Tristan gave me a soft smile. “You’re worried for our safety. You don’t feel right until you know we’re going to be okay, especially in a foreign setting like this. It’s your protective instinct kicking in, Esme, and I love you all the more for it, sis. So yeah, I get it. But we have to be careful.”

It was my turn to nod, as I leaned back into the chair. “Okay. You do the talking where the crew is concerned, and I’ll worry about the logistics of the whole thing. Cool?”

“Yeah. Side note, how was your handmaiden?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did she strike you as nervous? Worried you’ll be upset if she makes a mistake, maybe?” he asked, and it rang such a bell in my head that I nearly went deaf for a moment.

“Your valet was on edge, huh?”

“Zurah, too?” Tristan’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “It makes me wonder what sort of penalties they have for the servants.”

I shrugged. “It could be more of a cultural thing for them. Not necessarily punished, but severely frowned upon. Zurah said she loved her job here. Though she did sound a bit strained.”

“Like she was taught to say these things…”

“There is no mind-bending or any other foul play like that. Zurah was honest in her discourse, but she definitely didn’t want to say more than she did. Again… I can’t help but notice the similarities to Neraka, even without the Exiled Maras in the picture. Which brings me back to the necessity of us scouting the place and checking things out, incognito.”

Tristan scoffed, though he seemed slightly amused. “You’re incorrigible, Esme. All right, I’ll talk to Derek and Sofia about this, the first chance I get, and—”

A knock on the door brought our private moment to what felt like an abrupt end. We stared at each other for a moment, wondering who it might be. We had Telluris connections with Amal, Nethissis, Derek, and Sofia, and they would’ve gotten in touch before coming over, for sure. It had been something we’d agreed upon, so we’d know when others were coming to our door.

“Tristan? It’s Valaine,” the feminine voice announced. “I’m here on behalf of the lord and lady supreme.”

“Tristan? She came to you first, for this?” I whispered. “I would’ve expected her to reach out to Sofia and Derek first, since they’re the de facto leaders of our crew.”

He blinked several times, caught off guard. “I… I don’t know. Maybe she already told them?”

“We would’ve known.”

He sighed deeply. “Then, I really don’t know.”

“Tristan?” Valaine called out again.

“Go open the door!” I hissed. “Show some good manners!”

“Okay, Mom,” he replied dryly.

As soon as he let Valaine in, the entire room seemed to lose a few degrees from its otherwise pleasant temperature. It had taken being apart from her for a few hours to understand the peculiar psychological effect she’d had on me—and, judging by the glow in my brother’s eyes, on him, too. It wasn’t just her appearance that enticed, but also her presence. Some people just had this way of drawing attention, of electrifying the air around them, without doing or saying anything.

“Esme. I didn’t know you were here,” Valaine said, bowing politely.

“Sorry I took a while to greet you,” Tristan replied, while I gave the Aeternae a soft and friendly smile.

“My brother and I were just catching up.” I sighed. “We’re loving our quarters, just so you know. The rooms are simply gorgeous.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Valaine replied, then glanced at Tristan. “The lord and lady supreme have requested your presence in the garden for an appetizer before dinner.”

“Oh?” I mumbled, straightening my back.

Valaine smiled. “They want you to try a few blood selections, infused with various aromas and oils. We try new recipes every year, and the lord and lady supreme want to make sure that everything is to your liking during dinner.”

“You are most kind,” I said, getting up.

Her eyes widened with surprise. “Esme… You look beautiful!”

My cheeks burned. It felt nice to have her attention on such a positive note. I wasn’t sure why, but I enjoyed her compliments more than anything. I doubted the lady supreme’s appreciation would’ve struck a similar note. “Thank you,” I murmured, my head low. “It’s a beautiful dress. I’m merely the one wearing it.”

“Nonsense, you’re the one who brings out the dress’s finest features,” Valaine said. Her kindness surprised me. No wonder my brother was nearly smitten with her. “Shall we go?”

We followed Valaine through several corridors, picking up Derek, Sofia, Amal, and Nethissis along the way, and occasionally stopping to marvel at the marble and brass sculptures, the ornate columns, and the enormous, hand-painted porcelain vases that decorated the spacious hallways. A lot of care and attention had gone into the interior of the palace, making sure every corner was used to its full potential, regardless of its function.

