“Aw, really?” she teased.
“Don’t worry, I’ll still argue with you about other things.” He reached out and tugged playfully at her hair.
Philip’s earlier accusation echoed through Rose’s mind. She sighed and scooted away from Theo, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Before she could decide whether or not to say anything, Roderick returned.
“Here you are, highness,” Roderick said, handing her a fistful of coins.
“Great job, Roderick,” Theo congratulated him.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Let’s make sure it doesn’t go to waste,” he said. “I want to get back to Rhone just as much as you.”
Rose tucked the money into her tunic for safekeeping. “We won’t,” she promised.
“I’m going back in,” he told her.
“We’ll be here,” Rose promised.
As Roderick turned away, Theo shook his head. “I should have known you would find a way to stay and watch.”
“At least you’re going to stay with me.” Rose brushed the matter aside. “So you can make sure I stay here and cheer on Roderick, and not try to sabotage Marsor’s efforts or something. You can think of it as a compromise.”
Theo laughed. “That’s an interesting compromise, Rose, where you win and I lose.”
“But at least I’ve made it interesting enough for you to lose,” Rose said. “Don’t you agree?”
“And you think I should be the one in law.”
“If you’re that upset about it, you can leave.” Rose sniffed indignantly.
“Now why would I want to leave you?” Theo asked. “This is the first time since the tournament began I’ve been about to talk to you, largely uninterrupted.”
“Speaking of which ... ”
A round of cheering went out as Roderick defeated another boar. Rose and Theo joined in, as they realized they’d been so busy with each other they had neglected to watch Roderick’s progress.
Rose reached out and hugged Theo, wrapping him in her arms.
In that instant, she forgot all about the putrid smell of the boar wrestling as she caught Theo’s scent. It was the musky mixture of training and sweat, with the sweetness of his own skin.
“Rose?”
She couldn’t answer, and that was the most humiliating part.
No, she thought. The next part is going to be worse.
“You know what? You were right.” Rose pushed herself away from him, her fingertips firm against his chest. “I should go.”
She brushed at some imaginary dirt on her tunic, buying the time to think of a good excuse to get away. “I forgot, I wanted to stop by the medic station and grab some medicine for Philip.”
“So you want me to—”
“Stay here, yes,” she interrupted. “Stay here and watch out for Roderick.”
Theo’s green eyes were sharp in the sunlight. “All right,” he acquiesced. “I’ll see you later.”
“Yes. Thank you.” Rose backed away and awkwardly raised a hand and headed out, too grateful to escape Theo’s embrace to realize the thinning potency of the pigsty behind her.
*13*
҉
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH me?” Rose wondered aloud as she made her way through the crowded city streets. She pushed her hair out of her eyes as she finally looked up to see Felise’s inn.
She headed for the stables, not willing to trust herself to another’s company. She had time, so she would go check in on Virtue. I haven’t seen him in a while, she thought. Going on a hawking break might just be the thing to take my mind off matters.
Her gyrfalcon did not disappoint her; he fluttered over to her, landing on her suddenly outstretched arm. “Hello, Virtue,” she purred. “I’ve missed you.”
She headed toward the small, grassy area behind the barn. “It’s not much of an outing,” she told Virtue, “but it’ll have to do for now. You’ll be on your way soon enough. And probably carrying letters to Isra, since Philip seems to be worming his way into my head with her demands.”
Isra and Philip hadn’t known each other long, but Rose swore sometimes he had elected himself to be her champion. During the time he’d been recuperating and she’d watched over him, nursing his injury, he asked her to write to Isra a letter while he did. By the time he was nearly finished with his, she had barely started hers.
“I’d gotten quite the lecture on it, too,” Rose muttered into Virtue’s feathers. “Philip seems determined to send off letters to her soon. I’m hoping we’ll be able to before we set off to the Romani territory. That way, you won’t have to worry about being caged while we travel across the rest of the sea.”
Virtue cooed in response. Rose grinned; she knew he didn’t like traveling by sea any more than she did.
“I wish I could sprout wings and fly, too,” she told him. “And then I would be able to escape the world, and everything unpleasant in it. I would truly be free.”
She thought of this as Virtue took flight, circling the skies and drifting in and out of the clouds.
Would she be free, though? Would she truly be able to let go of the world, and everything in it? Rose thought of her friends, who had come with her of their own election, of their own accord.
Could she really leave them behind?
It’s not like I have a choice, if Magdalina’s curse will be fulfilled.
Virtue could be entrusted to Sophia and Ethan’s care. They’d always wanted a pet, she recalled, remembering Sophia had mentioned her father had never allowed them to have one. And they would have each other as they grew up and took up their respective trades.
Mary would weep prettily and tend to her care, and the care of the castle, with the help of her cousins.
Philip had a kingdom of his own. He had a duty to his people, same as she did.
And Theo ... Rose didn’t want to think about Theo.
After meeting him in the church on her seventh birthday, she had demanded her father allow him to learn along with her. She’d watched him grow up as much as she’d helped him do so. He had followed her everywhere.
What would he do? Rose wondered. What would he do, if she succumbed to Magdalina’s curse?
