But Mareda’s smile of thanks didn’t quite reach her eyes, which were pink-rimmed and raw.
“You alright, Marry?” she asked softly.
“I’m cold.”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
Mareda pointed her chin up – demure and defiant. She didn’t want to talk then. But if Adeline knew her sister, she’d come here in search ofsomecomfort. Even if she couldn’t ask for it outright.
So Adeline changed tack, nodding at the parcel in her sister’s lap.
“Is that for me?”
Mareda picked at a corner of the lace, sniffing softly. “I didn’t have it with me last night, but – here. Merry New Winter.”
She handed it over, and Adeline tugged at the ribbon, letting the lace fall away to reveal a large, plain wooden box. Beneath the lid were swaths of silver packing paper, and Adeline dug through them to find tough, polished black leather.
“Boots?”
She pulled one out and turned it in her hands. Beautiful snow boots; well made, with thick soles and stronger leather sewn in a brace to protect the heel and ankles. Soft grey wool lined the insides and folded over the cuffs in a pretty weaving stitch. Perfect for her Sunday morning walks around the Laune Market with Ger.
“They’re lovely,” she beamed. “Like they were made for me!”
“They were,” said Mareda. She reached over and took the boot, turning it in her hand so the sole faced up. She pressed a little silver tab that Adeline hadn’t noticed, nestled at the seam of the heel. With a soft hush of metal on leather, the black sole erupted with rows upon rows of steel spikes.
Adeline flinched, but then immediately squealed.
“You genius!”
It was a pain point for years, for both of them. They’d been training with practice swords forever; armed as soon as they could toddle with enough coordination and sense not to swing their blades around with abandon. But when Ger passed his initiate training, he told Adeline that the Eisalaan Gard learned to fight on smooth ice, so they could defend their Queen on any terrain within the Kingdom.
Intrigued at the challenge, Adeline had told Mareda, and they had swaggered out to an icy patch one morning to try it for themselves. In the main courtyard. In front of the entire Queen’s Gard, and much of the Palace Gard, too. Adeline’s arse still stung at the memory, almost as much as her burning cheeks.
Mareda managed another small smile, her face lifting just a little more as she, too, remembered the painful incident.
“Never again. Not with these. I had them custom-made, right under your nose. Right beneath your apartment, in fact.”
Adeline had scooted to the edge of the bed and was pulling one boot on beneath her nightgown.
She paused and raised an eyebrow.
“Imogen made these?”
Mareda hummed non-committally, not meeting her eye.
Interesting.
They’d been on the outs for long enough now that she could barely imagine Mareda holding a conversation with Imogen, and certainly not for long enough to place an order. Had she gone to the store herself ? Had they discussed colours and fabric? Made small talk while Imogen wrapped the boots up in this lovely silver paper? What would they even have to say to one another these days?
But she only asked; “Where areyourboots, then?”
Mareda wrinkled her nose and took a sip of Adeline’s tea. “Let’s see how you fare on the ice first.”
Adeline laughed, then lobbed a pillow at her.
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
???
