“Yes, but that’s for celebrating.” He raised the flask in a mock toast. “This is for remembering.”
She eyed the flask, then tipped some into her mouth and gave it back to him.
It burned like fire going down, and she blinked back tears as she struggled for breath. A flickering memory of a bonfire with Ariah and the boys flitted through her mind. For a heartbreaking moment, she beheld the closest person she’d ever had to a real sister, snickering at Julian and flirting shamelessly with Haeden.
The memory vanished far too soon. Kalie beckoned for him to hand the flask to her, but he pocketed it.
“A lightweight like you shouldn’t have more than one drink,” Haeden teased. She didn’t withdraw her hand. Feigning fatherly pride, he wiped a pretend tear from his eye. “Prim and proper Kalista Hannover, asking for another drink. Ariah would be so proud.”
Kalie’s fingers twitched towards the flask. She needed to see Ariahagain. Her absence was like a gaping void, but clinging to that memory had bridged it, if only for a second.
Ariah wouldn’t have wanted her to cling to memories, though. She’d lived in the moment, and she would’ve wanted her to do the same.
Leaning against the gilded railing that shielded her from the waterfall, Kalie turned to the dance floor at the other end of the ballroom, beneath the stained glass windows. A jauntier tune started up in a rapid flurry of violins and brass. Noblewomen in gem-studded ensembles, gleaming satin gowns, and swirling silk dresses flocked to the clusters of noblemen. It was easy to guess where the men were from based on the clothes they wore. Those wearing decorated Skyforce uniforms had been raised with the Northern Iestean values of service before inheritance. The ones wearing stuffy tunics with intricate embroidery were the old traditionalists from Shobe and Pharea. The men in suits were from South Iestea and Usias.
In the sea of men, she only had eyes for Julian, standing alone by the punch table.
“He didn’t mention her.”
“He’s taking it hard,” Haeden admitted. “He won’t say it, but… I mean, none of us could’ve expected it, you know?”
Kalie flinched. Aunt Calida and Lexie—no one could’ve expected that. But Ariah, who’d been created and trained for the sole purpose of taking a blast meant for her…
She couldn’t think about that. Shecouldn’t.
Instead, she tortured herself by looking at Julian, who’d struck up a conversation with one of the older nobles.
“How is he, really?”
Haeden grimaced. “I’m surprised he was able to smile at you. You hurt him, Kal.”
“I know.”
“Do you? It’s kinda your thing. Things get hard, you run, someone’s left behind.”
Kalie’s face flushed, and she scanned the room for any listening ears. “I donot?—”
“Oh, really?” Haeden counted off his fingers. “Boarding school.That baron’s son you ghosted. The ambassadorship to your father’s empire. Julian. Your aunt’s plan to make you the Contessa of Arcdon—I’m still dying to hear how you managed to turn that down.”
Kalie folded her arms. “So you’re on his side.”
“There shouldn’t be sides. If you wanted to end it, you should’ve ended it like an adult. Not left him on one knee and ran from Dali without a word.”
She looked away. Bronze statues of Azura’s high court shone under the light of crystal chandeliers. The court—the children of the goddess and her mortal husband, Avtal—stood tall and proud.
“I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to be married.”
“Then you should’ve explained that you needed more time.”
“No, I mean, I don’t think Ieverwant that. And I told him that, from the beginning, and he still, in front of the court?—”
Kalie huffed and glanced at Mother, who was talking to a group of older nobles. As always, she wore Etovian burgundy and a matching Etovian name, Ashé, instead of the Dalian blue she’d once worn as Princessa Caira. As much as she loathed Mother’s icy insults and petty jabs, she grudgingly had to admit Father had made her that way. Their marriage had become a battlefield: screaming and broken vases and the harsh, flat sound of a slap…
Kalie breathed out deeply.
“Now that you’re the Duchissa…”
She silenced Haeden with a glare.
