightening at first, I suppose, especially forShazeera—my horse,” I added quickly when I caught the flicker of confusion in his expression. “But then I’d always wondered what it was like to soar through the clouds.”
I was a little surprised I had told him that—it was something I never would have admitted to my own people. But I supposed I would be spending a lot of time with this man in the future, so I may as well be honest.
“I’m glad you weren’t afraid. That’s impressive, actually, because even I hate to fly. It’s my dirty little secret, you could say, although I don’t think it’s much of a secret. My father used to have his eagle carry me in his talons as a child—dangling from whatever clothes I was wearing at the time, not holding me securely—to help me overcome my unnatural fear of heights.”
I grimaced at that small glimpse into what his childhood must have been like. “Did it help?”
“No. I hated it more than ever.” Before I could say,Your childhood sounded miserable, he added, “I asked you that about flying because I thought maybe you, as a Daughter of Earth, would have understood, but I guess I really am the only one—just like my father always said.”
“Well, I’m not a typical Daughter of Earth in that regard, so I wouldn’t beat yourself up over it. I could easily name about fifty other people who would have been terrified to fly.”
He didn’t look convinced as he stared into the flames of the cheerfully burning fire. When the conversation threatened to fall into awkward silence, I changed the subject. “What will my duties be as empress?”
“Duties?” he repeated, brow furrowed.
“Yes, I can’t just sit around and do nothing.”
He looked like he had never given it a second’s thought how I would spend my time here. “I suppose you can be in charge ofany matters pertaining to your own people—but only after we are married.”
“Then I will be able to change the tax percentage as I see fit?”
He shrugged. “Provided you get Lord Heron’s approval first. He oversees such matters.”
“Lord Heron has say over my people and what I choose to do as empress?” I asked, unable to keep the incredulousness from my tone. Considering he was the one who had locked me in my room, this wasn’t a good thing.
“He oversees many things for the empire on behalf of my father,” Altair said, and my brows knitted at the way he put it. Did he feel like he still had to live up to his father’s expectations even though he was dead? Either way, Lord Heron seemed like he had far too much power here.
“What is expected of me before we are married?” I asked.
He met my gaze. “I hope you can get acclimated to the palace. I know it’s very different from your life on the plains.” I must have looked perturbed at the prospect, because he added, “The nobles may expect you to conform to the way things are done here, but I won’t ask that of you. I hope you can make this your home.”
I hadn’t expected that. “That’s kind of you.”
He gave a quiet laugh. “You sound surprised.”
“I just didn’t know what to expect,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. “I’m assuming this means I will be able to move freely around the palace, too.”
“As long as you take a guard with you and stay away from the west wing.”
“What’s in the west wing?”
He looked troubled. “It was my father’s quarters.”
I wondered if it had anything to do with the shadow creatureI had seen, but where I was perfectly willing to ask Talon, I found myself hesitating when it came to Altair.
A silence descended on us then, and I kept stealing glances at him as we both watched the fire. I could see how many would find Altair attractive, but I found myself continually expecting to see Talon when I looked at him. Was that because I had met Talon first? Because I reluctantly trusted him?
Or is it because you find him sexier?
I squashed that line of thinking immediately. It would do me no good.
I pulled my chair closer to the fire and wrapped my arms around my body.
