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“I will stay until you’re asleep,” the prince told Zoe. “Why don’t you help your mother make coffee? There are some boring things I need to talk about with your father, Lio, and Cassia, and then we’ll join you at the Ritual circle.”
Komnena nodded, herding Zoe along, who herded the goats along.
Cassia, Lio, and the prince joined Apollon around his worktable for a council of war—or a private Summit. She could not tell the battlefield from the negotiation table anymore. Relating her encounter with Konstantina only served to give Cassia’s anger new life. Although she took care not to mention the Departure in front of Apollon, it was riling enough to explain how the princess intended to use the Summit to lure her brother home.
“Rest assured, First Prince,” Cassia finished, “my determination to make Tenebra safe for the Charge remains unshaken. You must be able to continue searching for the missing Hesperines errant and helping mortals in need. I know the ranks of your supporters are full, but count me among them.”
“So I will, and so I have these long months you have held Cordium at bay. My bond of gratitude with you and Lio is strong.” The prince nodded to Lio. “As he will tell you, I do not let our young ones fight my battles for me. It is my cause to protect you. But I respect your skills, and I value your aid. I must ask you to do me a great favor.”
“Of course, First Prince,” Cassia replied.
“Call me Rudhira from now on, and do not bow when I come for a family visit at House Komnena. I feel more at home here than anywhere in Orthros, don’t you?”
She dropped her hand, which she had been about to put over her heart. “Yes, Rudhira. House Komnena is the only place I have ever felt at home.”
Lio’s hand slid into hers. Relieved, she held him tightly.
Rudhira sighed. “I’d like to make the most of my visit tonight. My course of action is clear. There is a very simple solution to Kona’s complex plan of persuasion. If I’m not here, she can’t talk me into anything. I will stay Abroad for the duration of the Summit, if you can spare me.”
Lio winced. “We must.”
Cassia could not miss Rudhira’s wistfulness. She had to admit Konstantina was right about that. He did miss home.
He was indeed a wild rose. That was what it meant to have half your roots in Orthros and half in Tenebra. If the two were severed, you would wither.
“Will you not stay the night?” Apollon asked.
“Thank you,” Rudhira answered, “but there is one place in House Annassa where I can safely pass veil hours. Imagine my youngest sister’s delight at hiding me in her residence under Kona’s very nose.”
“Please apologize to the Eighth Princess for me,” Cassia requested. “I am sorry my warning will cost her your company in the coming weeks.”
Lio’s gaze snapped to Cassia. “You’ve already met?”
Cassia nodded. “She took me quite by surprise when she paid me a visit at Rose House. So much has happened tonight, I didn’t even have a chance to mention it.”
“Apollon.” Rudhira put an arm around his Ritual father’s shoulder. “I don’t want to miss this chance to see what you have so far of the new statue you talked about on my last visit.”
Apollon gestured further into the workshop. “It’s right through here.”
By the time they disappeared behind some tall shelves, Lio’s surprised expression was gone, but Cassia could still sense his tension.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing, clearly. I should have known you two would get along.”
The border between Orthros and Tenebra might close forever, and Lio still had the energy to fret over whether Cassia felt at ease with his friends. “Not to worry, my champion. She’s very easy to get along with.”
“I’m relieved to hear it.”
“She went out of her way to give us a chance to get acquainted without the embassy around. She even brought me a jar of ladybugs as a welcome gift.” Cassia ran her hands over Lio’s shoulders.
The tension in his muscles eased. “Well, that’s one royal encounter we don’t need to worry about.”
“The princess was quite informative about your past,” Cassia teased.
“Oh, thorns. What did you two talk about?”
“The time you jumped off Wisdom’s Precipice with Mak and Lyros.”
