Victor regarded her with a cooler inspection.
“I think I will head back inside,” Keira said.
He nodded. “Rest well,” Victor offered in parting.
She could feel both of them watching her as she made her way back into the keep. Inside, the heat from the torches went to work warming her cheeks at once as one of the servants took her cloak. She thanked him and made her way upstairs to her bedroom. Her mind was practically swimming. It was clear enough that Victor and Priscilla were set on this marriage going through and certainly considered her a threat. Whether they saw her as a disapproving friend or as competition, it was impossible to say.
Inside her room, Keira went straight for the window. She unhooked the latch and opened it, shivering as an icy chill invaded the warmth. Her fingers came to her lips as she let out a whistle. Though the note was too high for her to hear, she could feel its vibrations spreading out far beyond the keep, into the woodlands beyond.
Keira shut the window to keep out the snow, but did not bolt it as she sat at the small table. She hadn’t had the opportunity to write a letter to Grimlocke, not after taking a bath and then promptly falling asleep for a few hours only to wake in time to dress for dinner. After leaving so abruptly, she wanted to take the chance to let them know she was well and where she’d ended up.
The letter was half done when a clicking sound against the glass invaded the silence. Keira stood and opened the window, only long enough for Thaddeus to perch on top of the bed’s canopy, shaking the winter from his feathers.
He waited there, warming his body by the fire until the letter was finished. She rolled and sealed the message with care before holding out her arm for the raven to perch.
“You’ll be taking this to Florian back at Grimlocke House,” Keira said as she fashioned the letter tight.
Being a familiar, Thaddeus was much faster, and more reliable, than a common messenger bird. He could fly for days on end without stopping, and had a natural sense of direction, especially when it came to finding his mistress.
Keira gave the bird a tender stroke over his soft feathers before she stood and carried him back to the window.
“Don’t be gone too long,” Keira said as she opened the pane. “I think I could use all the friends I can get here.”
He cawed once before taking flight from her arm. Keira watched him go, not bothering to shut the window as the winter breeze toyed with her hair.
“Aren’t you freezing?” Caspian’s voice startled her.
She turned, shutting the window behind her and bolting it.
“It’s not so bad,” she shrugged. “I’ve just come from the most delightful walk through the gardens with Lord Victor.”
His brows raised. “Oh, really?”
“Yes, I can see what you were talking about with this engagement business. That man is set on you marrying his sister and upholding his great bloodline, or whatever posh nonsense.”
Caspian smirked humorlessly. “I will take care of it, I promise. But it may take time. There is business that I need to attend to, especially with the Holly Festival so soon.”
“After that?” Keira proposed.
Caspian thought and then nodded. “As soon as the festival’s over. And until then, I will do my best not to encourage anything.”
Keira scoffed. “I think Priscilla has enough encouragement for the both of you.”
“Are you jealous?” he asked, seeming amused by the idea.
She knocked him on the arm lightly. “Of course I am. She’s all dainty and pretty… and her dress was…”Showy. “Not to mention that she’s alady, and she knows about all this-” Keira waved a hand in emphasis. “and- I mean, how am I supposed to help you be a lord?”
Caspian stilled her with a soft touch on her cheek. “I don’t want her.” His black eyes studied her face, gleaming with sincerity. “I never wanted her, not over you.”
Keira sighed, not feeling entirely persuaded, but enough that she didn’t want to argue the point any further. Not when his eyes were gazing down at her lips like that, like he was already picturing their kiss.
The anticipation filled her as well, and Keira found herself closing the distance.
Florian
Moonlight drifted through the window, painting Florian’s bed in cool tones, before spilling across the floor. It was barely enough to see by, even as his waking eyes adjusted to drink in as much of the pale light as possible. Florian was too restless to sleep, even though the hour was late enough to be early. Beside him, Knox’s chest rose and fell in a steady, comforting rhythm. Florian planted a soft kiss on his shoulder before unthreading his arm from around his waist. Silently, he slid off the bed. Florian layered a silk robe lazily over his bare chest, careful to creep quietly across the wooden floors. This entire house was prone to creak hideously at the most subtle provocation, like an agitated cat.
He’d lived in Grimlocke House for years now and had settled in comfortably, despite it being a rather austere and dingy place. The fact that it could be both at once strained logic, but was part of the house’s undeniable character all the same. In that time, Florian had added touches of personality and comfort. A handsome nautical painting hung over the dormant fireplace. Lilith had gifted it to him for his birthday two years ago. It had been stolen, from the offices of the Highwind Trading Company no less, which only made him like it more. The nigh immovable wardrobe which had come with the room had been put to good use storing his clothes, a little bit of everything for every occasion. There was a writing desk as well, used more commonlyfor forgeries than correspondence these days. But Florian’s favorite fixture by far was the massive bed. It was always littered with downy pillows and blankets of every texture. Not to mention the mattress was feather stuffed as well. Knox had compared it many times to more of a nest than a bed. Though he clearly did not put as high of a priority on comfort as he spent his nights more often than not on a cot in the attic.
