“Uncle Kas! Uncle Kas!” one, or both of the twins screeched as they raced across the cobbled drive.
Crouching, he threw his arms wide, silently reaffirming his standingpromise to keep them safe from harm.
“My little hellions.” He squeezed the children into a tight hug, bonking their heads together.
“Ow!” Della cried.
Ataht laughed, bringing a small hand up to rub his temple.
“Are we onholiday?” Something about Della’s huge puppy dog eyes had Kas wondering whether her question was genuine, or a feeble attempt to avoid lessons. He knew the move well from several years spent as a youth. Though he couldn’t say he’d ever tried to avoid learning something new.
“You are not.Iam not. We both have school and work to get done.” He tousled the princess’s hair.
“Stop that!” she squeaked, bringing both hands up in an attempt to smooth down her silvery locks.
“Why can’t we have a holiday, Uncle Kas?”
Kas watched as the first carriage’s coachman folded down a set of steps in front of the door. That bloody blond soldier climbed out, then extended a hand back inside to aidher—his distraction—in her departure from the vehicle.
Miss Kiappa twisted sideways as she came through the doorway, and her dress snagged on something inside, pulling the skirts tight against her shapely legs for the briefest moment.For having such a petite build, she sure has a delightfully rounded—
“Uncle Kas?” Ataht prodded impatiently.
“We’ll have a holiday next month when we meet your parents at Summer Cottage for—”
“Yay!” The twins’ volume forced Kas back to his full height.
Despite retracting himself from the group hug, the children stayed close, clinging with two hands each to his much larger ones.
“I’ll take the prince and princess to their rooms.”
Thera nodded, watching the familial interaction with a small smile on her weathered face. She knew the twins well. And him. And his sister. Thera had been on staff at Stormhill since before his parents brought him into the world, when Hevva was a few years old.
The duke continued, tipping his head toward the second carriage. “Please, show them to their rooms.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“I’ll escort Miss Kiappa to the Tarisden Suite.”
Thera’s eyes widened.
“I need her near the children. Their magic.” He shrugged.
She nodded with a quick sidelong glance at the tutor, who was, at the moment, standing some distance from the group, gazing doe-eyed at the stupid, rosy-faced member of the guard.
“Miss Kiappa.” Effective, but harsher than he’d intended, Kas immediately drew her attention.
The early-evening sun cast molten copper across her lovely heart-shaped face. She stood, framed in a halo of gold, with light illuminating the jumble of waves that had escaped her thick braid. And he smiled, a little, when she squinted and surveyed the house. Blinded by the sunlight bouncing off the windows, she raised a dainty hand to her brow and scanned the facade until her eyes found him—no, found the twins. His beautiful distraction hurried over to join them, and he couldn’t help the way his chest tightened.
She’s here.“Thank you for joining us.”
Miss Kiappa’s face reddened, and she studied the cobbles. “I’m sorry for the delay, Your Grace.”
Damn it,did he sound like an arse? There was nothing for it. In an attempt to earn her goodwill, he offered to carry her bag. Which she accepted.
Hefting her large tote, he asked, “What is in here? An entire library?”
“About half?” Her smile was small, but it was there. He saw it.
