“Anyway,” Keita interrupted, her focus still on Elina, “don’t you want to look pretty for my cousin?”

Elina shook her head. “No.”

Keita swung the eye patch and said in a singsong voice, “It will look divine on you.”

“Why will you not go away?”

“Why do you Rider types always ask me that? All of you should feel blessed by my presence.”

Knowing this argument could go on for hours, Arlais snatched the eye patch from Keita, tore off the boring black one that Elina insisted on wearing every day, and quickly tied the new one into place.

“There,” Arlais said to the shocked group. “Now wear it, barbarian, and feel honored that my aunt even bothers to waste her time with you and your obvious lack of style!”

With that, Arlais grabbed Keita’s hand and dragged her toward the back hallway.

“I so adore you, my dearest niece,” Keita laughed.

“Well, she’s being so unreasonable! And I am done with unreasonable women!” she yelled as they passed her mother’s study, where Dagmar was still working before the feast.

Once they were outside, Keita took the lead and led Arlais down to one of the smaller lakes. As they approached, Arlais could see Ren of the Chosen talking to a man that she didn’t recognize.

Arlais stopped, pulling her aunt up short. “This is my mother’s plan, isn’t it?”

Keita turned, blinking in surprise. “What?”

“You brought me down here to talk to me about going to the Northlands with you and Ragnar and you’re hoping Ren’s charm will loosen me up. Well, just so you know, it won’t. And she just wants to get rid of me because I’m not a sycophant like her needy son!”

“Are you done?” Keita asked.

“Actually, I can go on for quite a while.”

“Don’t.” Keita pulled her along until they reached Ren and the man. But that’s when Arlais realized this wasn’t a man. It was an elf.

“Arlais, this is Gorlas. An old and very important friend of mine. Gorlas, this is my niece, the one I told you about.”

“Princess,” the elf greeted. “I’ve heard many interesting things about you.”

“Interesting?” Arlais asked her aunt. “You told him interesting things about me? Seriously?”

“You want interesting, my dear,” Gorlas explained. “Good things and bad things don’t really hold my attention. Because everyone is good or bad. But interesting . . .?”

Arlais crossed her arms over her chest and studied the two dragons and one elf who wanted to talk to her about how interesting she was.

“What is this about?”

“About your future,” Keita said.

“Does it require me to live in a cave?”

“No.”

“Do I need to read a lot of boring, boring books?”

“Just recipe books.”

“I don’t cook, Auntie. That’s what I have a staff for.”

Keita smirked. “Neither do I, Niece.”