Page 69 of A Vow of Embers

That made me feel better, but there was something else to consider. “How can you come back here as a servant when you are a princess? Especially when you’ve made vows to the goddess to serve in her temple?”

“We serve the goddess by keeping our vows to you and by protecting you,” Io said. “I don’t mind being a servant if it means you’ll be kept safe.”

Despite Io’s assurances, they were giving up a lot by coming here. Her, most of all. They were putting themselves in danger. It made me feel like I should pay it back in kind. They had no secrets from me andI should return the favor. I wanted them to know all of me and what I’d kept to myself.

To let them in fully.

But the prince chose that moment to enter the hall, quickly reminding me why I couldn’t.

“Little Bird?” he asked in disbelief. It was obviously his nickname for his sister.

The night I had snuck out into Troas to send a message to my family and he had found me—he had told me at the time that a “little bird” had told him about me leaving the temple. Io had admitted that she was the one who had told him and asked him to watch over me. I wished I had pieced things together earlier.

“Xander!” Io screeched his name and launched herself into his arms. He laughed as he twirled her around, kissing her on the top of her head loudly. The sight of them together, of him being so loving and affectionate with her, did something to me that I chose not to examine.

“Were you given permission to come visit?” he asked once he had put her back down.

“No, we are to stay on as Lia’s attendants until she returns to the temple.”

His face fell. “That will not be possible. You cannot stay here.”

“I can and I will,” Io answered breezily, not at all put off by her brother’s glowering demeanor or his intimidating voice. “We will take my old room. We’ll have some beds brought in for my adelphia.”

“Io, you can’t—”

“Parthenia!” Io called out, cutting Alexandros off and dismissing him completely. I loved her all the more for it because the look on his face ... oh, I was going to treasure that for a long time.

He glared at me, as if I were somehow to blame. He stalked toward me and then said with a growl, “You need to make her go back to the temple. Now.”

How had he decided that this was my responsibility? “Have you ever tried to make Io do something when her mind is made up?” Iasked incredulously. It was not possible. She was very like Quynh in that regard.

Anger flared in his eyes, turning his irises into golden flames. But instead of engaging in an argument, he turned to exit the room while muttering under his breath, “I am surrounded by the most bullheaded, reckless, willful ...”

But he could be as upset as he liked. I was giddy to have my sisters returned to me. It was then that I’d noticed what they had brought with them, which included several large clay vases. “Why did you bring all those amphorae?”

“Water from the fountain at the temple,” Ahyana said. “Maia doesn’t trust the cleanliness of the city water and she said she’ll send up as much as we need while we’re here.”

That seemed like an incredible waste of time and energy, but I wasn’t going to argue about it if that was the condition of having my adelphia with me.

Io was busy making plans with Parthenia and I followed them as they chatted in some sort of shorthand only the two of them understood. Instead of going into Io’s room, as I’d expected, we went into mine. Io began going through the things that Parthenia had ordered for me, saying what should be changed and what was acceptable, what needed more embellishments or adornments, while Parthenia kept track on a wax-covered wooden tablet.

“You should also order her some dresses in the Remulan style,” Io said. I didn’t know what that meant and it concerned me, given how excited Io was.

The opportunity to ask was lost since she’d finished going through all of my things and was now telling Parthenia the kinds of tunics and dresses she and the rest of the adelphia would need.

“You’re not going to wear the temple tunics?” I asked.

“We’re no longer at the temple,” Io said.

“But we’re not supposed to wear anything that’s too ...” Ahyana’s voice trailed off as if she couldn’t think of the exact right word to use.

“Vain?” Io finished her sentence. “Neither Maia nor Theano said anything about what we could or could not wear while we’re here.” It seemed as if Io had already thought of everything.

And as if she had purposely refrained from mentioning that particular topic to the temple priestesses so that she could do as she wished while they were at the palace. It was a reminder to me that although Io was sweet and sunny, there was also a level of deviousness and a tiny bit of ruthlessness as well.

Along with her close connection to her brother, it reminded me why I had to keep some things to myself.

Suri came out of the washroom carrying the scented soap and handed it to Zalira.

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