“He’s Peter’s son.”
“Oh.” Dar remembered him. He was part of the magical family that could communicate with animals, Borens. He was friendly, always made Dar smile. One of Matilda’s close friends.
Should he believe Sierra? He didn’t believe she’d lie about something like this, but then again, she and Matilda hadn’t been friends for years. Matilda would never do that to him. Only two weeks had passed since they’d said they loved each other.
Dar stood up.
“Dar?” Sierra watched him with wide eyes.
“I’m going to talk to her.” Just the thought made him sick, and yet he knew he had to.
“Oh, Dar, maybe you should wait for a little while.”
“Why?” He grabbed his cloak. “So I can sit here and worry myself to death? No, I have to go.”
Sierra called after him, but he rushed to the stable and mounted his horse. He rode to Matilda’s house. Her mother was in the front hanging up clothes. “Hello, Dar,” she said with a smile. “Matilda’s inside.”
He gave her a tight smile and walked inside. Matilda was sitting by the sewing machine. Her face lit up when she saw him, and it made him cringe.
He didn’t bother with greetings. “Were you with Chad the other day by the apple orchard?”
Matilda’s smile vanished, and her brow furrowed. “What?”
“Sierra said you were kissing Chad the Boren—”
Matilda stood up. “Sierra, hm? Are you going to trust anything she says about me?”
He sputtered. “What?”
“She hates me!”
“Were you with him or not?” he demanded.
She threw her arms up. “Dar, I can’t believe you’d ask me that!”
“Just answer the question!” he yelled.
She fell silent and slowly shook her head. “I. . .I wasn’t with him.”
He backed away, screwing his face up in disgust. “You’re lying.”
“Dar. . .look, you can’t expect me to stay with you forever, not with the curse and the Protectors and—”
“No, I know I can’t,” he said, raising his voice, “but I thought I could at least expect you to end it with me before you jumped into the arms of someone else!” He spun around and left the house. He thought she might follow him to explain herself, but she didn’t.
He rode home, driving his horse into a gallop through town, past the city gates. Instead of going to his room, he went to the barn. He went up the ladder to their spot. They used to come here all the time to play games and drink and have fun, but Sashe and Seth never came anymore, and Sierra and Evan rarely did, either. It was him and Matilda left, kissing and her lying about how much she cared about him and him pouring his heart out to her.
He collapsed on the blanket and closed his eyes, wishing they could go back to before they grew up. Before the curse. Before he was stupid enough to fall for Matilda.
***
Dar couldn’t believe how beautiful Grace was. This was her first time visiting Rahuda with her father on one of his recruitment tours, and Dar hadn’t seen her since he was last in Renaul for Victory Day. Her wavy, blonde hair was down to her waist, and her brown eyes were wide with curiosity as she took in the manor grounds.
“This place is beautiful!” she told Dar. “I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve been here.”
Dar smiled at her. “Well, it’s good to finally have you.”
Her face lit up with excitement. “This is the farthest I’ve ever been from home.”
Their parents ended their small talk, and General Daniel turned a serious look to Dar. Dar gave the general a smile and inclined his head. “It’s good to see you, General.”
Daniel nodded. “It’s good to be back in Rahuda.”
His tours through the country usually recruited dozens of young men for the king’s army, and he spent extra time in Rahuda. He said it was for the prime young men who were strong from farming, but most Avialies knew it was the Protectors’ way of checking up on things without blatantly watching them. They were lucky Sierra was out of town with Evan, Sashe, and Seth; they weren’t sure how the Protectors would react when they found out Sierra and Evan were going to get married. Father was expecting the worse, of course.
“Please come inside,” Father said. “I’m sure you’re tired from your travels.”
Daniel’s wife, Lady Pearl, took Grace’s arm. Standing side by side, they looked quite alike, though Lady Pearl’s hair had darkened with gray. Dar fell into step behind them as his mother and father led the group inside. The house felt empty without Sierra; he wasn’t sure how he’d get used to her moving out altogether. Dar was grateful for company, even if it was the general, who put everyone on edge.
The women visited the powder room before joining them in the sitting room. When Grace returned with her mother, her hair was pulled back into a plait. She sat down next to Dar on the couch. Their fathers started talking state affairs, their mothers about their travels.
“Dar, how old are you now?” Grace asked.
“Twenty-one. And you?”
“I’m seventeen.” She took a glass from Tara. “Why haven’t you come to court yet?”
Dar nodded to Tara as he took a glass. “I have much here in Rahuda.”
“Do you own land?” She sipped some wine, and a dark red drop sat in the corner of her mouth until she wiped it away with her thumb.
“Not yet.” He glanced at his father, who had spoken about giving him land in a couple years.
“Are you courting someone?”
Dar thought of Matilda and winced. He looked down at his wine. “Not anymore.”
“Then come to Renaul!” Grace exclaimed. “Everyone there loves you.”
He doubted that. The only way he’d be able to return to Renaul was if the Protectors approved it, and no Avialie noble had been approved to return to the royal city permanently since the battle almost six years ago. He raised his eyebrows. “Really? Like who?”
