Orvin kept talking, but his words became like buzzing in her ears. Marriage negotiations. For Tristam. Kyra was vaguely aware that she needed to say something, to pretend that what she’d heard was nothing new to her.
Orvin trailed off and squinted at her, and Kyra wondered if her attempt at a calm expression had worked at all. “That’s useful information,” she said. Before Orvin could speak again, she took out a bag of coins and pressed them into his hand. “I can’t pay as well as James, but I hope this will help.”
The pouch disappeared under his cloak with a smoothness that spoke of experience. “I’ll keep watching, and I’ll send word if I learn anything else,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Kyra. Somehow, she maintained her composure until Orvin had disappeared from view.
It was ironic how the conversation with Orvin had turned out. Kyra had expected to surprise him, had in fact worried that the shock would scare him away. But instead, Orvin had quickly adjusted to his circumstances, and Kyra was the one left in the alleyway, reeling at his words.
It made sense now, when she thought back to her past few days with Tristam. The endless meetings, the courtiers, his evasiveness at her questions.
Why hadn’t he told her? The reasonable part of her recognized that she had no right to be upset. She was the one who had cut things off in the first place. And yet…
Kyra dug her fingernails into her palm. Perhaps Orvin was wrong. How well could a turncoat servant be trusted? And regardless of whether the news was true or false, she couldn’t stay here and flounder. Ilona had sent word this morning that Idalee was ready to return home, and Kyra had promised to come get her.
She saw no sign of Tristam on her way to Ilona’s patient room, for which she was grateful. Idalee was already dressed and waiting for her, looking subdued but ready to go. The girl’s arm was in a sling. She was thinner than she’d been before, and her coloring was still pale, but Idalee was in far better shape than she’d been when she came in. Kyra gave the girl a careful hug.
“I’m glad you’re better,” she whispered.
“Idalee should be fine to walk home,” said Ilona. “Just make sure she doesn’t push her body past her limits.”
Idalee’s grip on Kyra’s hand tightened as they left the herb-scented safety of Ilona’s room and made their way down the stairs. The girl faltered at the building’s main entrance.
“Are they here?” Idalee asked.
It took Kyra a moment to realize whom Idalee was talking about, and when she did, she felt like the worst friend in the world. Here she’d been preoccupied about whether she’d run into Tristam, when she really should have been making sure that Santon and his brothers were nowhere in sight for Idalee’s departure. “I didn’t notice them on the way in,” she said. “We’ll go quickly.”
The girl’s features strengthened into resolve, but her eyes remained haunted, and it tugged at Kyra’s heart. This was the girl who’d thought nothing of attacking boys twice her size in order to protect Lettie, and now she was frightened even to cross a Palace courtyard. Kyra did her best to dispel the hopeless anger building in her chest. It would do Idalee no good.
There was no sign of Lord Agan’s sons as they stepped out onto the path. “All right so far?” Kyra asked.
Idalee nodded. Since they couldn’t walk quickly, Kyra pulled Idalee to the side to let two noblewomen bundled in furs go past. When they stepped back onto the path, Idalee said, “Look there!”