EMILY WAS MILDLY DISAPPOINTED, WHEN SHE woke the following morning, to discover that Caleb hadn’t tried to sneak into her room. He’d said as much, but still…she shook her head, telling herself not to be silly. She wasn’t the only person in the room. The prospect of Caleb accidentally sneaking into the wrong bed was the stuff of bad romantic comedies, not real life. Frieda would be understandably horrified if Caleb climbed into her bed.
She washed, changed into a new dress and then checked the chat parchments. Alassa, Jade and Imaiqah had written brief replies, but they were clearly distracted by greater matters. The Gorgon had added a reply of her own, talking about a new piece of magic that linked into some of her older spellwork. Emily couldn’t help feeling a flicker of wistfulness as she read her words, then added a comment. She hadn’t had the time to explore new spells over the past few weeks.
And Caleb and I have to continue our project, she thought. It would be harder, she thought, now they were sleeping together. How are we supposed to remain focused?
Frieda came out of the bathroom, wearing a long, dark dress that fell to her ankles. She’d clearly put some effort into her appearance, something that surprised Emily. Frieda was pretty enough, in her own way, but she rarely bothered trying to enhance her looks with charms or beauty products. She couldn’t help wondering if Frieda was trying to impress someone.
“You look good,” she said. “Are you meeting someone?”
“No.” Frieda colored. “I just thought I should try to look better if I was walking next to you.”
Emily looked down at herself. The blue dress was one of ten that had been chosen by Queen Marlena, after her first attempts to clothe Emily had ended poorly. It suited her, Emily felt; it drew attention to her face and hair without being too tight around her bust or hips. And yet, it was hardly fancy. The only thing that made it stand out from something Karan or Marian would wear was the expensive cloth, which wasn’t noticeable unless someone happened to touch her sleeve. She could walk through the city without attracting attention, just another unmarried girl of marriageable age. She’d just have to keep her hair hidden behind a small glamour.
“I think you look fine,” she said. She held out a hand. “Shall we go downstairs to breakfast?”
She wasn’t surprised, when she reached the bottom of the stairs, to discover that Sienna and Caleb were chatting quietly. Emily couldn’t help wondering precisely what they’d been talking about. Caleb’s mother might have decided to caution her son against kissing her, as well as everything else. Or she might have sat him down for a long talk about the courtship and precisely where he saw it going. The thought caused her a bitter pang. Casper’s death had changed so much. As a younger son, Caleb’s marriage wasn’t important; as the oldest surviving son, his marriage would shape the future of the entire family.
Which isn’t just the general and his wife, she reminded herself. There’s an entire clan of magicians who might be affected.
“Please, eat.” Sienna waved a hand towards a plate of bread and honey. “I believe the honey comes from Cockatrice.”
Emily nodded, meeting Caleb’s eyes. He looked embarrassed, suggesting that she was right to worry about what his mother had told him. She forced herself to look away as Sienna hurried out of the room, leaving the three of them alone. A moment later, Karan entered, yawning loudly as she took a seat.
“We’ll buy some fruit on the way,” Caleb said. He took a piece of bread and slathered it in honey. “And we might as well take some bread too.”
“The god will appreciate it.” Frieda chewed her bread with every evidence of enjoyment. “It’s very good.”
“We have a good cook.” Karan glanced at Emily. “Try not to let my brother eat too much outside the house. There’s a big meal this evening.”
“She means she wants you to take me for lunch so there’s more food for her,” Caleb said. He sounded more natural, now his mother was out of the room. “But we could go visit one of the new burger bars if you wish.”
Frieda snickered. Emily rubbed her forehead, embarrassed. She’d founded the burger bars – or at least she’d introduced the concept, when King Randor had given her Cockatrice. It still amused her, in so many ways, that burgers and pizzas had become luxury foodstuffs all around the continent. Fast food still wasn’t particularly fast – it would be years before the Nameless World had anything to match McDonalds or Pizza Hut – but it was clear evidence of the changes she’d wrought.
“I might enjoy it,” Emily said.
“They’ve become places for youths to hang out,” Karan informed her. “I go to the nearest one whenever I come home.”
Caleb grinned.
Emily washed her hands and checked her appearance as soon as they finished breakfast, then followed Caleb and Frieda onto the street. It was nearly ten o’clock, local time, but the streets were already crowded. The street magicians were doing their best to attract attention, casting brilliant spells into the air; street sellers were calling out to passing tourists, inviting them to sample their wares. The racket was deafening. Emily checked the charms on her money pouch carefully – Lady Barb had warned her that the streets were often teeming with pickpockets – and then placed another charm on herself. Anyone who tried to touch her without permission would be in for a nasty surprise.
She forced herself to remain calm as the crowd shifted around her, making way for a black carriage and two horses. The driver was cracking a whip loudly, waving it around as if he intended to start flogging the crowd. Emily half-expected to hear people screaming in agony, then be forced to watch helplessly as the rest of the crowd attacked the carriage, but it seemed the driver had just enough sense not to actually hurt anyone. She couldn’t help wondering why the passenger didn’t simply get out and walk. The streets were so crowded that getting from one side of the city to the other would be easier on foot.
“That’s one of the guildmasters,” Caleb said, when she asked. “They’re the only ones allowed to use carriages at all times.”
Frieda bumped against Emily. “Perhaps we should have waited for another hour,” she said, as they elbowed their way through the crowd. “The streets would be calmer then.”