Page 24 of Summer

I take in his appearance – disheveled, the buttons on his shirt misaligned, as if he put it on in a hurry. From the corner of my eye, I see blue skin and my throat goes dry.

“Aaoric…I’m sorry…I…” I stammer, embarrassment and shock coursing through me.

“Please, Gennelle,” he says softly. “Stay out of my life. Go find your own, before it’s too late.”

11

SUMMER

Aship would have been faster, but it’s much too large to land at the country estate owned by the Vestinhoth’s. It is quaint compared to the manor, but still a sprawling country home. It takes nearly half a day of travel, with only a short respite for lunch at a tavern at one of the outpost cities.

We pass small towns and other estates, though they all pale in comparison to the Vestinhoth home. Aaoric is unusually chatty the entire way, and I consider bashing his head into the side of the carriage for some peace and quiet.

Gennelle is with us, as always, her mood tempestuous. I am used to her temper, but this is borderline morose. She does not speak to me, does not look at me, and pointedly ignores her brother.

I hoped that this trip would be just Aaoric and I, with Sessaly to act as a chaperone, but Gennelle insisted she come instead. I batted my eyelashes dumbly as they spoke in angry Tatinnish to each other and their parents.

It was Aaoric’s idea. Ever since the meltdown at supper, he’d insisted on spending more time with me. He told his parents that he was trying to “force himself” to love me. I never thought they’d buy it. The shrewd duchess stared too long at me at dinner, dissecting my interactions with Aaoric. It’s as if they wanted him to suffer from their arrangement, and the fact that he was trying was beyond their comprehension.

Gennelle…I had no idea what pissed her off. Apparently, it wasn’t enough to avoid myself or her brother. When he declared he wished to take his betrothed to their country seat, where he planned on raising our children, I thought Gennelle would have a fit. The duke was pleased; the duchess warming up at the talk of children.

If I ever had children, I would do everything in my power to keep them from her.

Aaoric chats endlessly about every estate we pass, commenting on the family, the size of their fortune, what they do for business. There isn’t much room for me to speak, so I don’t try. I nod when it is expected, laugh when he tells a bad joke, and act enamored.

Gennelle seethes. When the carriage finally pulls up to the estate, she shoves open the door before it fully stops, elbowing the driver out of her way as he extends a hand to assist her.

Aaoric helps me down, and I take his arm, pausing as I take in the magnificence of the estate.

The estate is half the size of the manor, situated on top of a hill. Below it, the countryside sprawls. Row after row of purple grass sways in the breeze. I spot a lake further down, with a small grove of trees alongside it. Paths crisscross the valley below, well-worn from travelers. If the manor is the business seat of the Vestinhoth’s, their country estate is for pleasure.

“It’s…” I trail off. It reminds me of home, on Earth. Of a small farm outside of Louisville, with blue grass that sways in the summer breeze. I swallow that memory down, shoving it deep into the recesses of my mind.

“I know,” Aaoric says with a sigh. He nods to the driver to unload the bags and calls after his sister.

“You’re doing a poor job at chaperone,” he calls. “Mother has already questioned my betrothed’s propriety. We shan’t give her a reason to do it twice.”

I delight at the look of wrath that crosses her beautiful face before she replaces it with her normal cool, disaffected one. Once we are out of earshot of the driver, she speaks to Aaoric in Tatinnish.

“Don’t be cruel,” she hisses.

“I think I explicitly told you to stay out of my life, and yet…here you are. Don’t think you’ll get out of this unscathed,” he says jovially.

I school my expression as I walk with them. I haven’t told Aaoric about the translator device, nor my knack for hacking. Just because Aaoric knows I want to leave doesn’t mean he has to know everything about me.

“I remember our conversation, thank you,” she replies curtly. “If they didn’t send me, they would have sent her handmaid as chaperone.” She emphasizes the last word. What was so wrong with Sessaly coming to the country home? Had something happened here to her?

Aaoric swears under his breath. “Fine. I shall resist further cruelty. But my point still stands – you must make your own life and stop digging into mine. Starting after this trip.”

“I only want to see you happy, you idiot. If you want to resist my help in getting rid of your new bride, so be it. It appears you’re content to try to entertain this for our parents’ sake, but to what end, I wonder?” Her tone is light, but I sense the undertone there. “You don’t really plan to marry her, do you?” She gives me a slow one over with her eyes, and my skin heats under her gaze.

“I feel as though you are speaking about me,” I say before I can stop myself. I want to hear what else they say about me, about whatever lie he’s concocted to tell his sister. The way she looks at me robs me of any remaining sense.

“Nothing unkind,” Aaoric says, patting my arm. I resist the urge to step on his foot – accidentally, of course. We reach the threshold of the estate, and Aaoric opens the door, sweeping his arm to herd us in. “Welcome to the cottage.”

The word cottage evokes the thought of something quaint and small. This is anything but. The entrance opens to a large foyer, with a grand staircase that splits into left and right. The floor is a dark brown wood with flecks of purple, the walls a light lavender in contrast. A few servants stand at the ready, waiting to take our trunks and show us to our rooms.

Gennelle and I are up the stairs on the left, Aaoric on the right.