CHAPTER 8

The universe was against her. The stars she adored cursed her. She knew it without a doubt in her mind because this day couldn’t possibly get any worse than it was now.

Kyler was there leaning against the gate. But next to him was-

Alec.

She groaned in annoyance but still made her way to the gate, her footsteps announcing her arrival. They both looked over at her when they heard her coming. It was Kyler, eyes lighting up with mischief that had her eyes twitching, who said,

“Ready to go?” he asked. She nodded before glancing at Alec, saw him with an unreadable expression on his face.

She was about to ask what he was doing here but then scoffed at herself. Who was she kidding, he might have followed them here. But he only said,

“I’ll take you back to your manor,” and moved to open the door of the carriage that stood there waiting. Unmarked. A hired carriage then. He seemed adamant about hiding himself.

“No need,” she said, her voice devoid of any emotion, her voice an octave lower than usual. “We’re fine as we are-”

“I wasn’t asking,” he answered back, opening the door and gesturing inside. “And unfortunately for you, M’lady, your guard has already agreed. You’re outnumbered. Inside,” he stated.

She glared at Kyler who raised his hands in surrender before sitting out next to the coachman. Her eyes ticked in annoyance but clenched her fist by her side. Even that was weak.

She ignored the hand Alec offered her and slumped inside in the far corner of the carriage.

He got inside and thankfully kept his distance. Then they were moving. She sighed and rested her head against the side of the carriage, gazing out the window.

She glanced at Alec who was looking outside as well, his face still not showing anything, lost in thought.

She asked in a low voice, the only thing she could muster right now as she looked back outside. “Did you follow me here?”

A moment of silence in which she thought he wouldn’t answer. Then, “When you and your sister got up and left so abruptly, I got worried. Clearly something was when you decided to step out of your carriage and storm off into the streets.”

She turned her head towards him slightly, head still leaning against the wall of the carriage. “I’m a stranger to you as much as you are to me. You had no reason to get worried.”

Something ticked in his jaw, as though he wanted to say something but decided against it. “I met you last night. It's enough for me to get worried.”

“It really isn’t.”

“Does it matter?” he almost growled, jaw clenching.

“You don’t even know what happened,” she countered.

“Lady Maren mentioned someone she shouldn’t have,” he shot back, looking at her, grey eyes bright. “I believe that's enough information.”

She paused, looking away. Then sighed and put her feet up on the seat, her back fully resting against the wall of the carriage, her head resting against the cushion of the seat, arms wrapped around herself.

He didn’t so much as blink at her. Only raised a brow but gave her a small smile, slumping in his seat as well.

They didn’t talk for a while after that.

Then she needed to distract herself from all the thoughts swirling in her head. And the rattling of the carriage or the muffled noise of the crowd outside didn’t do that for her.

She drew designs on the seat cushion beside her head and asked, “Your friend there, in the coffeehouse.” He looked over at her. “I’ve never seen him before,” she finished, turning her attention to him. He knew what she meant. She knew everyone, rather she interact with them or not.

He ran a hand through his black curls, pushing them off his forehead. Not that it worked, they fell right back. And damn her for turning her attention to his biceps and how they flexed when he did.

“He's not from here.” She tilted her to the side. “I mentioned I’ve been away last night. I’ve been to lots of places in that time.” He thought for a moment. “Iyan is someone I met along the way, about five years ago.” He shrugged. “He came along, having decided he had nothing better to do with his life.” He scoffed a laugh, shaking his head, a small smile on his face.

He glanced back at her. “We’ve been friends ever since.”

“You’ve been gone a long time then,” she stated rather than asked.

He nodded. “Indeed. I’ve been gone for, say, seven years.”

“Are you glad to be back then? Or is it better being a wanderer?”

He laughed slightly, shaking his head, an almost sad expression on his face. “I…” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t leave for good reasons. I had to get away at the time, distract myself. My mother saw it too, since she was the one to send me away. I knew I was going to come back, however.”

“That unfinished business,” she remembered. He nodded, in thought.