Grace put her hand on her chest, her long fingers in a white glove. “Me, of course. Lady Rebekah. I think she might have a crush on you, actually.”
Dar smirked. “She has a crush on every young noble.”
Grace giggled. “Well, you’re right about that. But you must come to Renaul. Maybe you’ll meet a beautiful noble and fall in love.” She grinned.
He wasn’t sure if he could fall in love again after what Matilda did. Grace was so endearing when she teased him, though, and he felt like playing along with her. “Who do you think would be good for me? Out of all the nobles you know?”
She pursed her lips in thought. “There is Lady Rebekah, but I don’t know if she’s the type for long-term relationships. Maybe in ten years or so.” She set her wineglass down on the table in front of them. “My friend Lady Jocelyn. . .no, I see her marrying my brother someday.”
“Really? Kyler?” Her older brother was the same age as Dar. “What does he think about that?”
“He doesn’t know, of course. He probably won’t see it for years.” She tapped the side of her forehead. “He’s smart with books, but not with women.”
Dar laughed again. “You’ll have to teach him, then.”
“I try!” She straightened her back. “But back to you. There’s my friend Lady Sarah. Do you like to buy your lady pretty things?”
He thought of all the things he’d gotten Matilda. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pursued this conversation with Grace, if everything was going to remind him of Matilda. He cleared his throat. “Yes, I do.”
“Lady Sarah is always buying things, and she expects all of her friends and suitors to buy her things.” Grace shook her head. “I don’t doubt your generosity, but she’s very picky. Let’s see, what about Lady Hailey?”
“I don’t think I know who that is.”
“She has dark skin, and her father is Sir Henry. He owns all the vineyards in Renaul.”
“Ah, yes, Lady Hailey.” Dar paused. “She’s always been a bit snobb
y to me.”
Grace covered her mouth as though trying to hide her amusement. “Everyone says that about her! She’s really not so bad, but I haven’t heard her say one good thing about Shyra.”
Dar made a face. “That won’t do. Shyra’s my home.” He waved his hand. “Next.”
Grace laughed. “Okay. There’s Lady Jennifer. Hm, she has a mole on her nose, I don’t think that would work.”
“She does? I didn’t even notice. She’s pretty.”
Grace waved her hand. “No, no, she won’t do.”
“What kind of man do you take me for?” Dar asked, laughing.
“Lady Phoresa!” She leaned in and whispered, “She gossips more than my mother. Nothing between the two of you would remain secret.”
He snapped his fingers. “Another one gone.”
“Lady Nicole—no, she told me she would never court a man with dark hair. She wants her children to be fair-haired.” Grace made a face. “Shallow.”
Dar nodded in agreement. “Who else?”
“Lady Danielle.” She bit her lip, her gaze floating up to the ceiling.
“I’m sure you’ll find something wrong with her.”
Grace gasped and put her hand on her chest. “Sir Dar! I’m trying to look out for you! I’m being a good friend, and you should have no one but the best.” She shook her head haughtily and sipped her wine. She glanced at Dar, who was trying not to laugh, and she burst into giggles.
Dar laughed, shaking his head. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so freely. Everything had been so clouded since he found out about Matilda and Chad. He gazed at Grace as she grinned at him. “What about you?” he asked.
Grace stared at him, her cheeks turning pink. “What about me?”
He swallowed and decided to be playful. He half-smiled. “Are you interested in falling in love with the dashing Sir Dar?”
She shrugged and took another sip of her wine. “You’ll just have to move to Renaul and see.” She met his eyes and gave him a coy smile.
He smiled. “We’ll see.” He felt someone’s gaze on him and glanced at his mother. She shot him a warning look and nodded her head to the General, who was deep in conversation with Father. He wondered how her father would react to see them having fun together: a disgusting Avialie with his precious daughter. His beautiful, fun, and smart daughter.
Dar gritted his teeth. “Excuse me, Lady Grace. I just remembered about something I need to do.” He stood up and left the room without another word. He didn’t glance back at Grace, as much as he wanted to. He went straight to his bedroom, shaking his head. He knew how the General would react, and it’d probably end his life.
***
That evening, his parents planned an extravagant dinner with Shyran delicacies for the General’s family. During the meal, the General started criticizing the way Father ran Rahuda. They had an argument only abated by their wives, who insisted the discussion could wait for another time.
Afterwards, performers from Rahuda came and played in the sitting room. Piano players, dancers, bards. Dar kept a distance from Grace, keeping up polite conversation but nothing like before when they’d actually been having fun with one another. He couldn’t go down that road, not with her father watching for an opportunity to get the Avialies in trouble.
After the performers, he left the sitting room, bidding everyone goodnight, planning to take a walk. He wished he could spend the night with his friends. In the hallway, he went for the front door.
“Sir Dar!”
He stopped, his shoulders tensing. He glanced over his shoulder.
Grace approached him from the sitting room, her gaze intent on him. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“No, I haven’t,” he said with a surprised smile.
She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. “I’ve been in court a full year. I know when someone’s avoiding me.”
He took a deep breath. “Lady Grace, it’s nothing against you. I felt I was being too friendly and I didn’t want to offend you or your parents.”
