Up ahead at the end of the road was another towering wall with a gate that I bet was around the actual keep where Solaris lived. At this gate, soldiers made us stop. I ducked back inside, and a moment later someone opened the carriage door.
Two guards in green and gold uniforms that reminded me of the Swiss Guard at the Vatican flinched when they saw Solaris. “Apologies, Your Highness. Welcome home,” one said before he shut the door again.
“Why did he apologize?” I asked Solaris.
He shrugged. “He probably didn’t believe whoever said I was in here.”
“Why?”
“I normally fly everywhere.”
And he hadn’t flown anywhere this time for a few reasons: a broken wing, captivity, and then…because he didn’t want to? It gave me more hope that he really was all-in on doing something—anything—about breaking the curse.
The carriage got moving again but only briefly as we came right up to the entrance into the keep. Solaris got out, and Ifollowed him. A guard sprinted by us and up a wide set of stairs into the front doors of the keep.
Solaris sighed. “Telling everyone I’m here, no doubt.”
“Is your staff going to line up or something?” I had no idea what the arrival of their prince might have people doing, I’d watchedDownton Abbey.
He didn’t answer me because he was now talking to the boys. “Go on home,” he said, “and thank you for traveling with me.”
By the way they glanced at each other with slack mouths and wide eyes, I had to wonder if that wasn’t normal for Solaris. Dismissing them, or thanking them? I got the feeling it might be the latter.
They boys trotted off back through the gate, and I guessed they had homes in the town out there. All of the horses and the carriage were being taken away as a bunch of people in fancy clothes that sparkled in the sunlight came out from the keep to line the steps. They jockeyed with each other like they were trying to stand on their personal step. Courtiers? Advisors?
I wasn’t sure what to do or where to go as I stood there with my backpack and sword, but Solaris started going up the stairs. He went right by every single person without even glancing at them, and each of them looked to be standing at attention. But then when he got to the top of the stairs, he stopped and turned.
And held a hand out to me. “Wallace? Come on.”
Now every single eye was aimed at me. I straightened and walked up the stairs with my gaze on Solaris. I even took his hand and let him lead me inside his castle because he smiled.
Chapter 10
Solaris had been serious about getting a bath first thing. He literally bee-lined up a flight of stairs and all the way down a long hall to the back of the keep for an enormous bedroom. I was looking around in awe at the opulence of the room—it was sometimes easy to forget he was a prince—while he practically ran into the bathroom. When I heard water running, I realized it was my first time experiencing indoor plumbing.
I leaned in the doorway and crossed my arms. “Tell me indoor plumbing isn’t reserved for the rich.”
He paused in removing his shirt. “It isn’t.”
“Then why is this the first I’m seeing it?”
“We were staying in rather small villages?” He shrugged.
“Small equals poor and primitive?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll ask the Utilities Minister to add the installation of indoor plumbing in all villages to her agenda.”
Yeah, okay, I was maybe picking a fight where there didn’t need to be one. Zalman had once said I did that when I didn’t feel like I was on solid ground.
I got undressed, too. A nice bath sounded like a good idea, and if we did it together, I’d feel better about using so much water.
Solaris got into one end of the tub, and I got into the other. The porcelain basin wasn’t big enough that we didn’t touch, so I took a moment to rearrange our legs to fit a little more comfortably. Absently, I stroked his shin and the feathers that seemed to be growing up from his feet. He was definitely getting a lot more colorful lately.
“I’m truly not in the mood.” He stared at me, and it felt like a challenge. Did he think I was going to push the issue?
“We can touch without it leading to sex.” I left my hand on his shin, meaning what I said, and closed my eyes. “Just relax.”
After a minute or so, I heard him sigh. I gave him a little while longer before I opened my eyes to say, “Can I ask about the feathers popping up all over you?”
