“You—you bought me a horse?”
He laughed. “Nothing but the finest for Enduena’s next Empress—and I didn’t think I’d ever get Avial back, otherwise.”
She placed one hand on his chest, barely able to make out his face in the darkness. She breathed him in. “Thank you.”
He wrapped his free hand in her hair. “I missed you,” he murmured back as he pulled her face to his.
But she jerked away, Wen’s guarded expression printed behind her eyes, Blaive’s claim ringing in her ears. She couldn’t kiss Caiden. Not here. Not like this. “I have to talk to you,” she said, urgently.
His fingers found her neck, warm and smooth and wanting. “Talia—”
“Caiden?”
He quickly dropped his hand, and Talia turned to see Blaive standing on the steps, light from the house pooling around her. She’d taken off the hat and looked smaller without it. Younger, too. She couldn’t be a day over eighteen.
Caiden stared at her, shock apparent on his face. “Bl—Blaive,” he stammered, gathering himself enough to offer her a bow. “When did you—how long have you—” He looked at her helplessly, one hand still loosely holding his gelding’s reins.
Talia stared, too. What had Blaive seen? What did she think had happened?
“I came to—I came to see you.” Blaive’s face was open, her chin trembling. “I’ve only just arrived.”
Caiden gulped, still staring uselessly. He stood up a little straighter. “Well, I am—I am of course very—”
Ahned stepped into the drive behind Talia, his face impassive. “Shall I take the horses, my lord?”
“I uh—that is—” Caiden clenched his jaw. “Yes, Ahned. Thank you.”
Caiden passed the reins over and Ahned led the horses away, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath about never having had such a full stable before.
For a moment, Caiden and Talia and Blaive just stood there, all looking at each other in abject confusion.
And then Caiden strode into the house without another word to either girl.
Talia ran after him, catching his arm halfway up the stairs, pulling him around to look at her. All of her forgiveness had evaporated. “What’s going on? Who is she? What is she doing here?”
“Talia, not now.”
She glanced down to see Blaive watching them from the vestibule. Talia clenched her jaw, and yanked Caiden on up the stairs to the first landing, out of Blaive’s sight.
“Talia—”
“Who is she?”
Caiden grimaced, rubbing at his eyes. “She’s an old family friend. We grew up together.”
“Are you engaged?”
“What?”
“Blaive says you’re engaged.”
“Talia, I haven’t seen her in two years.”
“Are you engaged?” she repeated, practically shouting at him. Caiden frowned. “No. No, of course not.”
Talia took a steadying breath, nodded. “Do you love her?” She knew one kiss and one almost-kiss didn’t give her any kind of claim on him, but she asked anyway.
Caiden shook his head, a frown pressed between his eyes. “I certainly thought I did, growing up. But I don’t now.” He smiled, a flash of white teeth against perfect lips. “Honestly, I haven’t thought about her in a long time. A banished Empress from Enduena distracted me.”
“Then you meant it.”
“Meant what?”
“Kissing me.”
He laughed. “Of course I meant it. I’m rather afraid I might be falling in love with you.”
Her stomach dropped into her toes. “But what about Wen?”
Annoyance flicked across his face. “What about him?”
She thought about Wen pulling her out of the temple, sitting with her in the parlor until she’d calmed down, giving her that one unfettered smile. “We’re betrothed.”
Caiden smiled, reaching out to touch her face, brushing one finger against her cheek. “Then we’ll have to remedy that.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
UP IN HER ROOM, TALIA SCRUBBED THE dirt off her hands and changed into a fresh gown. It was silver, with elaborate beading at the high waistline and airy capped sleeves shaped to look like flower petals. She plaited her hair into a single braid that she wound around her head and pinned clumsily. Then she sat staring at herself in the mirror.
Everything tangled together in her brain: Wen pulling her out of the temple, Blaive claiming to be Caiden’s fiancée, Caiden saying he was falling in love with her. Her mother, trapped and tormented beneath the sea, never at rest, never at peace. She couldn’t quite shake that thought away, no matter what Wen said.
There came a sharp rap on the door, and Lyna poked her head in. “Forgive the intrusion, Miss Dahl-Saida, but the others are holding dinner for you.”
“Thank you.”
She rose slowly from the stool and went down to the dining room. Wen and Caiden scraped back their chairs and stood, bowing politely. Wen’s eyes sought hers and she met them for a moment before glancing at Caiden. Had his taut frame relaxed a little at her arrival, or was she imagining it?
The boys resumed their seats, and Caiden looked at her with a hesitant smile.
Ro and Lyna came bustling in, pouring tea and wine and serving dinner: hot soup with a gamy meat, and sweet-nut bread.
Talia wasn’t hungry. She was hyperaware of all three of them: Caiden’s smoldering eyes, Wen’s quiet grimace, Blaive’s nervous energy. Talia sipped absently at her soup.
“You’ve grown, Wendarien,” said Blaive suddenly, breaking the palpable silence. “I think you’re taller than me, now.”
“It is two years since we saw each other last, Lady Nahm-Aina,” Wen returned, politely.
“Has it really been that long?” Blaive shook her head and forced a laugh. “I can’t believe it. Caiden looks the same, anyway. Have I changed at all, Lord Estahr-Sol?”
Caiden glanced at Blaive, and Talia felt herself tense. He couldn’t possibly be immune to her careful beauty. “I hadn’t noticed, my lady.”
Blaive wrapped one elegant hand around the stem of her wine glass. “I didn’t quite catch your history, Miss—what was it?”
“Dahl-Saida,” said Talia coolly. “And I did not catch yours.”
Something in Blaive’s glance wavered a little, but she simply lifted her chin higher and turned her attention back to Caiden. “My family has been friends with Caiden’s ever since I was small. I spent nearly every summer here, and Caiden spent a few at Shold House on my father’s estate. Do you remember that year my mother gave a party in our garden?” She smiled at Caiden, her eyes softening. “We spent days making paper lanterns, and then the dogs got into the house and spoiled them all. My mother was so upset but you just laughed, like it was the greatest joke in the world. Do you remember that?”
Caiden flicked his glance from Blaive to Talia, and back again. “I remember.” He attempted a smile, but it came out more like a grimace.
Talia stamped down her discomfort. For a moment, her eyes met Wen’s.
“We were happy then,” said Blaive quietly.
Caiden set his jaw. “That was a long time ago. I hope I have long since learned the rules of propriety.”