Chapter 13
As they pulled To the Deep and Back into Elanesse’s harbor, Gaeren grew more antsy.
He no longer feared Enla’s invitation was a trap.
Too many of the sailors had confirmed Larkos’ theory.
Even Erech, from his time as a stableboy, had said the royal family had publicly declared they were no longer tied with Mayvus.
If anything, that only gave Gaeren more questions for Enla.
“I think that boy’s already a better cook than Breeve.” Riveran patted his belly as they weaved their way through the docks.
“I’d rather have Breeve’s burned food curdling in my stomach.
” They’d stopped to see Breeve’s family on their way north.
It’d been one of the hardest visits, telling a mother firsthand how her son had braved death and lost. She’d already heard the details from Larkos but seemed to want them again.
Gaeren hadn’t been there for the boy’s last moments, so instead he told her all the ways the young man had faithfully served on his ship.
The way he’d been a solid fourth-generation sailor who would have made his father proud.
“I can take Erech off cooking duties and make him swab decks again,” Riveran said. “Maybe stick Thallahan behind the stove?”
Gaeren snorted. “If you want to be poisoned.”
Their banter faded the farther they got into town.
Despite being welcome at the palace, Gaeren and Riveran opted to quietly take horses to his family’s sprawling estate.
They could have announced their arrival in advance with Gullet and had Enla and maybe even his parents out to parade their heartfelt reunion.
But Gaeren still saw the hatred in Enla’s eyes from when they’d last said goodbye.
A heartfelt reunion was more likely to turn into a yelling match that fed the kind of rumors his parents despised.
So Gullet stayed back with Cyrus, Rildan, and Larkos, while the other sailors were given two days leave.
Rather than pass the horses over to the palace stableboys and effectively announce their arrival, they stopped a mile or so outside the palace walls.
Riveran tied their horses to a tree near a stream and promised them he’d return soon.
Thanks to Riveran’s strange connection to animals, they stood eerily still, ducking their heads to accept his nose rubs.
“Come on,” Gaeren urged. “You’ve already said goodbye ten times, and they’re not even our horses.”
“I don’t know if I should be present for this,” Riveran admitted, glancing toward the towers rising in the distance.
“I need you there as a buffer,” Gaeren said. “My sister won’t kill me if you’re here.”
Riveran’s laugh came out uneasy. “She might just kill us both instead.”
Instead of walking through the main entrance and halls, they snuck through a gap in the hedge Gaeren had made years before, which placed them in the family gardens.
Gaeren gave his mocking bow to the statue of the first Queen of Elanesse, then paused and frowned, trying to figure out what seemed different about her.
He gave up, then led Riveran through a side door, questioning the guards about which meeting room Enla might be in.
Before they could reach it, she rushed out, her cheeks flushed and the chain holding her heart-shaped starlock on her forehead knocked askew.
“Gaeren.” Tears filled her blue eyes as she breathed out his name, and suddenly she was throwing her arms around his neck, her short blonde hair tickling his cheek.
She squeezed him tight like she’d done when they were children, and a memory flooded his mind of a time he’d forced her to swing with him across the hay in the barn.
It held a mix of fear and elation, with a strange sense of protection: the first time he’d instinctively understood his role as a throne warden.
When the rope had snapped and they’d fallen, he’d twisted to make sure she landed on him instead of the other way around, breaking his ankle instead of hers.
His starlock heated against his skin, drawing him back to the present, making the images dissipate into reality.
That same ankle twinged as he squeezed Enla back.
“I take it you don’t completely hate me,” he said.
She pulled back and smacked his shoulder. “I hate you with every fiber of my being.” But the words were counteracted by her smile. She turned to Riveran and grew flustered, wiping the tears that had spilled down her cheeks. “It’s good to see you too, Riveran.”
Gaeren warred between frustration with his old friend and his sister.
For the last two years, he’d hated Riveran because his parents had led him to believe the other man had slighted his sister—breaking their bond and marrying another woman.
But after learning it had all been a farce to cover up the fact that Riveran had never received a starlock or developed magic, Gaeren’s anger had shifted to his sister.
