“I’ll be fine.” The boy smiled, and he seemed to mean it.
“Very well. Leon?”
Leon’s grin said it all.
Aria looked, at last, to Baron. His tawny hair caught the afternoon light in a lovely way, turning strands of it nearly orange, a striking combination with his green eyes. She wished they could have another hour of privacy, though it would still not have been long enough to discuss everything she wanted to. Of everyone in the kingdom, he was the only one whose opinion she cared to hear.
Raising her voice again, Aria said, “Concerning our earlier conversation, Lord Guillaume, I would be delighted to accept your invitation.”
Baron raised his eyebrows, but he waited without speaking.
“I will indeed be the guest of honor at your upcoming celebration. Feel free to invite only those you hold in the highest esteem. I imagine this will be quite the exclusive party.”
Whispers erupted from the crowd, and what had been shrouded glares became quick smiles with a desire to impress.
“Highness!” The steward sputtered. “He’s under house arrest!”
“How very convenient, then, that the party shall be held at his house.” She leaned in slightly. “Leon, I expect spectacular food.”
“You got it!” the boy declared.
“Excellent. It’s settled, then. Two weeks from today, was it?”
The good thing about a curse with a deadline was that it made scheduling easy. She would outlive Baron’s party by another two weeks.
Her skin pebbled with goose bumps, and she swallowed hard to be so casually counting the rest of her life in mere weeks.
Then she focused on Baron, awaiting his response. Though he kept his expression mostly impassive, he stepped closer and spoke with a voice low enough not to be overheard.
“Highness, I told you I can’t ... help. I’m afraid it would be a waste of your time to—”
“Baron.” She touched his arm, her heart twisting. “Did you think I caredonlyif you could help?”
Perhaps at first, but they were many letters past that.
After a moment, his expression melted into the most breathtaking smile she’d ever witnessed, twisting her heart in quite a different way. Her hand tingled where it remained on his arm, and she lifted it self-consciously.
“Two weeks, then!” Her voice came out too high. She cleared her throat. “I look forward to it.”
“As do I,” he said softly.
How she wished there wasn’t a crowd present. Her eyes traced the lines of his face, lingering on his lips, still in a soft curve from his smile. She glanced back up at his green eyes. Watching her. Did he wonder, as she did, how it would feel to close the distance between them? She remembered the feeling of his strong arm around her waist, saving her from a fall. If she kissed him,reallykissed him, the way she suddenly wanted to, would he feel any strength in her? His letters seemed to outline a version of Aria that she couldn’t see, but one she wanted to become. Someone strong enough to find the right path, a path that helped others, like she was trying to do right now.
She saw the best version of herself reflected in Baron’s eyes.
Finally, she tore her gaze away.
“Steward.” She gestured Mr. Huxley forward again. The man no longer seemed eager to address her, focused on mopping hisforehead instead, at least until she said, “I have a most serious charge for you.”
Then she had his full attention.
“These three men”—she gestured to Baron and his brothers—“are very dear to me. You are to care for their well-being even before matters of the Reeves estate, do you understand?”
Deflating, he nodded.
“Tell him not to split us up,” Leon interjected.
Aria looked sharply back to the steward. “I hope that was never a consideration.”
