“It was a pleasure having you all here. Regrettably, I won’t be able to make the party, but happy Geivhrea, and send the king and queen my regards.”

Kerrigan tucked the brooch into her pocket and then pulled her father into a final good-bye. “Will I see you in the city again?”

“Yes, I’ll return with the snow melt. You can’t keep me away.”

She smiled. “Good. Perhaps we can do more of this.”

“I’d like that.”

He released her, and she hastened up to her room to change into her riding outfit. Mereda had already directed for her bag to be packed and taken to Tieran. When she arrived, Tieran, Netta, and Evien were clustered together, as if gossiping. Fordham stood stoic next to Netta while Audria chatted endlessly with March. As soon as he saw Kerrigan though, he broke off with Audria and came to her side.

“I rode here with Audria, but I would prefer to return with my betrothed,” he said with a wide smile. He truly was incredibly handsome. More so than she ever remembered. As if Bryonica suited him more than anywhere else in the world.

“How do you find dragon riding?”

He wrinkled his nose. “It wouldn’t be my first method of travel. I’ll always prefer a horse, but I can’t deny how fast it is.”

“Certainly,” she said.

Her eyes found Fordham’s in the distance. He waited for her to break off the engagement, but she couldn’t do it here. Then, she’d have to ride all the way back with him in their party. She’d do it after.

“Of course you can ride with me.”

Having March at her back for the entirety of the flight felt like a violation. It wasn’t that he’d ever done anything precisely wrong to her in the present. It was her memories of him that stabbed at her mind. It was unfair to assume he was the same person when he’d shown no such inclinations, but she loved Fordham, and having March’s hands at her waist made her feel slimy.

They landed in Belcourt Palace before lunch. March looked a little green in the face when he clumsily dismounted from Tieran’s back. Tieran huffed in irritation and then flew away with Netta and Evien.

“That was bracing,” March said. “I don’t know how you do that all the time.”

“It’s my favorite thing in the entire world.”

“Well, probably because you grew up with those people.”

She blinked. “What people?”

“Oh, you know, in the House of Dragons rather than nobility.”

She visibly bristled at his choice of words. “Why would that matter?”

“I mean that you had more time for dragon riding and less time for things that really matter.”