Page 23 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

“I can make flowers, Princess.”

His hand opened, and a shower of pink and white blossoms tumbled gently over Zarya’s head. She smiled as she looked up, the soft, velvety petals caressing her cheeks.

“I can even make them smell nice,” he said.

Then, with one last look she felt straight to her toes, Rabin turned and stalked away.

SEVEN

“What exactly is so bad about patrolling the watchtower?” Zarya asked Yasen later that evening as they leaned against the wall in one of the Jai Palace’s smaller entertaining salons. Thanks to Amrita’s intervention the previous night, Zarya and Yasen were waiting to attend the seeding ceremony that would soon begin. “Why are we being sent out there as punishment?”

“Because it’s the most boring and unpleasant place to stand guard all night.”

Zarya considered that. “That really doesn’t sound so bad.”

Yasen smiled. “I have a feeling he was going easy on us. It’s about a loss of honor more than anything. The watchtower is usually reserved for the discipline of young, fledgling recruits getting up to mostly harmless mischief, and that in itself was meant to embarrass me.”

“How can that possibly embarrass you? You don’t care about things like that.”

“This is true,” Yasen said, taking a sip of his wine. “Like I said, he was going easy on us. Vik has always had a soft heart.”

“He was furious.”

“I know, but I’m his best friend, and you’re the girl who…”

“I’m the girl who what?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. What are you two, anyway?”

Zarya shook her head. “I don’t know, either. We’re nothing. I think. Maybe. I don’t know.”

“Okay, well, as long as you’re sure.” Yasen took another sip as he surveyed the crowd.

The room was filled with high-ranking nobles dressed in an array of glittering clothing and jewels, including the Ravana family, who were notably absent one growly former commander. Row was also here, conferring with Kindle and Dhawan on the far side of the room.

Nearby, she saw Apsara and Suvanna leaning together with their hands clasped. They were dressed in their usual attire—the winged woman in white leather and Suvanna in varying shades of blue and green to complement the shifting hues of her hair.

Apsara was laughing at something the merdeva had said.

“Are those two an item?” Zarya asked, tipping her chin towards the pair.

Yasen watched them and shrugged. “I think they’ve got a casual friends-with-benefits thing going on. I’m not really clear on their relationship status.”

Zarya watched the two women, noticing the spark in Apsara’s silver eyes. Zarya didn’t know much about love but didn’t think Apsara’s feelings seemed casual. She cupped the back of Suvanna’s head and leaned down, whispering something in Suvanna’s ear that nearly made the merdeva smile, which was notable since Suvanna was hardly the smiling type.

“How much longer till this starts? What exactly happens inside?”

“I don’t know, but apparently, there’s something in a pool of water. Tarin does some woo-woo stuff, and then they go in, and somehow that plants the seed inside Amrita.”

Zarya recalled Amrita’s nervousness about this event, given it took place in the nude. Zarya hadn’t had a chance to talk to her friend after the events of last night, and she hoped the princess was doing okay.

“Woo-woo stuff?”

Yasen grinned. “I’m pretty sure that’s the technical term.”

Zarya snorted before a thought occurred to her. “You don’t think it like… swims inside her or something? I’m imagining a tadpole now.”

Yasen tipped his head, the corners of his mouth turning down. “I guess that might make sense. Is it really that different from the more conventional method?”