“Why would you being friendly offend us?”
“Being too friendly.”
She shook her head, uncrossing her arms. “I’m seventeen years old, and my father knows men will be interested in me—”
“I’m sure he does because he’s a smart man.” Dar took a step back. “But trust me, your father doesn’t want men like me interested in you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “And who are men like you?”
He shrugged. “Just trust me.”
“I know my father, and he has nothing against you.”
“But he has something against my father, doesn’t he?”
Her face fell, showing him she saw it, too. “No.” She shook her head. “No, they’re. . .fine.”
He thought about touching her shoulder, but he decided against it, as much as he wondered what she might feel like, how she might react. “You are a beautiful young lady, but I would rather keep our fathers on good terms.” He took a few steps back. “I hope you understand.”
She nodded, her lips pursed.
“Goodnight, Lady Grace.” He made a small bow and turned to leave. This time, he glanced over his shoulder, but she had already turned away.
EPILOGUE: THE ANCIENT TEXTS
Evan stood by the river, watching the water rush past them. Seth and the priest stood nearby, silent. The sky was a cloudless blue, the breeze slightly chilly. The leaves of the trees surrounding them were yellow and red as the seasons changed. It was a beautiful day to start a marriage.
The sound of a carriage roused him from his thoughts, and he looked up. The carriage stopped a few feet from them, and the door swung open. Natalia and Sashe came out first, then Sierra. Sierra wore a green dress, her hair long and wavy down her back. She took Natalia and Sashe’s arms, and the three of them started walking towards them. Evan smiled, his eyes filling with tears.
When she reached him, he held a white rose out for her, which she took with a beaming smile. She clutched his hand in hers, and a few tears slid down her cheeks. He wiped them away for her. They turned towards the priest. He blessed them, and the ceremony flew by.
The others went ahead, and Sierra and Evan stayed behind by the river. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply. He didn’t care that the others were only a few feet away, and it didn’t seem like Sierra did, either, with the way her arms wrapped around his neck, the way her body pushed closer to his.
After a few moments, he pulled away. “I love you so much.”
She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, too.”
They started the walk to their house. Evan, Seth, and his father had built it over the past few months. It had taken longer than he’d hoped, but they’d finally erected it. It was beautiful, and he was proud of every inch of it. He couldn’t wait to see what their friends and family had done with the inside. The furniture they’d made. The tapestries and colors they’d chosen. It was one of his favorite Shyran customs.
They walked with clasped hands, bumping shoulders as they went. They spoke quietly about the house and the ceremony. When they reached the house, their friends and family greeted them. Their close family gave them a tour of the house, and Alastor actually seemed happy. Maybe he was pretending, but Evan still appreciated the effort.
“It’s beautiful,” Sierra said, gazing at the fireplace hearth Seth and Evan had built of stones. “I’m going to love living here with you.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon with friends, feasting in their new house and in the grass around it. Evan’s mother made dozens of cherry treats, and the air was full of the aromas of spiced meats. Evan danced until his feet hurt.
After Matilda and Chad had arrived together, he found Dar staring into the fireplace. Evan plopped onto the couch next to him and looped an arm over his shoulders. “Dar, you’re going to find a great girl one of these days.”
Dar chuckled. “Are you sure about that?”
“Of course.
If someone like me can find someone like Sierra. . .” He motioned to Sierra, who was dancing with Sashe, laughing. She lit up the room. He grinned and clapped Dar on the back. “Then you can definitely find someone.”
***
Sierra stopped dancing for a moment to eat some of Lina’s delectable cherry tarts. She glanced over all of her friends and family enjoying the feast. Seth and Sashe were dancing closely; Dar was talking with the Avialie elder Lisbeth; Alastor and Natalia were warming their hands by the fireplace.
Someone touched her waist, and she turned into Evan’s arms. She smiled up at him. “What on earth are you doing here?”
He grinned at her and kissed her cheek. “I live here.”
A towering figure approached them. Jeshro was one of the Avialie elders. He’d trusted Evan with information about the Protectors, had brought him into their plans. To be honest, those plans weren’t very remarkable: find a Thieran or someone or something else to break the curse; keep each other safe; lobby the king. Occasionally, they would need to take care of a Protector who was more dangerous than the others, who was going against the king’s wishes to leave Avialies alone if they weren’t in the royal state. Evan wanted them to do more, but Sierra didn’t want him to be in danger.
Jeshro put his hand out, smiling. “Congratulations, you two.”
Grinning, Evan shook his hand, keeping his other arm on her waist. “Thank you, sir.”
“Thank you very much,” Sierra echoed, shaking his hand. “It’s great to see all the Belishan Avialies.”
“It’s wonderful to see the start of a new marriage,” Jeshro said. He glanced around the room and motioned Lisbeth and Matilda’s mother over.
Sierra wished Matilda hadn’t come, but her mother was a funny woman. She had Matilda’s sense of humor without her spite and disregard for others. She was an older woman with dark red hair, and Jeshro’s wife, Lisbeth, was a bit shorter than her with a sheet of gray hair cascading down her back. They congratulated Sierra and Evan again, then Matilda’s mother nodded to Jeshro.
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