It isn’t long before I hear their newest chant: ‘The Gods-Cursed!’ I look to my left and see her, a porcelain dream wrapped in silver. Her long, braided hair is twisted into a coil that rests on her neck. Curled wisps of hair frame her heart shaped face. Long earrings dip to tickle her shoulders. Her eyelids glimmer, and her lashes are coated in a thick, black paste. I almost kneel at the sight.

I’m still staring at Idalia as Theodore moves between us and lifts our hands. The people descend into madness. I’ve never heard a sound so loud.

Word will surely travel back to my father now, and I’ll no doubt be labeled a traitorous son. A sinner who fell victim to the lure of a Verdanian. A dead man. But when I look at Idalia, fear seems to elude me.

Her joyful smile means that she’s alive and that she’s safe. It means she’s happy. The wild cheers melt into a muted symphony, like music playing in a distant room. Her eyes find mine, and her look sends a frisson through my body. A dead man I may be, but that look, that smile…that is a sin worth dying for.

“I can’t believe this,” Idalia laughs, a skip in her step as we make our way down a market street. “It’s beautiful! The people are so warm and welcoming!”

Lachlan smiles shyly and lowers his head to speak to her. “It’s their favorite time of year. We feast, dance, sell, and trade. It’s a true celebration of our Kingdom. The people love Aeradian, and they love to celebrate it.”

“My brother’s being modest,” Theodore says from beside me. “The people love him. When our father reigned, this festival wasn’t nearly as fun.”

Lach’s face tightens, but he bobs his head at his sister in gratitude before adding, “They love you too.”

“I know. I never said they didn’t.”

It’s hard to pay attention to their conversation; Idalia’s amorous glances at Lachlan are wearing me out. The way she stares at him, the way her hand lightly brushes against his. It’s difficult to regain my focus and impossible to apply it to anything else. Lachlan grabs Idalia’s arm and pulls her towards a vendor selling flower arrangements. Gods, don’t let him buy her flowers. Don’t let him even think about it.

Theodore tugs on my sleeve. “Let’s give them some time alone. Won’t you assist me to this tent over here?” It takes everything for me to break my gaze away from Idalia, but the Aeradian Princess is relentless. “Oh, come now, does a girl really have to beg for your companionship?”

I shake my head and manage a laugh. “Of course not. Where do you want to go?”