So she doesn’t know why she said it but she did. “When Val died,” he looked up at that, something like shock written on his face and…pain? Sadness? It didn't surprise her that he knew. She ignored it and continued. “My father sent me away as well. If only so I could get outside the manor on top of other things.”

“Where?” he asked, nothing but pure curiosity on his face.

She shrugged, chuckling. “I have no idea, honestly. But she…she was a friend of his of sorts. No, friends are a long shot. They had a mutual friend actually. He used to send me there for weeks. The time I spent there got shorter as the years went on. Now I have to nearly beg him to let me go there.”

“What did you do there?”

“Training. A lot of it. She taught me so many different of things. There’s another girl there my age. Her niece. We both got in and out of trouble together. She’s my best friend, actually.”

Nobody, she meant it, no one knew about Nora. She told him as much. “You can’t tell anyone, though.” She gave him a pointed look that should say enough. “Not a soul.”

He put his hands up in surrender. “I wouldn’t dare, Lady.” But there was no mockery in those words. They were genuine. Huh.

The carriage stopped a moment after. He got out first before Kyler even reached the door and held it open for her. He didn’t offer a hand this time.

She could have smiled had it been another day. But for now, she just nodded in thanks as she climbed out of the carriage.

She looked up at the double door of her house. She grimaced at the thought of what awaited her on the other side of them.

Perhaps she can just go straight to her room and no one will run into her. That seems easy.

Except it wasn’t. She thanked Alec again, who just nodded when she turned and walked up the steps and into the manor.

He didn’t leave until she shut the door behind her.

She looked at Kyler, glared at him. He gave a nervous smile. “What? You know how long a walk it would have been? Besides, I like him. Very down to earth. And knows the best taverns in the city. Even invited me to join him next week-”

She slammed her heel onto his foot, making him yelp in pain. She dug a little harder, twisting her heel before letting go and making her way up to her room.

“I’m going to regret a lot of this, aren’t I,” he wheezed, rubbing his foot before walking a good distance behind her. “I’m sorry, though,” he apologized.

She didn’t say a word. He sighed but kept silent after. She was about to get away with going directly to her room.

But as she had said, this wasn’t her day. Lyra’s door opened and she cringed internally when she called after her, “Verena?”

She took a breath, and straightened her face before looking over her shoulder and raising a brow at her.

Lyra blinked, and went into her room for a moment before coming back out and walking towards her. She turned, facing her. “I won’t ask.” Thank heavens.

“But I am sorry. I won’t make you go with me if Maren is there again.”

“And let me know beforehand?” she added.

Lyra breathed a laugh. “Of course. Also,” she handed her the book she had forgotten at the table in her rush to leave. “Calista came by to check on you. And to give that to you since you forgot it. I told her I’d take care of it.”

She took the book from her, nodding. “Thank you,” she said.

Lyra shrugged, turning away. “No one knows what happened, by the way. So don’t worry about being bombarded with questions later at dinner,” she said, walking back to her room and shutting the door behind her.

Kyler came to stand next to her, “Well, that was rather nice of her.” She glared at him.

“Unlike you,” she said, walking to her room and slamming the door shut behind her. A silent order for him to shut up.

She heard his groan of frustration behind her. Smiled wickedly at the sound.

She waved Adeena off when she came to help her change. She’ll do it herself. And she didn’t wish to talk.

She tugged her heels off, undid her hair, and washed. Then changed into a simpler dress.

She slumped onto her bed after she was done, curling up next to her pillow.

Her gaze landed on the book she had left on her nightstand.

Nothing better to do, she thought, reaching out and grabbing it. She sat up and crossed her legs, opening the book to the front page-

A paper fell out as she did. She reached for it, setting the book aside.

No wonder. She scoffed at his antics, opening the paper when the door creaked open. She shoved the note under her pillow just as Cathan poked his little head into her room. How had she not heard the door to her chambers open?

He smiled at her cheekily before coming inside her bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He was carrying the box of desserts she had brought for him.

