“What if I don’t know what I want?” Staring at her, I pressed my lips together so tightly I was certain they had turned white.
“Then I pray you have the courage to look deeper.” Her pale gray eyes roved my face. “That will be a harder challenge than swinging any sword.”
Vellia had always been loving, but hard. She’d trained me to be a warrior with the same fervor she’d trained Briar to be a princess. My appreciation for that now bubbled out. Briar’s tittering laughter filled the air as I wrapped my arms around Vellia, giving her one last hug.
“I’ll try,” I whispered. “Be well, Vellia.”
“Be brave, my dear.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, my shoulders straightening as I marched down the stairs. It was time to prove my worth to my pack.
A shadow appeared over me. “You okay, little fox?”
I lifted my wet lashes to find those gleaming brown eyes. “Yes.”
Grae’s lips curved. “Liar.” He lifted his knuckle and wiped a stray tear from my face. My cheeks burned. I hadn’t realized I’d been crying. “I’m sorry you have to leave your home. I hope you’ll be happy in our new one.”
Our.
Grae’s heavy stare weighed on me.
Briar stuck her head out of the open carriage window. “Calla, let’s go,” she said, straightening the hood of her cloak.
I noticed the golden door of the carriage in front of us waiting ajar. “You’re not riding with us?”
“Briar said you got little sleep last night. It’s a long journey to Damrienn. You two should rest,” Grae said, pausing when I didn’t reply. “Unless . . . you’d like to ride with me?”
My heart faltered at his question. A whole coach ride with just the two of us. I was about to open my mouth to agree when Briar popped her head out of the carriage door again.
“Cal, come on,” she demanded.
I rolled my eyes. It would’ve been a terrible idea, anyway. I felt embarrassingly out of control around him, and now I wouldn’t have the wine to blame.
Grae grinned at my sister’s antics, giving me a wink that made my whole body tingle. “I’ll speak with you after we arrive in Highwick?”
I nodded, cringing at myself as Grae strode away. I climbed into the rounded belly of the carriage, sitting on the crushed velvet bench beside my sister. Satin cushions sat on either end and gold filigree papered the walls. It was the most opulent space I had ever been in . . . and this was just the carriage.
I adjusted the neckline of my cloak as Maez’s face appeared in the window. She had short-cropped hair, light golden brown skin, and a mischievous twinkle in her hazel eyes. Her lips twisted into a smirk.
“Ready, Your Highness?” she asked Briar, casually leaning her forearms through the open window. Her eyes lingered on Briar before she peeked at me. “It’ll be about six hours.”
Briar pursed her lips, pulling Maez’s attention back to her with ease. “Are you driving the carriage?”
“No, Your Highness, I’m just riding with Hector.”
“Why don’t you ride with us?” Briar offered, gesturing to the empty bench.
I cut my sister a look that I knew she was ignoring. She’d told Grae we wanted to sleep and now she was inviting company into our carriage? Briar waited for Maez’s response with innocently raised eyebrows.
“Oh.” The guard’s eyes widened as a grin stretched across her face. “Okay, I’ll grab my satchel.”
As she retreated from the carriage window, I elbowed Briar in the ribs. “What are you doing?”
“Ouch,” Briar snapped, though we both knew I hadn’t injured her. “I just wanted some entertainment on the long ride.”
“I thought you were going to desist with that form of entertainment now that Grae is around.”
“Can you blame me? Look at her! Besides—” Briar shrugged. “Grae and I talked last night.”
“When?” Mouth agape, I glared at my sister. “What does that mean?”
The door opened.
“It means we talked last night,” Briar muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
Plastering that queenly smile back on her face, she greeted Maez.
As the guard sat across from us, my mind spiraled. What had Briar and Grae talked about? What agreement had they reached, and had it something to do with this mysterious suspicion of Grae’s? My nerves were as tight as a bowstring, ready to snap.
“Did you grow up in the capital?” Briar asked, breaking into light conversation.