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How much had I missed? My parents hadn’t mentioned anything wrong in Amelia’s marriage. In fact, they’d given the impression everything was going swimmingly.
“No, but she hates him and is constantly out with other men. Her daughter? Alone most of the time. I try to visit, you know, but no one will let me be around the little girl. They’re afraid myperversionwill somehow infect her. Like that’s how it works.”
I couldn’t believe it. I was furious, but I knew it wasn’t the time.
“Whatever happens, I’ll support you. You wait until you feel the right person has come along, no matter how long it takes, and if anyone tries to force your hand, you get word to me.”
She scrutinized me then. “Does this mean you’ll stay in touch?”
Well, I supposed I walked right into that one. But I was no longer the young man who’d first fled his home. I was a captain now. I was a mate. I had responsibilities I couldn’t run from, even if I hated my family’s legacy.
“I will, I swear it.”
She let out a sweet little sound and rested her head on my shoulder. I felt relieved, but I also mourned the years we’d lost. If my father hadn’t turned into the world’s most charming tyrant, things wouldn’t have had to turn out so bleak. And if I wasn’t so rebellious, I’d have found a way to fit within the cogs of the court without changing myself.
No, I doubted that. If I hadn’t gotten out when I did, I’d have ended up just like them eventually. I’d seen what money and a life of luxury did to people.
“So, have you found anyone?”
“Absolutely not,” I said far too quickly. It seemed even after years apart, Seraphina could tell when I was lying.
She jerked upward with a brilliant smile. “You have! You absolutely have! Tell meeverything.”
It was like looking into a mirror of my former self. “My non-existent love life is none of your business. Now, can I escort you to wherever it was you were going?”
“Fiiiiiine,” she said in a way which suggested she wouldn’t forget about this little nugget of truth. “I was on my way to riding lessons if you’d like to walk me there.”
Standing, I offered her my arm. “I very much would.”
She took it, smiling so broadly I wished I could introduce Ayla to her. I had no doubt the two would get along, and probably even verbally tag-team me on any argument.
It was a future locked away from us for now, but maybe if my plan worked out, it wouldn’t be.
Maybe we could bepack.
I sighed as I paged through a stack of requisitions on my desk. It was strange to be back in the bed I hadn’t occupied for half a decade, yet the entire place was so clean, it was like I’d never been gone.
“These don’t make any sense,” I grumbled to myself as I continued to leaf through the sizable number of reports. For a city in denial about the war, I sure was seeing a lot of logged provisions. But if that were the case, why were those of us on the borders struggling with inconsistent supplies? If it weren’t for the symbiotic relationship we had with the villages around us, Fort Canid wouldn’t be able to support even half its soldiers.
A knock sounded at my door, and I gave a grunt. That was all Oren needed to come in, looking particularly exhausted.
“I didn’t miss this city,” he muttered, approaching my desk. I knew I shared his sentiments. I was soexhaustedalready, and it hadn’t even been a week.
“Were you able to get in contact with the enchantress?”
He nodded. “She agreed to meet with you in secret, though her price was fairly steep.”
I didn’t care. Whatever it was, I’d pay it.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“Tonight? Tonight.” Magic users really were a hot or cold type, weren’t they? “I need to collect Ayla, then.”
“So, you wish me to return to her and tell her you accept?”
“Yes. Make sure you take whatever payment she asked ahead of time. Figure we should curry every ounce of favor we can out of her.”
