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“Would you walk with me tomorrow?”

“More trees that need cutting?”

“The east garden. There’s a pool where I used to float bark boats. I’d like to show it to you.”

“Will the dinner guests be watching?”

“Some of them stay in rooms overlooking it. We could go elsewhere.”

Vai considers that, then shakes her head.

“I’d like to see the garden.”

“After breakfast?”

“Yes.” She stands and gathers the stained sleeve away from her skirt. “I’ll wear something I can spill things on.”

VAI

Ireach the east garden before Daurek and spend five minutes regretting how eager that makes me look.

A stone bench stands beside the entrance. I sit, get up to look at the pool beyond the archway, and sit again when I hear footsteps.

It’s Reivaka, carrying a basket of pruning tools.

“He’s coming,” she says.

“I didn’t ask.”

“No. You stood up.”

She passes through the archway and leaves me to wait.

When Daurek arrives, I manage to stay on the bench until he reaches me. He has caught a small leaf between two of the branching tines above his forehead. I want to tell him. I also want an excuse to reach up and take it out.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“Long enough for Reivaka to enjoy herself.”

“She started before breakfast.”

I rise. He lets me enter the garden first.

The path curves around a shallow pool, then between old trees with broad, low branches. Moss covers the stone edging. Flowering vines climb wooden trellises along the side nearest the Heartwood, beneath a row of open windows.

At one window, the younger caravan factor from dinner looks down and quickly steps back.

Daurek notices.

“We can take the path beyond the hedge. The windows don’t overlook it.”

“I’d rather see the pool first.”

“Then we will.”

He walks beside me, shortening his stride without waiting for me to ask. I remember struggling to keep up with Neimura on the road and realize I’ve been expecting to do that again.

Daurek stops when I stop. When I bend to examine a purple flower, he waits.