He would kill her for me.
Rose stilled at the thought. Yes, she thought. She was right. Theo would do anything in his power to help her, even if she was stuck in an everlasting sleep.
She nearly jumped as Virtue screeched, letting her know he was returning.
Instinct took over as she caught sight of him. Effortlessly, he landed on her arm less than a moment later.
“Good boy,” she whispered, petting his brow and stroking his long feathers.
“That was so cool!”
Rose turned to see Ethan had returned from his own adventure. She greeted him with a small, teasing smile. “How was working with Penelope today?”
“I’m getting better with the harp,” he said, his enthusiasm for his newfound skill glossing over the irritation of Rose’s teasing. “Penelope is playing in a competition tomorrow night, and asked me to join her since the song I am working on is getting pretty good.”
“That’s wonderful!” Rose cheered. “That’s great, Ethan. Even Virtue is happy for you.” She laughed as the keen eyes of her falcon focused on Ethan.
Ethan grinned. “Can I hold him?” he asked.
“You know you can. You’ve done it before.” Rose held out her hand. “Do you want to hawk some? I brought him out for some exercise. I don’t see why you can’t work on your skills, too.”
“Sure,” Ethan agreed, grimacing as Virtue jumped onto his arm. “His claws are sharper than I remember.”
“You’re not wearing your usual gear,” Rose pointed out. “Here, take one of my gloves.”
“Thanks.”
“Tell me more about Penelope,” Rose prodded. “Tell me why you like her.”
“Because she likes me, of course,” Ethan said with a laugh.
“Is that all it takes?” Rose asked softly. Was it
possible that was all it really took for attraction to take root into a heart so that it might grow into love?
“But she’s also pretty and kind and smart.” Ethan blushed. “She reminds me of you a bit, if you were a few years younger.”
“I’m flattered. I’ll have to meet her.”
“She lives in town here. Her family has a lot of musicians and troubadours. They make their living off all the tournaments and festivities here.”
“I suppose it’s easier than traveling around following the different tournaments.”
“Penelope’s family agrees with that.”
“And she likes it?”
Ethan’s expression faded. “She likes the music, but wishes she could play in a more classical setting. She doesn’t like all the bawdiness and the inappropriate tributes.”
“Something I agree with,” Rose said as she recalled some of the more racy compositions she’d heard in the tournaments she’d attended. “Is she a composer?”
“She does, sometimes.” Ethan glanced up at her with pleading eyes. “Do you think you could come to our performance tomorrow? You’d be able to see for yourself how good a player she is.”
“And I’d get to see how you’re progressing in music.” Rose nodded. “I’d love to. Why don’t we see if everyone can come?”
“I don’t know if I want everyone there,” Ethan murmured. “Penelope is used to performing, but I’m not.”
“Oh. Okay. I’ll come with Sophia then, unless she’s working late again, and maybe Theo or Philip. Captain Locke and the other guards seem content to find their own amusement,” Rose remarked, recalling her earlier conversation with Felise.
“That would be great.”
“It would,” Rose said with a smile. “I’m glad to see you’re getting to have some fun. I know it’s important for you, growing up.”
Ethan blushed again, before he turned back to the falcon on his arm. “Okay, but can you help me now? I haven’t done this in a while.”
“Sure.”
The stress melted from her shoulders as Rose helped Ethan remember how to hold Virtue and how to call him back. She watched Ethan’s face glow with wonder as the large bird came back to alight on his arm.
“You’re getting much better,” Rose told him.
“Thanks,” he replied. “I was worried when my father wanted me to learn how to hawk. I’m glad he never got around to teaching me.”
Rose bit her lip. “Do you think you would like learning how to be a knight if your father hadn’t insisted on it?” she asked carefully.
“I don’t want to think about it.” Ethan’s tone was frigid.
“There are different types of bravery,” Rose reminded him. “Types that don’t have anything to do with fighting.”
“Let’s just focus on hawking,” Ethan remarked.
Rose only nodded. She knew it was not her place to push.
After a few moments, she relaxed again. It was too easy to sink into the sunlight, to feel the briskness in the air. Rose lost track of time as Ethan sent Virtue up and around again and again, as she talked with the boy who was seemingly a lifetime younger than she was.
She even failed to see Philip as he came from the other side of the barn.
“Rose?”
Rose turned around. “Philip. What are you doing out of bed?”
“I’ve been stitched up well enough,” he said, indicating his ribs. “Mary said it looked fine, so I could start moving again.” He came up beside her and watched as Virtue landed on Ethan’s extended arm once more. “I thought it would be best, since I only have today and tomorrow to warm up for the sword fights.”
“I suppose,” Rose conceded. “Still, please promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I’ll be fine,” he assured her.
“I know Sophia told me she’d work on your weapons,” Rose recalled. “She’s going to work on my lance and my sword tonight, too.”
“You’re jousting with both the lance and sword?”
“Assuming I make it past the preliminaries.”
Philip smiled at her. “You will. You always do well with the joust.”
“You’re just saying that because you beat me the one time we jousted.”
