“Oh, good. You’re back.” Kael looked between me and Roark, a glimmer of suspicion on his features. “I was going to wait for you. Emi asked me to help keep watch on the princess in the market. She thought you might want to join. If the Sentry agrees, of course.”

Roark was all warrior, all somber shadow once more.

“Princess Yrsa…wants me?”

Kael clasped his hands behind his back. “Seems most of the women are going to market today to commission gowns for the vow feast.”

“We just commissioned gowns not long ago.”

“Seems you get a gown for every occasion. I know little else except she thought you might want to join after dealing with that bastard Grisen. Apologies for my harsh words, Sentry Ashwood. But it’s true.”

“Oh.” I swallowed, forcing a smile, praying he could not see the flush to my face. “I, well, if it’s all right.”

I glanced to Roark, not truly asking his permission, more hoping we might find a way to continue whatever was happening here.

Kael’s smiled faded. “Well, it does come from the word of a princess, who you will likely be serving until we all have flesh sagging off our bones. Might be wise to befriend her early on.”

I knew the tone in Kael Darkwin’s voice. A tone he used often in the past whenever stable hands commented on my features, or if village boys tried to get me alone. Kael was always there with a warning in his eyes and threats at the ready should they be untoward in the slightest.

He was suspicious of us, protective of me, and now wary of a man he’d always respected.

Roark must’ve heard the same, since he moved for the door. Myrdan guards and Emi will be with you, I shall give you ladies time to yourselves and go see to the prince.

I wanted to tell him not to go, but in the same breath, feared if he remained, the way I could not cease looking at him would make it quite clear to the entire palace what we’d done here.

With a slight nod at Kael, Roark quit the room.

I bit the inside of my cheek and smoothed my dress. “Let me…just get a cloak.”

“Right.” Kael folded his arms over his chest, watching me disappear into the bedchamber.

When I returned, he was already standing in the open doorway. I forced a smile and pinched the back of his arm for good measure. “Shall we?”

“After you,” Kael said once we were in the corridor. “But you might want to let down your hair.”

I flipped my braid over my shoulder. “Why?”

Kael lowered his voice. “The Sentry left his bite behind.”

38

Lyra

Myrdan guards were tangled with Stav on all sides of the inner court procession through the streets of Stonegate.