“A worthy one, though. It was nice knowing you, Your Majesty.”
They both laughed softly, warmth spreading through Ciana’s chest, settling in her cheeks. She held the king’s gaze, taking in the strong line of his jaw, the trimmed edges of his hair, the broad frame of his shoulders.
He really was quite nice to look at.
“Okay. My turn.” She set down her wine glass, leaning on the table. The mirror of how Niktael had been before dinner. “Tell me ofyourgod. I want to know more about Ydros. That was him in here when I arrived, wasn’t it?”
Nik slowly nodded. “Yes. Yes, it was. I suppose I should’ve known you’d be able to guess, seeing as he’s not the first god you’ve encountered.”
“Once you’ve met one, you’ve met them all.” Ciana waved her hand. “But what’s helike? Is he kind, clever, trustworthy?”
A faint smile tugged at Niktael’s mouth. “Ydros is the God of Earth and Knowledge. He is, for lack of a better word, brilliant. He is quiet and reserved, and he’s curious about you and your queen, but that is what he was made to be. He is a scholar; it’s his purpose to wonder.”
Ciana cocked her head. “What’s his role in Vatha? Before he returned to this realm. Was he worshipped, the way we worship Qhohena and Priam?”
“We are a people of science and learning, Ciana,” Nik said. “The only thing we worship is the earth beneath our feet and the knowledge it has to teach us. Ydros is recognized for what he is—the divine source of our magic and connection to the earth—but he is not worshiped in the way you might think. There are no temples to his honor, no statues in his likeness. He and his Consort generally stay out of the affairs of people.”
“His Consort?” Ciana asked, curiosity blooming in her chest. This must be the last god she hadn’t yet met, the last she knew nothing about.
“Krilene,” Nik said. “Goddess of Sea and War. I think the pirates of her Kizar Islands should tell you enough about how she chooses to interact with humanity. Though the records say she is the fiercest and most spiteful of the gods, so perhaps they are more like her than we realize.”
“She fought against the Scourge in the First War though, didn’t she? She and Ydros.” Ciana spun the stem of her wine glass between her fingers. “I think that’s all it takes for them to be good. Regardless of what else may drive them.”
Niktael’s eyes sparkled. “You know more about history than you let on, Lady Visseau.”
Her cheeks heated. “Mariah went through a frantic history researching phase last fall,” she said. “I read more dusty old texts and scrolls than I ever want to again.”
He chuckled. “You sure you’re still curious about our archives? I’m afraid it’s far worse than whatever your queen might’ve put you through.”
Ciana hesitated. The archives. There was something about them she wanted to say, wanted to ask…
Her mind was too hazy—too filled with satiated contentment. So, she only giggled, and shrugged, and took another sip of her wine.
The kitchen doors swung open, and the room swarmed once again with the servers and staff. Empty plates were swiped from the table as the silverware was replaced and glasses were filled. A server set a final plate down in front of her. Her weak protest about being full died in her throat.
“Dessert is served,” the chef said with a bow, before he and his staff again vanished into the rooms beyond.
Ciana picked up the small dessert spoon, slicing into the perfect circle of ice cream. Growing up near the desert, there was something so out of reach about ice cream. The few times in her life she’d had it, it had always been such a treat—a true delicacy.
When the spoon met her lips, when the tart flavors burst across her tongue, she realized this wasn’t ice cream; not quite.
She lifted her gaze, eyes wide, to Nik. “What is this?”
He smiled, tasting his own dessert and humming. “Passion fruit sorbet,” he said. There was something hesitant andtentative in his expression. “Do you not like it? I can ask the chef to prepare you something else?—”
“No!” Warmth again hit Ciana’s cheeks. “No,” she repeated. “That’s not what I meant. It’s delicious. I just thought it was ice cream, but it’s definitely not.”
Nik chuckled. “Not ice cream,” he agreed. “But in my opinion, it’s better.”
Ciana wasn’t sure about that, but she wasn’t about to disagree with a king at his own table. She smiled and nodded, returning her attention to the bowl of sorbet.
A few moments passed again in silence, and the more Ciana ate of the sorbet she began to think that maybe the king was right. Maybe itwasbetter than ice cream. It was sweet and tart and light, and the way it made her tingle from her ears all the way to her fingers?—
“Ciana,” Nik said quietly when she finally set her spoon on the table, relaxing in her chair with a contented sigh. “You know why the gods are back, don’t you? You know what woke them up.”
Ciana’s eyes fluttered closed. “I do.” But that was such a sad story, and she felt so wonderful. She didn’t want to talk about all that.
The king was insistent. “Can you tell me?”
