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My smile widened and my heart warmed—they were together.
“The brunette is Harper. And the smaller one is Lyra. Lyra is unable to speak, but I’m not entirely sure why. I spent a great deal of time with them, but I just never felt like it was my place to ask.”
A sliver of regret poked its way in.
Did that make me a shitty friend for not asking? I’d rectify that someday—I’d learn Lyra’s story, if she felt comfortable sharing it.
I looked at Kaleb. “What did Ezra want you to tell me?”
“Okay, how did it go?” Kaleb muttered to himself, his fingertips sounding against his blond stubble as he scrubbed his jaw. “Ezra wanted me to tell you to tell somebody by the name of Ryker not to hit on you, because, and I quote,you have too many sprung logs in the fire, and you don’t need another one added to it. Also.” Kaleb patted his pockets, producing a small, black rock. “She wanted me to give you this.”
My face went slack as I held out my hand and he dropped the rock into my palm.
Thatwas her message?
Why would she want me to tell Ryker that? Ryker was in the Cursed Lands with her so that made absolutely no sense. The logthing, however, madeperfectsense, and I wanted to forget the image her choice of words evoked as soon as theysprunginto my head.
Dirty old bird.
I turned to Kaleb. “Um, tell her thanks for the rock, I guess.”
He snickered. “I will. She’s got a stash of them waiting for you. Says it’s your inheritance when she croaks.”
I rolled my eyes, unable to fight my growing smile.
Great divine, I missed her.
Sprunglogs and all.
Sage
Itook one good hard look, and I just knew . . . “It won’t fit.”
“It will,” Aurelius reassured me, his eyes meeting mine.
“You can’t be serious,” I said, wondering if he was delusional. “I’m looking at the size of the hole, and what you are trying to put through it, and I’m telling you, it won’t fit.”
“It will, just trust me,” he said in that rich, regal tone of his—even his voice was dipped in gold.
“Fine,” I sighed, glancing at Brunhilde, who was also watching, her plump bosom held still on bated breath. I rolled my eyes at her dramatics—if it didn’t fit, we could find a smaller one.
“Steady. Steady now. Take it slow,” Aurelius commanded.
“Be careful. Don’t break it!” Cataline chipped in, her hands wrung tightly together.
Aurelius and I both glanced at her, taken aback by the directiveness in her tone—like she was a general leading her soldiers to war.
When she noticed that the Golden Prince was looking at her, her cheeks bloomed a vibrant red. Quickly, she took a step back, dipped her head, and averted her eyes. The contrast between the girl from a few seconds ago to the girl now was as stark as day was to night.
I looked back at the door, watching as the armoire was slowly pushed through, its feet screeching across the floor in protest, like a child being dragged away from the new toy they desperately wanted.
When it was all the way through, I turned to Aurelius. “I guess you were right.”
“I usually am,” he said, the confidence exuding from him backing up his claim. He looked at the armoire as the two men moved it to its new home, beside the much smaller one. “Well, at least this will house some of your wardrobe for now.”
“I think it should do the trick,” I said as the two men who’d carried the armoire in walked up to Aurelius, bowed, and then started for the door.
“I, too, should be leaving for my morning meetings. By the way, I have news I think you would like to hear. Arkyn is expected back today,” Aurelius said, watching the men as they walked out before his gaze slid to mine.
