Heat floods my cheeks. ‘I’m not – We aren’t –’
But Fox is already striding ahead. Sometime later he comes to a stop. Light leaks into the tunnel as he shoulders open another door that, to my surprise, leads out into the Aquatori Wing. He hands me back Ren’s kitten, which nestles into my arms beside its sister.
‘How did you know?’ I say, curiosity getting the better of me. ‘At the feast, I mean. The waves, the wine. How did you know it was me? Nobody else did.’
Fox’s eyes glitter green in the flickering light from the torch. ‘I might be an Heir to the Terrathian throne, but I think you’re forgetting I was raised an Eye,’ he says. ‘Where others look, I see. And I see you, Storm Weaver. I see all of you.’
His words prickle like thorns down the notches of my spine. I hate that I’m scared of him. I hate that he knows it.
‘Wait,’ I say quickly, as he turns to leave. ‘Why?’
‘Why what, O Queen of Questions?’
‘Why did you help me?’ I force myself to meet his gaze.
Fox is silent for a moment, as though weighing his response on a set of golden scales. One tips the balance. He smiles. ‘Goodnight, Storm Weaver.’
I watch him disappear back down the tunnel before I slip quietly into my chambers, settling the kittens on a cushion and crawling into bed between my brothers. Flint is sleeping soundly on his side, mouth slightly open, his face peaceful.Renly lies spreadeagled, his curls strewn over the pillow, his little fists clenching and unclenching in his sleep.
I think of Fox’s sister, that poor dead girl, and shudder, not able to fathom the depths of such a pain.
That night, my dreams are filled with eyes. Some golden, some green.
29
Iwake to squealing. Renly is hurtling about the room, a kitten in each hand, the expression on his face brighter than the sun.
Beside me, Flint groans loudly. ‘What time is it?’ he mutters, pulling the sheets up over his head.
Renly pulls them down again. ‘Look, Flint! Look, Blaze!Look!’
Flint blinks groggily at the kittens as Renly plonks them on his chest.
‘Happy Name Day, Ren,’ I say, leaning over to hug him. ‘See the little white one? She’s yours.’ I scoop up the grey kitten. ‘And this one’s mine.’
‘What?’ says Flint, bleary-eyed and outraged. ‘Where’smycat?’
I fix him with a stern look. ‘Darling brother, if the events of last night are anything to go by, you can barely look after yourself.’
I don’t think the words have much of an impact, however, as Flint has already started snoring again. Still, I brush a stray curl from his forehead, all too aware that today is not just the day Renly was born, but also the day our motherdied. They tend to overlap, beginnings and endings. Whether peaceful or painful, they always leave their mark.
‘What are you going to name her?’ I ask as Ren studies his kitten, holding her up close to his face.
‘Milk,’ he says decidedly.
I burst out laughing, because his answer is just too perfect, what with the frothy white moustache he currently has smeared above his upper lip. ‘Milk,’ I repeat, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of my nightgown. ‘I love it. Milk it is.’
‘What about yours?’ Renly asks.
‘I don’t know what her name is yet. But I’m sure it’ll come to me.’
Ren babbles happily away to Elva while she helps ready me for the day. She’s just finishing braiding my hair when there’s a knock at the door.
Prince Hal straightens up as I emerge from my bedchamber, Elva a silent shadow behind me. He looks effortlessly handsome in a fine burnt-gold doublet, a simple crown glinting atop his dark hair, which appears to be still damp from bathing.
A soft blush blooms across my cheeks, and I feel suddenly shy. I look at him, and all I can think about is that kiss. About whether he thinks about it.
Adopting a false air of normalcy, I force the memory of his lips on mine to the very back of my mind and sink into a curtsy. ‘Hal.’
