Page 74 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

I do.

I swallow down my bitterness and murmur, “It’s not your fault.”

His eyes search mine. His heartbeat slows. “I wish I could stay with you tonight, but⁠—”

“You need to go to the barracks.” I take a deep breath. “It’s okay.”

His other hand tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, then cups my cheek. “Can we talk tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

His thumb brushes across my cheek, and then he bends down to press a sweet kiss to my lips.

He waits until I step inside before turning and striding to the center of town to face whatever punishment Steelvice creates for young men who are guilty of nothing but treating their female friends and lovers as equals. A thing that the older generation tries to beat out of them at every opportunity.

I close the door and find the sitting area empty. A quick search reveals Ferria lounging on my disheveled bed.

My lips part to demand she sit on her own bed when she meets my gaze over the thick tome in her hands.

My feet stick to the floor.

My sister holds up the Fae book, a single red brow arched. “Care to explain what this is?”

I sigh and rub my face, then stare up at the ceiling, noting the water stain from the leak in the roof I’ve yet to fix.

“Not here.” I drop my gaze. “Want to go on a walk?”

Ferria, Gods bless her, swings her legs over the bed without pause. “Sure. I need to check on something in the forge anyway.”

Neither of us cares to mention the sexist curfew Steelvice enforced tonight. Even if someone finds us on the unoccupied path, everyone knows Ferria is the smithy. No patrol would deny her access to the forge, no matter the hour.

I hope.

Ferria hands me the book, and I slip it into my satchel. I light the lantern from my kitchen table and step outside.

The night air bites, crisp and laced with the earthy scent of dew. We crunch over gravel and then dirt, the silence between us companionable, if a little weighted.

I slap at a buzzing gnat near my ear. Ferria does the same, barely flicking her wrist. Of course hers vanishes. Mine just comes back louder, more determined.

“Sooo…” Ferria finally drawls out, scanning the darkness ahead of us. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Instinct tells me she’s not talking about the Fae book.

“No.”

She hums. “Fair enough.”

We reach the path that forks toward the smithy.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” I say, but there’s no accusation in my voice. Just curiosity.

Ferria gives me a sidelong glance. “We’ve both been busy.”

That’s never stopped us from spending time together before…

I bite my tongue.

Something’s going on with Ferria. Call it sisterly intuition, but I know I’m right. I also know the surest way to never learn what’s going on with my twin is to try and demand information from her.