Page 45 of Beneath the Haunting Sea

He smiled back. “In the meantime, you can take Avial out whenever you like. I don’t have the time to run him every day. With all that energy, he needs it.”

“So do I.”

He laughed.

Theyworked in silence for a few more minutes, and then shut Avial back in his stall.

“Are you really going to marry Wen?” Caiden blurted.

She looked up at him. His jaw was hard in the lamplight, rough stubble showing dark against his skin. “I don’t want to, but the Empress has ordered it and your father said he’d throw me out of the house if I didn’t agree.”

“Damn the Empress—this is why we needto reclaim Enduena!” He softened. “And I would never let my father turn you out.” He touched her cheek, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She felt herself grow still at his touch—her breath, her pulse, her whole body. She stared into his eyes and wanted, very badly, to kiss him, to feel him wrap his arms tight around her like he’d done before her ride.It would be wrong,her braintold her,you’re engaged to his brother. But I was forced into it!cried the other part of her.It shouldn’t even count!And then Ayah’s insistent voice:Kiss him and find out, you ridiculous mongoose.

He edged closer, his face only a few inches away. Her heartbeat thundered in every part of her.

“You’re very beautiful, Talia of Enduena.” His voice was quiet and rough.

“I’m betrothed to Wen,”she said without conviction.

He touched her cheek and pulled her softly toward him. “I don’t want to talk about Wen right now.”

“Neither do I.”

He pressed his lips against hers and she lost hold of everything, words and breath and even time, her whole being wrapped up in the sensation of kissing him, his warm fingers tangled in her hair.

Gray, midmorning light filtered in through the musicroom window, and Talia stood in the doorway, playing with the material of her patterned gown. Wen was sitting behind the not-harpsichord in the corner. He looked incredibly tired, dark smudges beneath his eyes, and she felt for him—she hadn’t slept at all last night either. She flushed. She hated herself for being there, for what felt like her betrayal and the realization that it would hurt him,if he knew. But she couldn’t regret the stolen kiss. She couldn’t regret how she felt every time she thought about Caiden. It was a forced betrothal, she repeated over and over in her head—she wasn’t betraying anyone, she wasn’t breaking any trust. The words she’d spoken to the Baron in the dusty ballroom hardly counted.

“Wen?” she said after a moment.

He jerked his head up, startled. “Whatdo you want?” he asked wearily.

“You weren’t at breakfast.”

He glanced out the window, then back at Talia. “I’ve been up most of the night. Hadn’t realized the time. Come in, if you like.” He stood and bowed politely, though it was clear his mind was far away.

She stepped into the room, glancing around at the crowded shelves, the haphazard collection of flutes and drums and viols, the long-deadfire. “Can you play all these instruments?”

Wen shrugged. “I made some of them.”

She was impressed. “What’s the one in the corner called?”

“A raina. It was my mother’s. She sent for it all the way from Od. She almost attended University herself before she met my father.”

Dozens of sheets of music were spread out on the instrument, and Talia realized, with interest, that Wen’s fingers werecovered in ink. “You’re writing something.”

“I’m always writing something.”

She came closer. “Will you show me?”

He picked up one of the pages and handed it to her. She could read a little music, thanks to her extensive schooling in Eddenahr, but the staves and notes dancing before her eyes were too complex for her to properly comprehend. “Will you play a little?”

He took off his spectaclesand rubbed at his eyes. “It won’t sound right on the raina. It’s written for a sixty-five piece ensemble.”

“I’m sure you could play some of it. Please?”

He studied her with his owlish blue eyes, and looped the spectacles back around his ears. “Very well.” He sat down at the raina and settled a few pages on the stand. Then he put his fingers on the keys, and began to play.

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