Ture turned and frowned at her. “Oh give us a minute, please, Gera. I need to repair her makeup. We can’t have her going out there with it smeared.”

Gera gasped as she looked at her. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice.”

When Gera started forward to help, Ture placed a kind hand on her arm. “I have it, hon. Get the others ready and we’ll be right out. Mari? Can you run and get my bag out of our room? I have sealant in it that should keep her eyeliner from running again.”

As soon as they were gone, Ture pulled a tissue out of his sleeve and dabbed it under her right eye. “Look up.”

She did.

Ture quickly repaired her face, then smoothed her hair, and adjusted the small headdress that matched her maroon gown. Smiling in satisfaction, he straightened her official state necklace around her neck. “You are such a vision.”

She didn’t believe a word of it. Not for a minute, but she was grateful to him for his kindness.

“You’re the best, sweetie.” She straightened the ribbons on her bouquet. “Ture, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”

“Not at all.”

“Are you really happy here?” He’d never been the kind of person who suffered pomp or ceremony well. And those were two things that Maris seemed to adore and thrive on.

His eyes brightened with exuberance. “Oh, honey, how could you doubt it for even a second? I never thought I’d be in love like this. But Mari…”

He smiled a smile that lit up his entire face. “He’s so funny and sweet. Considerate. And when he goes all military tough around me…” He shivered. “I now understand exactly what you meant when you talked about Darling. For the first time in my life, I honestly believe that Maris would walk through hell to keep me safe. I’ve never had that before, not once.”

It was true. Like Maris, Ture had been abandoned by everyone he’d ever loved.

His lips quivered. “I can’t thank you enough for introducing us.”

Was that a euphemism or what?

“I can’t believe you’re thanking me for getting you imprisoned and tortured.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Believe me when I say Maris is totally worth it.”

“I’m so glad you feel that way.” Returning his smile, she allowed him to take her outside to where the others waited.

He took the spray from Maris’s hand and quickly applied it to her face, then he stepped away.

She paused a second to glance at every member of the small group around her. This was her family now… A strange motley bunch of tracers, pirates, aristos, and assassins. Yet they were the most decent beings in the universe and they were always here when she needed them.

Best of all, they cared. Truly and deeply about Darling and her. In all her life, she’d never imagined this as her reality.

And she wouldn’t have it any other way.