Page 3 of Ties of Dust

“You won’t be alone,” Flora said passionately. She knelt at her friend’s side and clasped her hand in a reassuring gesture. “I will keep you safe, Miriam, I swear it.”

Miriam returned the pressure gratefully. “You know I appreciate it, and unlike all the fools in the guardhouse, I don’t doubt your abilities. But the journey to the border is one thing. We’ll still be in our own lands when we meet the Carrackian delegation, and the betrothal won’t technically be formalized yet. We’re still very much under Father’s authority. But once I’m married, I’ll be subject to their king’s control. You may not be allowed to accompany me.”

Flora frowned, not liking that idea. “I’ll follow in secret if I have to,” she declared.

Miriam gave her a look. “I think you did enough sneaking around at the academy to last a lifetime. Don’t get yourself into trouble on my account.”

Flora had no intention of promising any such thing, but Miriam didn’t give her the chance to say so.

“You need to think about your own future,” the princess went on. “Your own life. You can’t spend it following me around forever.”

Flora shook her head. “Why shouldn’t I follow you to Carrack? It’s not as though there’s anything keeping me here in Sindon.”

“You’ve been invaluable, Flora, don’t sell yourself short,” Miriam said. “I’m sure there would be a prestigious role for you in the castle here if you wanted it.”

“No.” Flora almost laughed at that. “Your parents tolerate me because I’m useful to you, but there’s no way they’d offer me a role once you’re gone. And I wouldn’t want it if they did.”

Miriam frowned, but before she could respond, there was a knock at the door. The sound elicited a sigh from the princess, and Flora rose to her feet. She stepped back as a veritable sea of maids and attendants poured into the room, subjecting Miriam to a final examination.

Flora bowed respectfully to the lilac-swathed figure who swept in behind them. The queen even smelled like lilac. She was wearing a rather chunky necklace that didn’t compliment the neckline of her gown at all, and her fingers were adorned with a dizzying number of rings, but she carried herself with enough grace to make observers inclined to ignore these lapses in taste.

“Miriam.” The queen beamed at her only daughter. “You look stunning, child. He’ll be smitten.”

Miriam gave her mother a look. “It doesn’t really matter if he’s smitten or not, does it? This is a political marriage—I didn’t think either my romantic notions or Prince Cassius’s entered into the decision.”

“Not into the decision, no,” the queen agreed sagely. “But into the marriage, yes. Take it from me, it helps if your husband is a little bit smitten from time to time.”

Flora hid a smile. It was hard to imagine Siqual’s stately and serious king being smitten over anything, but she’d have to take the queen’s word for it. She pulled her jacket tightly around her, raising the fitted hood that obscured much of her face. Unlike Miriam, she hadn’t dressed to stand out.

Miriam didn’t reply to her mother’s declaration. Her expression resigned, she rose to her feet. As she did so, the sweeping sleeve of her gown caught a glass jewelry stand and sent it toppling over the edge of the dresser.

Flora responded instinctively, her training rising to her aid. Her mind was always aware of movement in the area,and she didn’t have to actually think about it in order to focus in on the magic stirred up, not by the movement of Miriam’s arm or sleeve, but by the movement of the falling item itself. Flora’s awareness latched on to the magic and directed it, creating a cushion that caused the glass stand to float softly to the ground, unharmed.

“Oh, clumsy me!” Miriam exclaimed. Her gaze flicked from the glass stand to her friend behind her. “Thanks, Flora.”

“Ah.” The queen eyed Flora with a more reserved expression. “You’re here, are you? Very good. I understand His Majesty has approved you to accompany the princess to the meeting point?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Flora bowed her head respectfully.

“Of course she’s coming, Mother,” Miriam said in impatience. “She’ll travel with me all the way into Carrack. And I still don’t understand why we have to go to a meeting point so far away. Can’t the Carrackian delegation come here to the capital?”

“It’s a show of goodwill to meet on neutral ground,” the queen said. “And heaven knows we need all the goodwill we can get. There’s already enough suspicion on both sides to make navigating this alliance complex. This is a small price to pay, especially given we will still be meeting within our own borders. I don’t see why it need trouble you. Your betrothal ceremony will happen back in Carrack, but you will of course return here for the wedding.”

Miriam sighed at the prospect but didn’t protest. She just made for the door, her silken skirts swishing as she walked. It was a gorgeous gown, Flora reflected, as she walked behind her friend. Impractical, but gorgeous.

She noticed Miriam looking wistfully around her as they walked through the castle, and she felt a pang for herfriend. Even though they would be back, it would only be for the wedding, after which she would leave Siqual for good. Even Flora felt the bittersweetness of the moment. She’d enjoyed her time at the castle. She would be sad to say goodbye to the place.

When they passed through the largest of the interior courtyards, Miriam paused near the huge central fountain, Flora alongside her. The fountain was a work of art, a chiseled stone pillar rising from its center and branching out at the top like the petals of a giant flower. Around the edge of the basin, the stone was carved into the shape of many anzu birds ringing the pool, some taking flight, some perched, some preparing to pounce. Water fell from various levels of the stone pillar, so that the room was filled with the musical tinkling of water.

Flora and Miriam both watched in silence as a dozen real, living anzu birds frolicked in the basin. They were curious creatures, about the size of a small dog. Their bodies were fully avian, with talon-tipped feet, and sleek feathers they delighted in grooming with their long tongues. But their heads were feline, reminiscent of the kitchen cats kept by the cook to keep the castle’s rodent population at bay.

As they watched, one of the anzu birds spread its wings, soaring up to perch on a tiny stone spout that projected from an upper section of the pillar. Another followed it, settling on the spout below.

The first anzu bird opened its mouth, pausing to look around with its slit-like eyes to ensure it had been noticed. Flora rolled her eyes, even though she couldn’t help smiling. The castle anzu birds were incredibly domesticated and absolutely adored an audience. They were beloved—it was a point of pride that most of thePeninsula’s anzu bird population was found within Siqual’s borders.

Satisfied that enough people were watching, the anzu bird opened its mouth and mewed. The hissing, angry nature of the sound gave Flora a split second’s warning of what was coming. Her eyes confirmed it as the anzu bird’s meow turned smoothly into a small spurt of flame that issued from its open mouth.

At once, the other anzu bird began to purr, the sound growing quickly into a soothing mewl that—to no one’s surprise—morphed into a spout of water. The water doused the flame in one go, putting out the bright spot and restoring the courtyard to its state of peace.

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