I tried to picture how magnificent it might be. “Tell me.”
“Every person in the court, from nobles to servants, gardeners, cooks, everyone, gathers in the ballroom as theceiling opens to the sky. We share stories, sing ancient songs, and dance until our combined emotions create a magical crescendo that makes every flower in the kingdom bloom at the same time. Picture waves of color rolling across the landscape like a living rainbow.”
His voice grew wistful. “The final day is the Gratitude Feast, where we honor the earth’s gifts and the bonds between our people. Merchants come from neighboring realms, distant families reunite, and even the shyest court members find themselves swept up in the celebration.”
No wonder he was worried about this. Such an amazing, important event. I understood the pressure of responsibility, of people depending on you to make things right.
“That’s a lot to carry,” I said softly, realizing that I’d also carried a lot of weight after my parents died. I’d been so determined to make sure they didn’t miss anything due to our loss, that maybe…
Had I missed out on things for myself instead?
He glanced at me, and his hand found my elbow as we navigated around a patch of loose stones. The touch lingered even after we’d passed the rough terrain.
“Your grandmother’s correspondence about our potential marriage arrived as I was beginning to worry about the festival,” he said. “I saw it as a possible solution. A witch’s magic might help where fae magic was failing. She told me you had strategic magic. I hoped it could solve this problem my intuition and fae spells couldn’t unravel. And when her subsequent letters mentioned your affinity for plant magic, I would’ve agreed to a match even with Savory.”
My raven snorted.
Dominic shook his head. “Then the damned giggling started and ruined everything.”
“You didn’t ruineverything,” I said.
The walls are softening,Savory said.Sometimes truth slips through the cracks.
“I humiliated you at our wedding,” Dominic said, his voice tight with regret. “I made a mockery of your sincere vows. I would understand if you hated me for it.”
“I don’t, actually. I was hurt. Who wouldn’t be? Angry too. But I’m beginning to think there’s more to this than it appears.”
We reached a stone bench beneath a flowering tree whose blossoms had only partially wilted and sat close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body.
His giggling had almost stopped.
“This is the first time since your grandmother’s letters that I’ve been able to speak normally for more than a few minutes,” he said, studying his hands. “Do you know what a relief it is to not have every serious thought interrupted by involuntary laughter?”
The pattern emerges,Savory said, flying down onto the grass to peck at insects.But does the witch see it yet?
I did. Or I was beginning to.
My mind raced back through the morning, cataloging details. Everyone at breakfast had giggled uncontrollably. His mother, Lady Kenneth, Lady Edwina, and Lord Turren, all of them dissolving into laughter they clearly couldn’t control.
Everyone except me.
“When you’re responsible for others, you can’t afford to show weakness,” I heard myself say, the words emerging from that vulnerable place I usually kept locked away. “My sisters needed me to be strong after our parents died. Cyrene was so young, and Adele had nightmares for months. I couldn’t fall apart, so I became the one who madeplans and anticipated problems. The one who kept us all safe.”
Dominic’s hand covered mine on the bench between us. “That’s a tremendous burden for someone so young.”
“I felt I was the only one who could carry it.” I looked down at our joined hands, his larger than mine. “I learned to trust strategy over emotion. Plans over spontaneity. Control over chaos.”
“And then you married into the most chaotic court in the realm,” he said with a small smile that held no trace of laughter.
“Fate has a sense of humor.”
Or fate knows what you need,Savory said.
I pulled my focus back to the problem at hand, reviewing the morning’s events.
“Dominic, I think I’m starting to notice a pattern,” I said. “You said the giggling started about a week ago?”
“Yes. Within days of receiving your grandmother’s letter.” His brow furrowed. “I thought it was stress at first. Anxiety about the alliance manifesting in strange ways.”