“I heard you came back and I thought we could eat them together?” he almost asked. He held up the box as an offering, a look of unsurety on his face.

She smiled at him, patting the space on her bed before her. He grinned and ran over, setting the box down between them.

“You waited to eat these?” she questioned. She knew the answer. He didn’t but clearly held back a little.

“No, I had one,” he said, glancing around. She raised a brow. He huffed, the gesture so adorable she wanted to reach over and pinch his cheeks. “Fine, three but I saved the good ones for you,” he said sweetly, opening the box and pointing them out. “See, I left the ones you like the most.”

Could her heart melt? It definitely felt like it at the moment. That was more than most would try to do for her. But that was all she needed.

He looked at her hopefully, as if she was mad, to begin with. She smiled at him, pinching his cheeks, unable to resist. “Thank you,” she said, moving one of the chocolate pastries towards him.

His smile was enough to lift her mood.

She took a lemon tart from the box and took a bite, glancing down at the book next to her. Cathan followed her gaze. He was about to talk over a mouthful but then a knock on the door outside.

She got up, went out of her bedroom and into the outer chamber. She opened the door.

Cathan’s nanny. She looked worried but she hid it well. She was taught to be able to read peoples emotions, no matter how hard they tried to hide them. And she was taught well.

Verena smiled reassuringly at her, nodding her head inside and opening the door to let her in.

She came in cautiously. “I suppose he ran off when you weren’t looking again,” she joked, leading her inside. She gave a nervous chuckle.

“Apologies M’lady.”

She shrugged. “What’s your name?” she asked. She was a year or two younger than her, pretty too.

She bowed her head. “Olivia, M’lady.”

She nodded. “Right. Olivia. Don’t worry about him running off at times. Children tend to do that. No need to beat yourself over it.”

“But her Grace…” she trailed off, thinking she spoke out of line.

There we are. “The Duchess is always,” she waved a hand in the air, looking for the words. “Overprotective of him. And Lyra as well sometimes. Ask any of the older servants, or those working here for more than a year. You’ll get used to it.”

Olivia opened her mouth to say something but then stopped. She simply nodded at her to go on.

“But not you?” she asked, curious.

She wasn’t even bothered. Because the feelings the dearest duchess had for her were well known to her. And unfortunately for the woman, the feelings were more than mutual.

They bordered on pure hatred.

“No. I get all that from my father, however. Mother never bothers with me, not that I do either.”

She nodded to her bedroom, silently telling her to go inside. She did with her following a step behind.

Cathan sat where she left him with a mouth covered in chocolate. He gave them both a guilty smile before saying he’ll wash and running off to the bathing chambers.

“If you don’t say anything to anyone else about it,” she said, lifting the box and setting it down near the fireplace that had long gone cold. There was a small table there with couches and two armchairs opposite each other. “You can stay.” She pointed at one of the couches before her.

She hesitated but sat down just as Cathan came back and sat down next to Olivia, his tiny hands already reaching for another pastry.

“Carefully,” she told him. He nodded. She nodded at Olivia. “Have some,” she offered, sitting down herself and going on to finish her lemon tart.

Olivia looked at her, shocked for a minute. “I’m serious,” she whispered, Cathan too enchanted by his chocolate to pay anyone and anything and heed. The girl didn’t move, hesitant still. Verena got up them, and picked up the box, holding it out for her. “Take it. We have enough each day. Cathan can’t eat them all. And honestly, no offense, you look as though you need it more than we do.”

She was quiet, an unspeakable emotion in her eyes.

She slowly reached into the box and took one. Satisfied, she set the box down and sat back down on the armchair.

“Thank you, M’lady,” she said in a voice so low, anyone else might not have heard her.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing”

—

After they left, she made her way to her bed to take out the note she had hidden.

Opening it, she read,

Keith's Park, tomorrow night at ten?

Whether you decide to come or not, I’ll be waiting by the fountain.

She blinked. Then blinked again.

That was not what she had expected.