The gardens were out of this world, much bigger and downright astonishing from up close. A maze stretched out before us, made of hedges and sparkling fountains, blossoming trees and elegant statues on solid marble bases. Again, just like with the palace’s interior, the garden made use of every single patch of dirt to create this enormous masterpiece.

Water gushed from the fountains, its rushing sound making me smile. Birds sang in the trees and the flowery bushes, and the evening breeze added a delicate chill to my skin, reminding me of midnights in The Shade. In the middle of these gardens, a white gazebo rose, its pillars covered in pink rose-like blossoms with spade-shaped leaves. A table had been set there, made of white iron, with matching chairs.

The lord and lady supreme were already waiting, along with Kalon. I’d expected to see Petra, Zoltan, and Corbin, as well, but they were nowhere to be seen. Several servants waited behind them, dressed in black-and-white uniforms—much like what I’d seen Zurah wearing. It was definitely the signature style of the palace staff. Around the gazebo, a dozen golden guards stood quietly, the colored feathers from their helmets dancing in the wind.

“Where are the high priestess, the chief councilor, and the master commander?” Derek asked as we approached the gazebo, walking behind Valaine.

“I believe they have administrative duties to attend to, milord,” she said.

Glancing around at our crew, I found a sense of relief knowing that my brother and I weren’t the only ones who’d been dressed up for the occasion. Derek had also been fitted into a dark gray three-piece velvet suit, while Sofia looked simply stunning in her copper satin dress, a black lace bodice tightened to bring out her gentle curves. Amal didn’t seem comfortable in her pale orange dress, but she was beautiful, nonetheless. Her long, white hair had been pulled up into a tight bun, diamond earrings pouring down to her collarbones. Nethissis was a true vision in emerald green, and she seemed to enjoy this a lot more than Amal.

“Welcome!” Acheron said, rising from his chair as we reached the gazebo. Danika didn’t move, but Kalon stood, as well, his eyes immediately finding me. For a split second, I felt like an ant under a magnifying glass, the sun burning through me, even though the sky above was dark, with a handful of twinkling stars just overhead. “We usually dine much later in the evening, but we didn’t want you to spend too much time waiting.”

“And we have some delightful new varieties of aromatic blood we’d like you to try,” Danika added, motioning for us to sit down. Every move she made felt like a dream. Her grace was impossible to describe, but I took a stab at it by mentally comparing her to a porcelain swan into which the universe had breathed life. The term “poetry in motion” came to mind. But then the mental image of Exiled Maras rammed through my head and ruined the moment. There were a lot of common points here, so I became increasingly determined to figure out where the similarities stopped.

Kalon pulled up a chair for me to sit in, and I had a hard time looking at him, worried he might peer right into my eyes if I wasn’t careful. “You’re a true vision tonight, Esme,” he said, his voice low, as I took my seat and gave him a faint but thankful nod.

“Thank you,” I managed, trying to focus on the table, instead.

There were crystal pitchers filled with blood in the middle, but the servants had also added a couple of fruit and cheese platters to the display, along with fresh water bottles, for Amal and Nethissis.

“How is your stay in the palace, so far?” Danika asked us, as Valaine sat next to Tristan and me. To my right, Kalon was quiet, but I knew he was still watching me.

“It’s wonderful,” Sofia said. “The staff is incredibly kind and considerate.”

“And the rooms are stupendous,” Nethissis replied. “I admit, I’ve rarely experienced such lavishness.”

“I’m glad to hear that!” Acheron said, jovial and practically beaming at us. Out of all the Aeternae we’d met so far, I could easily see him as the most excited for our presence here. We were like shiny new things for his sole delight, and he planned to enjoy every second he got to spend with us. “My beloved Danika has spent centuries perfecting our home. Every guest room is a reflection of our philosophy of living.”

Danika smiled. “I still change things up, once in a while. So far, I’m happy with the styles we’ve managed to accomplish.”

“You are personally involved in the decorations, then,” I concluded, and the lady supreme nodded in return.

“Along with a team of artists and craftsmen, of course,” she replied. “I like to heed their advice, but sometimes I’m also a bit hard-headed. The end results have yet to disappoint, so I reckon I’ve done something good.”