CHAPTER 46
Sprites swooped through the air, drunk with excitement and the heady scent of the flowers that were strung from one end of Sun Court to the highest reaches of Sky Pavilion. Garlands were everywhere. Even the normally dark and somber Jasper Court radiated with heavy swags of lavender peonies.
When Melizan arrived at Sun Court and saw the extravaganza, she screeched.
“What have you done, Ivy? I promised my brother it would be fifteen minutes! That’s all!”
Ivy laughed. “Don’t worry. This was his idea. He told me to do it up big. He wanted it to be special for you. His words.”
“No, you must have misunderstood. That’s impossible. I’m talking about Tyghan.”
Ivy patted her on the shoulder. “I know. He had a change of heart. Trust me. And he ordered food and drink for everyone—and everyone is coming.”
Melizan was struck silent, maybe for the first time in her life.
Bristol had to be responsible for this change in him.
Or had he been drunk when he came up with the idea?
She scanned the grounds, the chairs set up for the binding ritual, the arbors of flowers, the flowing silk canopies, the dozens of banquet tables awaiting food—enough to feed the entire palace and half the city.
Musicians were setting up on four different plazas.
It was like the commencement for Beltane festivities.
“You’re sure about this?” Melizan asked again.
“Absolutely. Straight out of his mouth.”
Cully came up behind Ivy and openly slipped his arm around her. “I can vouch for that. More or less.”
Melizan blinked at the usually restrained couple. A lot of things had changed.
She felt a new sensation overtaking her, an annoying giddiness.
She wasn’t feeling like herself at all. She soaked in all the elaborate preparations.
Cosette will love this, she thought. She might even cry.
And now her own eyes were feeling misty.
What had her brother done? Was she even ready for this?
“Shouldn’t you be changing?” Cully asked. “The schedule says it starts in an hour.”
Melizan looked down at her clothes—her plainest tunic and trousers, slightly dirty from maneuvers that morning. Minutes ago, these clothes had seemed fine, but now they were out of the question. She ran to her room.
Tyghan took the sheet of parchment from Eris. “Thank you. I want to make sure I say everything, and include all the right words. I didn’t have time to compose my own.”
“Understandable,” Eris answered.
“Are you coming to the ritual?”
“I’ll stop by as a witness. Don’t forget the contract for them to sign.” He pushed it across his desk.
Tyghan picked it up, noting Eris’s quiet demeanor. “The other night you were telling me how close you and my mother were—that you comforted her. I appreciate that. Thank you. I’m sorry you didn’t get to finish your story.”
Eris’s brow furrowed. “Another time.”
“Were you at her binding ceremony to my father?”
“I performed it. It was a rather hasty affair, and the kingdom counselor was away, so I stepped in.”
“Hasty? Why?”
“Your mother was eager. That’s all.”
Tyghan waved the parchment. “Did you perform it with these words?”
“Yes. Those words.”
Tyghan had never seen Eris so tight-lipped. He studied him for a moment, wanting to prod him a little more, but he didn’t have the time. Still, he stopped at the door of Eris’s study and looked back. The counselor’s gaze was locked on his.
“You saved these words for all these years? Why?”
“Because I spent quite some time composing them. As you’ve already noted, it’s important to get all the words just right.”