In spite of Darling’s wishes and protests, the men had stayed to guard him should any of the gerents or people try to harm him after tonight’s events.

She paused beside Hauk as she studied the three strange pyramids in his hand. “What are you doing?”

“Playing Squerin.”

He said it like she should know exactly what it was. “I’ve never heard of it.”

Fain laughed. “It’s an old Andarion game. From the way Dancer plays, I don’t think he’s ever heard of it either.”

“Stop calling me that,” Hauk growled at his brother.

Fain scoffed at his anger. “I’m not about to call you Hauk. Sorry. My name, too, and it gets confusing as hell whenever I’m around you. Every time someone yells out for you, I think they’re calling me. So your parents named you something stupid. Take a stone from Darling, and deal with it.”

“I’ll take a testicle, all right, but it won’t be from Darling.” He glared meaningfully at his brother.

Zarya wrinkled her nose at their sudden hostility. “I feel so bad. You two were playing nicely until I bothered you. I didn’t mean to cause a fight.”

Fain reached for the pyramids. “Don’t take it personally. We’re Andarion. Which means we’re perpetually pissed off.”

“Yeah,” Hauk agreed. “We’re always fighting about something, even if it means making up a fight over nothing.”

She laughed. “All right, then. I’ll leave you to it.”

Before she could move, Hauk jerked his head toward the bedroom door. “Is he okay?”

Zarya wasn’t sure how to answer that. Like them, she was worried about Darling and how he was coping with this unending barrage of insults and public ridicule. “Depends on the definition. I don’t think I’d use the word ‘fine’ per se. But he’s coping better than I would.”

“Then why are you leaving?” Fain asked.

“He wanted a few minutes alone. So I thought I’d go see what Maris was getting into.”

Hauk rolled the pyramids onto the floor. “Ah… take your time. Don’t worry about Darling, we’ll keep our ears open.”

Coming from Andarions, who had incredible auditory abilities, that made her feel better. Until another thought occurred to her… She outwardly cringed as she realized that they’d probably heard everything that had happened between her and Darling.

Fain looked up and froze. “I can tell by your expression what you’re thinking and no, we weren’t eavesdropping while you were in the room with him. We think more of the two of you than to do that, and we figured if you needed us, you’d holler.”

That made her feel a lot better. “Thank you.” She blew him a kiss before she continued on her way.

When she started down the ornate wing where Maris lived, it suddenly struck her that this was now her home, too. If she married Darling, this was where she’d live out her life, birth her children, and most likely die…

In a palace.

The mere thought froze her in place.