Venla was thirty minutes into getting me dressed and had only used two of her signs to ward off the evil of my hair when someone knocked at the door. Assuming it was Davin, I called out for him to enter and was surprised to see the duke’s brother there instead.
“Good morning, Lord Theodore,” I greeted, before Venla roughly directed my face back toward the mirror.
“Good morning, Princess,” he replied after a moment, his voice sounding a little uncertain. “I came to fetch you for breakfast, but…” He trailed off, and I felt more than saw him watching me.
Venla finished tying off the last ribbon in my hair, doing a far better job of keeping my long curls at bay today by allowing the lower half to flow freely down my back. As a bonus, my skull wasn’t pounding from the strain like it had yesterday.
“But?” I asked.
Theodore cleared his throat and shook his head slightly.
“But, I’d hate to tear you away…from all the fun you’re having.”
I huffed a small laugh and glanced up at him to see if he was being serious. Spending time in Venla’s company was far from anything I would consider fun.
“Indeed. I’m not sure I could be pulled away from such a joyous start to my day.”
If I thought Theodore could laugh, I might have imagined that he chuckled in response. But that would be ludicrous.
“Speaking of joyous starts to the day, I thought I would have to drag you out of bed kicking and screaming this morning,” he replied in his thick accent.
“You’d enjoy that, wouldn’t you?” I fired back.
Venla gave one of her signature scandalized gasps, but Theodore only squeezed his eyes shut in exasperation.
“I only meant that you seemed unhappy last night.”
“Well, my fate has not yet been sealed. There is still time to convince this Summit that I am infinitely better alive.” I sighed. “And, if I’m bound for the gallows, I hardly want to spend my final days sulking in my room. I would rather live while I still can.”
Theodore’s head tilted ever so slightly to the side, bafflement widening his bright hazel eyes.
Venla muttered something under her breath and turned to face him. They spoke briefly in Socairan before she dipped into a curtsy and left, making sure to leave the door open wide as she went.
I looked after her with a rueful shake of my head. “I believe you mentioned breakfast?”
This time, we didn’t go to the large dining hall.
Instead, Lord Theodore took me down the hall we had toured yesterday to a bright and airy room. A small, circular table sat near a bay window overlooking the grounds below.
Once again, the autumn trees were on display in their full glory, sparkling under the morning sun. Even without my extra awareness of the weather, it was clear the day was going to be perfect.
A pang went through me when I thought of the Autumn Festival back home. It was my favorite one of the year, full of sticky, candy-colored apples and pumpkin bread my mother spent days with us baking for the whole village. Every year, the farmers had a contest to see who could create the best maze through their cornfields.
No matter which way things here went, there was no way we would be at that festival this year.
A servant pulled a chair out for me at the table. The sound of the heavy wood scraping against the stone floor made me reluctantly tear my eyes away from the window long enough to take my seat.
Soon after we sat down, Davin joined us, followed by Iiro and Inessa. Despite the more intimate group, our meal was once again a somber affair. Especially since none of the delicious biscuits from the day before were present.
However, Theodore somehow managed to refrain from telling me to use my only spoon to eat my dark, tasteless porridge, so I supposed that was an improvement.
Halfway through breakfast, a servant approached and leaned down to quietly speak to Theodore in Socairan. The lord nodded noncommittally until the last thing the servant said made his lips twist in distaste.
“All of the birds have returned with affirmations,” he said to his brother, once the servant walked away. “Except for Bear, who merely thanks us for the invitation.”
The duke rubbed his temple and sighed. “Must they always be difficult?” He gestured irritably for the next course. “Regardless, all that matters is that they received it. Even they can’t refuse a summons to the Summit.”
“I’m sure that rankles at them,” Theo said. “You know how the duke is.”
“And Evander is even worse,” Iiro muttered.
Theo nodded, his jaw clenched.
Davin and I exchanged a look, but no one expounded on that. Breakfast resumed in the same tense silence with which it had begun.
Once the dishes had been cleared from the table, Lord Iiro addressed his brother.
“Theo, you will keep an eye on our guests today while I prepare the convoy.”
“Theo?” I asked before the lord could respond.
His shoulders stiffened, and a hint of red crept into his cheeks.
“Lord Theodore is fine,” he responded flatly.
“Lord Theo it is.” I beamed at him, causing a muscle in his jaw to twitch.
Iiro made a show of scratching his beard, but it was clear that he was hiding a smile behind his hand.
“So?” he pressed.
“Of course, Your Grace. I would…love to.” Theo’s features said otherwise, but his brother didn’t comment on it.
“Excellent,” Iiro said.
“Excellent,” Davin echoed, with a wide grin, his mood having improved somewhat from yesterday.
Inessa, of course, said nothing.
Excellent, indeed.
