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“Here you are, Mama.” Meliora spoke to her with a softness no one else received. “Do you need help?”
“No, celesi.” She squeezed her fingers. “I will manage.”
Celesi.Treasure. We were all Mama’s faywens, but only Meliora was her treasure.
This did not fill me with jealousy—only sadness. Mama did her best to love Meliora twice as much to make up for what my sister did not receive fromhim.
A fist pounded on the door, snapping both our heads up. Meliora and I exchanged a look.
“What?” A mother’s eagle eyes missed nothing. “What is it?”
“Nothing, Mama.” I got to my feet and tucked the sheets tight around her. “You eat. I’ll see who’s at the door, and get them acquainted with Savia’s wrappings if they dare shove another recruitment letter in my face.”
A chuckle sounded from beneath the blankets. “There’s that fire.”
I mouthedstay hereto Meli and left, softly closing the door behind me. Our small little hut claimed only two bedrooms. One for Mama and one for the young children. I picked up Jac’s andGisela’s bowls and sent them all to their room. I crossed to open the—
The door banged into the opposite wall, rattling half off the hinges. A man in a silken tailored coat stepped over the threshold, wiping his hands on his coat as if the mere act of his magic touching our home sullied him.
His coldly handsome face swept our living space, his mouth curling up at the edges.
I wished I could stop describing him at cold, but there was no denying that Kirwan Dawnbreaker was the handsomest of men. Streaks of silver wove through his raven locks, giving him distinction instead of age. Lily pads floating in a clear stream did not come close to the crisp green of his eyes, and when he smiled at those he deemed worthy of his attention, the wonder of his full lips and teasing amusement knocked you on your back.
Yes, Kirwan earned the turned heads he collected everywhere he went, and it wasn’t just because the hem of his coat was lined with coudarian crystals bigger than my fists.
He was handsome. But to me, I’d never seen a more hideous creature in all my days.
“Where’s the girl?” he asked by way of greeting. Kirwan pushed me aside and came in. “I told her to be ready.”
“Which girl are you referring to?” I got in front of him, halting Kirwan with his mere refusal to be touched by me. “There’s no girl here who answers to you.”
Kirwan looked me up and down, then dismissed me. “You will be silent, kakka. You were not given permission to address me. Meliora? Meliora! Get out here now.”
The hairs on my neck stood on end, giving rise to choking rage. It was one thing to be called kakka by a squawking man-boy covered in baby waste, but for the likes of Kirwan to call me such?
Kakka was the worst of insults. Scrapings from a horse’s hooves. Flies that feast on rotted dung. Old chamber pots left in the sun. All of these had more value than you.
“There is only one kakka in this room, and for all his money and station, he’s little more than a soulless broker.” I sniffed. “What am I saying? Even brokers have more honor than you. They don’t barter with their own blood!”
Meliora’s father stiffened. “How dare you. The girl is stepping up in service for the king himself. It is her honor and her duty to aid in the union that will bring our kingdoms together.”
“Strange how her honor and duty fattensyourcoin purse. You wouldn’t deign to remember her name otherwise.”
Kirwan brushed a thumb over the crystal on his chest, and I went flying.
Screaming, I was blasted off my feet and thrown onto the table—tipping us both over with a resounding crash.
“Haeowen!”
“What’s going on!”
Meliora raced out of the room amid Mama’s shout. She ran to me and Kirwan snatched her off her feet, hauling her back by the wrist.
“Let’s go. The carriage is waiting.”
“No, please!” Meliora strained against his hold. “I don’t want to do this. Please, don’t make me, Kirwan. Please!” She cried in earnest. “They’ll kill me!”
My head lolled, wetness running down my forehead. “N-no...” I tried to get up and pitched forward on my face. “Stop...”
