But because the bloody man was intent at all times—and in all ways he could—to protect her.

She was a goddess-damned Nadirii for fuck’s sake.

But would Chu let her take the risk and not risk himself, or instead, divide their efforts and go find someone else to spy on?

No.

So he was there.

She couldn’t see him.

Fortunately, no Go’Doan could see him either.

But she knew he was there.

She also knew she found this protective bent endearing.

She had no idea why. It made no sense in the slightest.

But it made her feel like she felt when she was home, by herself, next to a creek after she’d had a swim, and she was lazing in the sun.

It was a romantic notion, and she wished to hate the very fact she had it.

She simply…

Didn’t.

This was only partially on her mind for also on her mind was trying to listen, since the priest they’d ambushed was in a chamber just beyond where she was sweeping.

But the bloody door, not to mention the walls, were too thick.

She couldn’t hear a thing.

She suspected the other priest he was with in that chamber, which was the one he’d been walking with the night they’d set upon them, was also of The Rising.

She suspected this because, outside of those two, the temple was vacant.

It was Prince True’s wedding day.

It seemed the entire city was festooned with streamers, the air had smelled for days of leaf cakes baking, and excitement was heightened day to day with extraordinary occurrences so now it was at a fever pitch.

First, there was Mars and Silence arriving in the city to great fanfare then proceeding to take it by storm, appearing so often (to the glee of the citizens of the Thicket), it seemed they had to have been cloned.

And then there was her bloody sister and Cassius coming with a parade of Nadirii warriors behind them. The spectacle of a contingent of the Nadirii Sisterhood with its princess and the Prince of Airen at the lead was blathered about like the Great Goddess herself had led that parade.

Not to mention Aramus and Ha-Lah arriving at sail down the Great Wohd with an impressive armada in tow under a sun darkened by a sky filled with dragons.

Bloody dragons!

Where had they gotten dragons!

The town was agog and remained so, unsurprisingly, for the dragons were lolling about on a sparsely forested rise north of the city and you could see them from anywhere in the capital. Not to mention, one, or two, or twelve would often take flight apparently just to spread their wings. And when they did, it didn’t matter who you were or what you were doing, they were dragons, they were magnificent, so you stopped, looked to the skies and watched.

In awe.