Somehow the conflicting feelings canceled each other out and a sadness swept over him instead.
“I wish you’d told me about Riveran from the start.”
Enla nodded, glancing between both men. “I wish I had, too.”
“But that’s not what we came to talk about.”
Enla nodded again, then glanced over her shoulder at the bodyguards who’d followed her into the hall. “Cancel the rest of my meetings for today. And schedule a dinner with our parents.”
“Change the dinner to breakfast,” Gaeren said. “Or maybe mid-morning tea. Or even dinner tomorrow.”
Enla raised her eyebrows. “Fine. We have time for tea between council meetings in the morning.” She linked her hand through Gaeren’s, but before she could lead the way, Riveran reached out and snatched her hand.
The guards drew weapons, and Gaeren even tensed at the forward action, but Enla showed no surprise.
“With my parents’ health declining”—her words came out soft and halted—“we decided the wedding couldn’t wait.” A gold ring with a ridiculous number of gems sparkled on her hand, and Riveran dropped it like a hot coal, his face pained.
Gaeren’s jaw dropped. For some reason, he hadn’t thought she’d actually go through with it. Not when she knew Riveran still loved her. Not when he suspected she still loved him.
The silence that followed made Gaeren uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. “It’s a nice ring.”
It was an old tradition, not often used, especially by those who had bonds to mark their loyalties, but the royal family took any opportunity to show off their wealth.
When Riveran and Enla continued avoiding each other’s gazes, Gaeren tugged Enla down the hall and tried to shift the topic from the more obvious and awkward one lingering in the air.
“Mother and Father have gotten worse, then?”
Enla shrugged. “Better in some ways, worse in others.”
Riveran caught up to them, a strange expression crossing his face. “You didn’t mention the wedding in your letter.”
So much for avoiding the awkwardness.
Enla glanced nervously at Gaeren. “It only took place last week. I didn’t have a chance to write you again.”
Gaeren frowned. She shouldn’t be writing her old bond at any time. In fact, what would Croft think of her offering to reinstate Riveran as an advisor? He hadn’t thought much of the letter Riveran had received, but now he wished he’d asked about it.
“Well,” Gaeren said, “I appreciate you getting the pompous celebration over with before I reached town. It’s bad enough that Thallahan wants me to come back for his wedding on Winter Solstice.”
Enla stopped short, and the guards’ armor clanked behind them as they stopped too. “Come back? Why in Rhystahn would you leave again?”
Riveran and Gaeren exchanged glances before Gaeren replied, “That’s actually what we came to talk about.”
Enla scoffed and resumed walking, her pace suddenly more like a sprint. “I should have known you weren’t really back. I had hoped… I saw dozens of paths with you staying. Even some where you married Lenda.”
“Lenda?” Gaeren practically choked on his bondmate’s name.
“There were only a few with you leaving, so I thought…” She trailed off, her face taking on a dark hue. “I should have known. Now I’ll have to search those all over again.”
“Or you could just let the future unfold. It’s not good for you to search so much.”
“It’s a constantly moving target. Even worse when you’re involved. It’s like you’re so unpredictable even the future can’t settle on your options.”
He grinned. He actually liked the sound of that, but it probably wasn’t something he should say out loud.
“If you’re trying to reform Gaeren,” Riveran said, “I don’t think it’s working.”
She glanced up, and Gaeren attempted to drop his smile, unsure what expression he finally landed on.
Enla let out an unladylike snort. “It was easier when the two of you weren’t getting along.” She linked her other arm through Riveran’s. “Come on. I’ve only told you a fraction of what’s gone on since you left, and I’m guessing you could say the same to me.”
“Mother and Father were branded by Mayvus?” Gaeren sat back in his chair, stunned. Out of all the things he’d expected Enla to say, that hadn’t been one of them. Even Riveran’s mouth swung open in surprise, which meant that news hadn’t been in his letter either.
Enla sat prim and proper at the tea table where they’d been served an array of sandwiches, fruit, and cheese.
The servants had even left pudding pies, suggesting the conversation they were about to have would be a long one.
Once she’d made sure they would have enough to eat, she’d dismissed all the servants and guards.