“They don’t,” interrupted Adale.
“Crown Princess, I mean no disrespect, but by your own admission, you cannot even sit through an ordinary evening service,” Esofi pointed out. “I hardly think you are qualified to judge.”
“And you are?” retorted Adale. “You’re not Iolar. You’re not Talcia. And you’re not Adranus. You’ve no right to claim your opinions are the same as theirs unless they’ve told you so themselves.”
“We have been granted magic so that we are constantly reminded that our influence upon Inthya is only due to the will of the gods,” said Esofi. “To alter the world in other ways is hubris.”
“That’s ridiculous,” said Adale. “We already create so much without the use of magic. Even you don’t use magic for everything. If I build a house without the use of magic, am I committing a sin?”
“That is not the same,” Esofi said impatiently. “Any peasant can build a house or at least learn how to. It is not some secret knowledge—”
“But why not?” pressed Adale. “Because we already understand it?”
“Yes!” said Esofi.
“But you wrote the new segment of the marriage contract yourself, didn’t you?” asked Adale.
“I did. What of it?” asked Esofi suspiciously.
“I could never do that,” explained Adale passionately. “I’m terrible with words, and even if I wasn’t, I haven’t the attention for such things. Writing anything longer than a letter is impossible for me.”
“That’s nonsense. You just haven’t been properly educated—” Esofi began.
“No,” interrupted Adale. “I think it’s because you’ve stolen forbidden knowledge or possibly been in contact with demons. Because if I don’t understand it, that’s the only reasonable explanation and now I must burn you.”
Despite herself, Esofi felt a laugh escape her mouth. Adale looked relieved at the sound. Perhaps she’d been expecting Esofi to yell at her instead. And perhaps Esofi had been intending to. She wasn’t certain.
“You’re right, you know,” said Adale after a short pause. “I probably am not qualified to speak about things like…this. But I think…I think if the gods really are watching us, I think they’d be proud of how much we’ve learned. I don’t think they want us to be naked, helpless children living in caves or, or being eaten by dragons.”
“I do not know,” said Esofi wistfully. “If only they would speak to me, things would be so much easier.”
“You seem to be doing well, though,” said Adale. “You’ve already accomplished so much, and once the contract is signed…”
“It may seem that way to you,” sighed Esofi. “But…you’re not the only one who is afraid. Sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve had all this training, but it was just that. Training. None of it has been real, until now. I keep expecting someone to announce that I am a fraud, but nobody ever does.”
“You killed real dragons, didn’t you?” asked Adale.
“Yes,” said Esofi. “But that’s…that was far more straightforward.”
Adale laughed.
“I mean it!” cried Esofi. “And even if I made a mistake, there were always other battlemages who could have stepped in. But treaties and contracts and laws aren’t like that. If I make the wrong choice, there will be no one there to protect us. I could doom us all so easily.”
“You are not going to doom anyone,” said Adale. “I can’t believe you could say such a thing about yourself. You’re more capable than anyone else our age in the castle! And, and besides, you’re not going to be alone. My parents aren’t going anywhere, and they have all their advisors, too.”
Esofi met Adale’s eyes and then looked down at her hands. “You know, though,” she said. “You know what I mean.”
“Yes,” said Adale. “But—but the difference between you and me is you’re incredible and I’m hopeless.”
Esofi laughed and hit Adale’s shoulder, lightly, with her fan. “Don’t be ridiculous!” she laughed. “If you were truly hopeless, your parents would not have made you their heir.”
“That’s complicated,” said Adale quietly.
“Listen to me,” said Esofi. “Maybe you’re not very good at reading and writing and memorizing facts. Maybe you aren’t blessed by any of the gods. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have other skills. Different skills. You only need to identify them.”
Adale swallowed. “Well, maybe,” she said, but the words came out strangely hoarse. She coughed a few times, as though there was something stuck in her throat. Before Esofi could ask if she was all right, they were interrupted.
“Crown Princess!” A maid was all but running toward them, her maid cap askew. Adale and Esofi both turned to look at her.
“What’s the matter, Runa?” Adale asked, stepping forward.
“Forgive my intrusion.” Runa curtsied at Esofi, and turned back to Adale. “Crown Princess, I have a message from Her Majesty. She says that you are to report to the throne room immediately to greet the Duke and Duchess of Valenleht.”
“Damn it!” cursed Adale. “And their children, too, I take it?”
“I am afraid so, Crown Princess,” said the maid.
“The Duke and Duchess of Valenleht?” asked Esofi. The titles sounded familiar, and she searched her memories. “That is…King Dietrich’s brother and his wife, is it not?”
“And the twins,” grumbled Adale. “My cousins. I know why they’re here. I just didn’t think they’d be so quick about it.” Her hands clenched into fists.
“Oh,” said Esofi. “Forgive me, but are these the same cousins that you wished me to consider marrying in your place?”
“By the gods.” Adale slapped both hands over her eyes and held them there. “I was hoping you wouldn’t pick up on that. Yes.”
Esofi felt an awkward tightness in her chest. It seemed quite likely that the twins had come immediately after hearing that it seemed Adale might not be marrying Esofi after all, perhaps to submit themselves as substitute candidates.
And there is nothing wrong with that, Esofi reminded herself. In fact, it is precisely what Adale had been hoping for.
But Adale seemed to be in the process of changing her mind. And Esofi…well…she wasn’t certain what she wanted just yet.
“But now I must go and see to this.” Adale shook her head in disgust. “I apologize, Princess. I wish I could have accompanied you today.”
“It is not your fault,” said Esofi. She hesitated. “Entirely.”
Adale took Esofi’s hand and raised it to her lips. The kiss was brief, barely more than a brush, but Esofi felt an odd lurch in her stomach at the gesture. Adale might have also squeezed her hand for just a moment before releasing it, but perhaps that was just Esofi’s imagination.
“Does this mean we don’t have to go to the temple today after all?” asked Lexandrie hopefully.
Esofi continued to stare down at her glove, as though seeing the ghost of Adale’s lips upon it. It was certainly not the first time someone had kissed her hand, but it was the first time she thought that someone might actually care for her in a romantic way.
“Yes,” said Esofi at last. For some reason, her own voice sounded odd to her ears. “I suppose it does.”
“Here, what’s the matter with you?” demanded Lexandrie. “You’d better not be getting stupid about her.”
Esofi snapped her head around to glare at her cousin. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about!” Lexandrie glared at Esofi’s hand as though she could see the warm spots that Adale’s lips and fingertips had left upon it. “You’re becoming infatuated simply because you think she might care for you.”
“Do not be ridiculous,” said Esofi. “It is a great deal more complex than that.”
“Don’t try to lie to me!” cried Lexandrie. “If she’s suddenly decided to act as though she means to court you, it means that she’s finally wised up to how much political power—”
“Political power? I am sorry. Are we discussing the same woman?” retorted Esofi.
“And who says she’s only acting?” piped up Mireille. “Maybe she truly does care for Esofi.”