“Oh.” The word was a soft pang, bittersweet in my chest. “Thank you.”
She nodded and gave me a brief embrace before bidding farewell, the door closing behind her. I trailed my fingers over the case, still resting on the couch. I’d hardly be able to take them with me when I had to leave, once the fledgling bond finally disappeared. There wouldn’t be room in my life for such things.
Raphael came over, and I shook myself from my thoughts.
“Thank you for arranging that.” I looked from him to the case, where my hand still rested, as if unwilling to let it go. “But I have to ask, how is this supposed to teach me to live like a vampire?” He’d been clear that was his goal for these two weeks.
Raphael’s hand came to the case, long fingers a hairsbreadth from my own. “It was supposed to teach you to have fun.”
The next day, afterdrinking from Raphael—this time, pressed against the wall—he led me from the palace through Limanos to see the markets, Demos and another vampiress as our guards. With the Skyflame Celebration fully underway, many were open all day and night. There were jewelry and sweets, clothing and enchanted objects, all displayed to their best advantage. Raphael explained the origin of several of them. And when I commented that one of the bracelets was lovely or that I thought a scarf was particularly fine, I could only pretend to be surprised when it showed up in our rooms later.
Back at the palace, I practiced with the flute Ansel had gifted me until dawn threatened. I tried to be conscientious and move away from whatever room Raphael was in, keeping my breaths quiet. Despite Ansel’s kind words for me, a novice flutist was a loud, shrill thing. But he followed me from room to room without a word. I could only stay up a bit longer once the sunlight trickled into our rooms.
The next day, Raphael had another engagement, so I was left with Demos. He’d hardly thawed to me, but he didn’t protest when I suggested we head to the courtyard.
The palace itself was a thing of beauty, with large sweeping arches that let in moonlight. The city was alive at all hours, adistant rumble audible from the terrace. Others buzzed about the palace, though no one paid us much heed.
No one until I rounded the corner and was face-to-face with the metallurgist.
“Sir Ferro.” I dipped my head in acknowledgment.
“Lady Samara.” He dropped his gaze to my wrist. “Is that a new bracelet?”
His hand was on my wrist immediately, fingers cool and clammy despite his warm blood. Demos stepped forward, hand on his blade in warning, but I held up a palm discreetly. “You have keen eyes.” I let him turn it over before snatching my hand back, a bit more abruptly than necessary. “Thank you for noticing.”
I hoped that would be the end of it, but the knight remained focused on my jewelry. “I’m wounded, my lady! I’ve pleaded with you for the chance to gift you something and you deny me, yet you took this from some common peddler?”
Common peddler? He had no idea who had made it, only that it wasn’t him. “I thought the work was rather fine, as did King Raphael.”
“My sincerest apologies,” he backtracked. “I am simply startled to be so humbled that when you came to this fair city, you sought another to adorn you. I ask only for the chance to make it right! In fact, I just finished a few pieces yesterday. I’d be honored to have you as the first to see them, and if I may be so bold, wear them.”
“That would be lovely,” I said, trying for neutrality. I didn’t want to hurt his ego, not when he clearly had ties to so many kingdoms, if our first meeting was any indication.
The knight beamed. “Then we shall go now.”
“Now?” I repeated, startled.
“Lady Samara,” Demos cautioned. It was odd to hear him use my full name with an honorific, but with the meaningful look he gave Ferro, there was no missing the reminder.
“Nothing improper, of course. Your guard will escort you. My chambers are humble, but the king granted me a workspace just nearby to house my wares.”
I was curious despite myself. I had always loved magic, even though I had none of my own. And I’d loved twisting bits of metal into something more, like with the rat traps in Greymere.
My curiosity was a dangerous thing, but still, I considered. Even if Sir Ferro was turning out to be dreadful company, it was a rare chance. Metallurgists were hard to come by, given the ability to manipulate metals was a surprisingly rare breed of elemental magic. Fire, water, and air were most common. Earth less so, with metallurgy a subset with a twist of pyromancy in the mix.
More importantly, this would give me a chance to see if the bond between Raphael and me had eased any further, I rationalized. I hadn’t tested it in days.
“Unless you think the king would be jealous,” Ferro continued, trailing off meaningfully.
Raphael, jealous? Ofhim? I resisted the urge to scoff. Yes, the knight was good-looking in a classic way. Disguise magic had his teeth polished into neat rows, and symmetrical full brows that betrayed a bit too much focus on his appearance than the carefully tousled hair would have you believe.
Now, Raphael willing to murder some errant knight for speaking ill of him?Thatwas rather believable.
“I don’t believe that will be a problem. Lead the way.”
If the fledgling bond stopped me, well, I’d beg off with women’s troubles. Never mind that I was a vampire. Thea had taught me they were a panacea for all male inquiries.
Sir Ferro beamed, his teeth as bright and glittering as his armor. His rooms were two hundred and eighty-two steps from where he’d found us, which was over six hundred paces from the chambers where I’d started. Progress.
