“Innkeeper,” Meena quickly fixed her slip of the tongue.
“Your highness,” the man bowed over her hand. “Falqri would never offer aprincesssuch as yourself into a mere inn. You and his highness will be guests in our home. Which, I can assure you, is far finer than an inn.”
The man’s smile was disarmingly charming. He appeared to be only a few seasons older than Sol and herself. He wore the white and purple of Chendas. His eyes twinkled with mischief, reminding her with a pang of Erich. She missed Erich. And because of it, she liked this man. Instantly. Which she knew was ridiculous because he was her actual enemy, but apparently her feelings and her mind had stopped consulting with one another.
Squeezing Sol’s arm for stability, she looked between the man and woman in front of them. “And you are?”
“Jules,” the man bowed again, sweeping the hat off his head in an elaborate flourish that reminded Meena once again of Erich. “And this is the most perfect woman in all the kingdoms—except for yourself, of course—who was gracious enough to bind herself to me, my darling Ezra.”
The woman’s severe face relaxed into a small smile. She was tall and full-bodied. Her stiff dress and cloak, as well as her tightly braided crown of hair, gave her an intimidating air. If Jules was charming, this woman was frightening. Her smile softened her demeanor by the smallest degree. “You are one of the most prominent captains in the king’s army. The binding was not a difficult choice to make.”
“I always hoped our union might be one of true love,” Jules pretended to wipe away a tear. “But at least you love me for my many accomplishments and that is love, is it not?”
Meena smiled, enjoying his dramatics. If he could jest so easily around his wife, she could not truly be that intimidating.
Sol placed his hand over Meena’s, pressing it against his arm. “Thank you for keeping us.” His hand was damp and warm.
Meena squeezed Sol’s arm with her hand, both in an attempt to reassure him and encourage him to remove his sweaty touch. It had taken him long enough to find his voice.
“Here we are, keeping you on the shore,” Jules said, playing off Sol’s words. “Surely you are tired and hungry. Come. We’ve hired a cart for the chests, and another for our rears.” Jules winked at his wife.
Ezra rolled her eyes. “It was a good jest the first time you used it, Jules.”
“It’s the first time they’ve heard it, so it’s amusing for them.” Jules spoke to his wife as though Sol and Meena were not standing right in front of them.
Meena laughed appreciatively, looking at Sol to share in the mirth.
His face was stony. She couldn’t see the expression in his eyes, as they were shadowed under the tilt of his brow.
Jules, however, grinned at her. His own eyes sparkled at her appreciation of his jest.
“I am both exhausted and starving,” Meena said. Her voice was cheerful and loud to compensate for Sol’s reserved presence. “Please lead us to the cart for our rears.”
Sol’s arm flexed under her hand.
Meena slipped her hand free under the pretense of lifting her skirt across the sand. Her mouth quirked into a smile she couldn’t hide. If she’d embarrassed Sol with her mention of ‘rears’, she was not sorry for it. In fact, she rather enjoyed it and hoped she would have the opportunity to embarrass him again.
Jules held his wife’s hand, swinging it widely back and forth as they worked their way across the sand. Meena noticed with jealousy that Ezra did not bother to lift her skirt, nor was she tripping on it. Upon closer inspection, Meena noticed the hem of the other woman’s skirt was higher than her own. She hoped it was a Falqri fashion she could adopt while living in the sandy environment.
Sol followed a step behind Meena, and she threw him a quick smile. She reminded herself he was both displaced from his familiar surroundings and social standing. She resolved not to get angry with him for tripping over his tongue in social settings. That was the one thing she could provide on this mission, and she intended to provide it well.
“How long have you been here at the fort?” Meena asked Jules, keen on keeping the conversation flowing.
“Not long at all,” Jules replied. “We were in the capital at Chendas until very recently.”
Meena felt the world shift around her. Her legs stumbled as they adjusted to walking across solid ground.
Sol grabbed her upper arm, steadying her before she fell. She threw another smile over her shoulder to thank him. He dropped his hand as soon as she moved forward again.
If Jules had been in Chendas recently, he could have been present when Erich was nearly executed. He could have participated in that awful event.
Meena clutched her skirts. “How recently?” she asked, keeping her voice light despite the crack which accompanied it.
“We arrived in Falqri at the end of silverreign,” Ezra responded.
Meena exhaled. Her brother was not in Chendas until greenreign. Jules had not participated in Erich’s imprisonment.
He still could have been there when Aizel or Celesta was captured.
