Aresti continued to watch the soldiers, pondering Keshel’s words. “At least they have purpose. Women here live in the shadow of men. They’re barely allowed to work, reliant on a husband to survive. And if they do have a job, women earn less than their male counterparts. I’d loathe to give up my power that way . . .”
Marai asked Keshel, “How was the rest of the council meeting?”
Keshel sighed through his nose, his face transforming with weariness. “What one might expect of a council meeting in wartime. What towns need aid, how to enlist more soldiers, disagreements about how to handle Queen Nieve and Grelta, then what kind of treaties we might need after the battle with Tacorn. Running a country is . . . complicated.”
Sounds miserable. Marai hoped she could stay far away from those topics. Ruenen may want her guidance, but she was useless in affairs of state.
“Aresti, those soldiers are staring at you,” whispered Kadiatu, eyes wide.
Several soldiers had taken their helmets off and ogled Aresti’s back. Perhaps they’d seen her watching them, but got the wrong idea. It wasn’t entirely surprising that Aresti would receive such attention.
For her part, Aresti didn’t glance back over to them. She huffed, full lips tilted into a smirk. “They can stare all they desire. Men and their attention do not interest me.”
Surprise momentarily froze Marai as she met Kadiatu’s equally shocked face. Marai also despised unwanted attention, from nearly everyone. But she was as charming as an eel and disliked most people. Aresti wore confidence as a perfume. Each swish of her hips captured men’s gaze.
“We should return to the cottages now,” Keshel said, exhaustion tugging at his words. “I don’t want us traveling through the city at night.”
Aresti waved to Leif, Raife, and Ruenen, who were still busy sparring two-against-one, swapping turns every ten minutes. “Time to go!”
The boys paused, wiping sweat from their faces. Was that a grin Marai saw on Leif’s lips?
“Feel free to come here whenever you desire,” Ruenen said. “What’s mine is yours.”
Marai couldn’t stop the smile. Ruenen spoke to Leif and Raife like a friend, not at all like a human prince. His casual enthusiasm caught both fae males off-guard.
“Thank you.” Raife bowed (Leif didn’t), then joined Keshel and the girls on the street heading home. Marai watched Raife hurry to Thora’s side and instantly begin conversation. Thora’s entire face lit up. Marai felt a spurt of envy inside her at their effortless nature, the love they shared.
Ruenen took a long sip of water and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Droplets of perspiration glistened across his face and arms. He looked rather un-princely with his untucked shirt and discarded brocade vest in the dirt. Marai doubted Holfast would be pleased with the state of his clothing.
“The invitation is open to you, as well,” Ruenen said with a wink. “Will you meet me tomorrow morning for breakfast?”
“I . . .” Marai paused. Was that wise? She was an advisor, and his personal guard, but would Holfast scold her for being alone with the prince? “Until tomorrow, then.”
Ruenen smiled; his breathtaking, full-faced smile that reached his eyes, making them dance.
Was she worthy of that smile? A prince’s attention? Of the home she’d been given? The nagging sensation of “undeserving” rose to the surface.
But in that moment, staring up at Ruenen’s shining face, she felt it then: You are enough. Exactly the way you are.
“I want to come to Grelta with you,” Aresti announced as soon as Marai stirred the next morning. She’d barely blinked the sleep from her eyes before Aresti stood over her bed of rushes, blankets, and one thin pillow.
“Why?” Marai asked, yawning.
Aresti pulled back the sides of her hair with pins. “It’s smarter for us to travel in groups. You shouldn’t go abroad on your own.”
“You just want to see the Glacial Palace,” Kadiatu said with a playful grin.
Marai rose to her feet and stretched. “Fine, but we aren’t there for fun. We’re acting as members of the King’s Guard, alongside Commander Avilyard.”
“I could be a better knight than them,” Aresti replied under her breath, then bent down to lace up her boots.
Marai returned to fixing her braid. “Is that what you want to be? A knight?”
“You and I are better fighters than any of those men. I’d rather not be forced to rely on them to win the war.”
She offered no further glimpses into her life as she sauntered from the bedroom, feet silently treading across the reeds and out the front door of the cottage. Perhaps Marai had more in common with Aresti than she’d thought . . .
Kadiatu was already fully dressed and ready for the day. Her round face burst into a smile. “Come and see what I’ve done with the garden!”
She led Marai out back, revealing the startling transformation. Thick green grass shot out of the ground. A rowan tree sprouted lustrous, red berries. The mineral, musty scent of rich dirt lingered in the air as hearty vegetables grew from tangled vines. Bright wild thyme, buttercups, and honeysuckles swayed in the breeze.
“How far can your power spread?” Marai walked to the farthest corner of the garden and knelt next to a flower bed of merry daffodils. She rubbed dark earth between her fingers, and felt no dark magic at all, no evil presence in the air or the soil.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve never tried to do more than this small plot of land.”
“Keep experimenting. See how far your magic can reach. Try spreading up the rest of the street.”
Kadiatu’s smile faltered. “But I don’t have the strength you do, Marai. My magic’s not so powerful.”
Marai put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “None of us ever got to discover the limits of our magic. Give it a try. See what else you can do.”
The words became caustic on her tongue. Marai grimaced. She sounded like Nosficio.
“I suppose I can try expanding into the neighbor’s gardens . . . through the earth, of course. I won’t go there in person.” A pained yell from outside made Kadiatu jump.
Marai rushed to the front door, heart pounding. Was it from Keshel, Leif, and Raife’s cottage next door?
Avilyard’s two boy-soldiers, Elmar and Nyle, were still stationed outside the fae cottages. Their attention was focused on a commotion two houses up the dirt street.
