For the next few days, Kiva couldn’t sneeze without Caldon being close enough to offer her a handkerchief.
Each morning, they continued their training, with Kiva only surviving the new sword practice thanks to heavy doses of Rhess’s pain-killing muscle relaxant. As soon as Caldon declared their sessions over, he barely gave her enough time to clean up and change before he was upholding his promise to Jaren by whisking her off into the city.
Kiva didn’t have a spare second to even try to sneak away, and while she’d experienced no further magic bursts in that time, she was increasingly aware of the power lurking beneath her skin, like a whispered reminder that it was there — and it wanted out. Recalling how her mother had apparently used “little magics,” Kiva wondered if doing the same might help keep hers from bursting free. But the fear of discovery kept her from any such attempt, and she cast the thought from her mind.
When Saturday morning arrived — five days since Jaren’s departure — Kiva was desperate enough to hatch a drastic plan. Jaren had said he’d be away for four days, possibly more, and that meant he could return at any time. When he did — along with Naari and Captain Veris — it would be so much harder for her to leave the city undiscovered.
During her brainstorming, she’d considered using Silverthorn as an excuse again, just like when she’d snuck away to Oakhollow. But with Caldon shadowing her steps, she knew he would only follow her. Even so, Kiva had decided that the academy would still help her evade the prince, if in another, more extreme way.
The first part of her plan began when she finished her morning training and Caldon revealed the places he planned to take her that day, starting with the Temple of the Forgotten Gods, then heading over to the Singing Gardens. After that, they would take a dip in Sarana’s Baths, and finish with a hike up the Warrior’s Steps to catch the sun setting over the city.
Kiva felt tired just thinking about it all, and she used that emotion to turn pleading eyes on him and say, “Do you mind if we stop at Silverthorn on our way? I want to pick something up.”
“Are you being vague on purpose?” Caldon asked, running his fingers along his wooden sword.
Kiva placed her hands on her hips and shamelessly lied, “I was trying to spare you the details, but since you’re such a busybody, I have cramps and want to grab some moonflower.”
Caldon frowned. “You should have told me earlier. I would have gone easier on you if I’d known you were in pain.”
“I’m in pain every morning with you,” Kiva returned, feeling a sliver of guilt at his unanticipated compassion. “You’ve never cared before.”
“That’s different,” he said. “And you know it.”
If Kiva had been suffering from her monthly cycle, she might have been emotional enough to hug him. Instead, she swallowed her gratitude and agreed to meet him after she’d bathed.
The second part of her plan took place when they arrived at Silverthorn, with Kiva loosing a relieved breath at seeing Rhessinda sitting on the same bench as the first time she’d sought the healer out.
“Do you mind giving me a moment with her?” Kiva asked Caldon, gesturing toward Rhess. “I, um, just want to talk to her about some of my, uh, symptoms.”
The prince seemed surprised by her fake embarrassment, and she swore inwardly, realizing that, as a healer, she should have been perfectly at ease talking about all bodily functions. Thankfully, Caldon let it go and halted on the path, leaning against one of the stone arches to wait.
Kiva hurried straight over to Rhessinda, who stood upon her approach.
“What’s with the royal bodyguard?” she asked, tossing her ashy braid over her shoulder.
“Not a bodyguard. More a well-meaning but frustratingly clingy babysitter.” Kiva shook her head. “Never mind about that, I need your help. Can you take me to the apothecaries’ garden?”
Rhessinda didn’t waste time asking questions. “Sure. It looks like you’re in a rush — we can cut straight across the sanctuary.”
Kiva turned to Caldon, miming that she would be back in a few minutes. Part of her was surprised he didn’t follow when she and Rhess set out across the grass, but then she reminded herself that she wasn’t a prisoner — Caldon was spending the day with her to keep her company, something that he thought she would want. That Jaren thought she would want. At any other time, she would have been humbled by their thoughtfulness, and for the hours Caldon was sacrificing to show her the beautiful city.