“No, I’ve heard the tales, remember?” Philip leaned back against the barn wall. “I’ve been hearing stories of you for many years. I know you’re a pretty strong jouster, for being one of the smaller ones.”
“I’m of average height,” Rose protested.
“Well, I mean compared to the others you joust. And that’s good, to have that. You get more speed that way.”
“Speed certainly helps. Once I pass the preliminary rounds, it’ll be a two-round joust with the lance. If I win both against my opponent, I’ll move on. If we tie, we joust with the sword until there is a clear winner, and then that person moves on.”
“And whoever is undefeated at the end shall win.”
“That’s about it,” Rose agreed. “I’ve never been in this big of a tournament before.” She rubbed her shoulders. “I hope I’ll be able to keep my strength up.”
“You will. You know we’re all counting on you,” Philip said. “You’ve never let us down before.”
“Thanks, I guess.” Rose felt misery well up inside her again. “Hopefully, tomorrow won’t be a first.”
“I’d never known you to be so worried,” Philip observed. “You’re usually the one leading the charge.”
“I know. I guess since I only have the rest of this year to defeat Magdalina, my nerves are getting to me. It doesn’t help the King has imprisoned my mother and my siblings are in hiding.”
“I suppose not,” Philip agreed. His sympathy comforted her, for the first time. “That reminds me, I saw Virtue flying out here and I wanted to see if you were sending him back to Isra.”
Irritation sparked inside of her. “Are you trying to court my sister?”
Philip surprised her by blushing. “No, not at the moment.”
“But maybe later?” Rose pressed.
“Come on, Rose. Stop,” Philip insisted. “I just want to send off my letter. I’m hoping she’ll be comforted by hearing from you and the rest of us. She can’t be having an easy time with everything, either.”
“That’s true,” Rose admitted, feeling slightly shamed. They were all racing against time. There would be plenty of time to think about Philip falling in love later. “I should probably go finish my letter to her, then.”
“Ethan and I can see to Virtue’s care.”
“Thanks.” Rose waved to Ethan. “I’ve got to get everything ready for tomorrow.”
Philip squeezed her hand. “It’ll be all right.”
“Of course it will. You guys are counting on me.”
Time passed as Rose finished writing her letter to Isra. She didn’t want to put in too much detail, but she felt Isra deserved to know what was happening.
Dearest Isra, Princess of Rhone, Daughter of Night, my favorite and only sister, and all the greetings you’d like, etc.,
In regard to your last letter, I do understand who “Rora” is, but she was the innocent girl who thought she was universally beloved, only to disappear once she realized she was universally pitied. Rose has been my preferred name since I set out on my own adventures, looking for any semblance of a real life I could. I doubt I would have any issues, should you call me Rora despite that. After all, Theo calls me “Rosary” from time to time—
Rose bit her lip. She didn’t really need to add that, did she? And there was also no reason to tell Isra how alive and special it made her feel, was there? She crossed it out.
One day I hope you will tell me what you did to poor Philip. He has been trying to get me to write you back ever since I received your letters this past week.
She thought about describing how, despite Philip being injured during the running of the bulls, he had thought to write her. Rose decided against it; Isra might worry, if she knew the truth, and Rose knew firsthand how worry c
ould interfere with getting done what needed to be done.
While I know I cannot help you at present, I will strive to as soon as we can. We have been shipwrecked on an island, Maltia, and, since most of our provisions went down with the ship, we have entered a tournament here in hopes of recovering our losses. It is in the Aragonian tradition. Apparently our mother would love it, from what I have learned about her from one of the guards.
Felise, our kind but enterprising host, has welcomed us and given us some insight along the way. I expect, should all go well, we will be in Romani territory soon, though not soon enough. If things do not work out, Theo assures me piracy is still an option.
By the way, why is Theo forbidden to show me letters from you? Did you do that just to bother me?
I will write to you once we are in Romani territory. Until then, be safe. I look forward to your next letter, which will no doubt be soon.
Your sister,
Rose
That was enough, Rose decided. It was short, informative, with just the right amount of sympathetic and suspicious; Isra would love it.
She headed out, deciding to rub it in Philip’s face she had completed her duty to Isra. As she was passing the dining hall, she saw Theo helping Roderick into a chair.
Before she could come through the doorway, she heard her name and stopped.
“Rose will be okay with the amount you earned,” Theo assured the clearly shaken man.
Rose felt her mouth drop open, unable to believe Roderick—Roderick, one of the burly, quiet men who had followed her all along the coast of the continent—was close to tears. She squinted at him, as though she was not sure what she was seeing was really there. Yes, she realized, shocked. There was no mistaking the sheen of unshed tears.
Rose watched quietly as Roderick spoke.
“My Lady won’t like what he did, though.”
“I don’t know if I would tell her,” Theo told him, as he grabbed a scrap of cloth from a nearby table. “At least, not just yet. Here. If the blood is leaking, this should help.”
Rose tilted to the side to see Roderick’s right hand contorted strangely, bound up in a fistful of bandages.
“I’ve had my fingers broken before,” Roderick protested. “No need to baby me. Just get me some strong spirits, would you?”
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