Page 76 of Legacy of Glass
“Slept all the way here?” Julius’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that even possible? It’s a long way from Thebarton to the Sovaran capital.”
“No one sleeps like Daphne,” Olivia responded. “But thankfully she’s too good-natured to say no to me.” She threw her cousin a grin, but Daphne just sighed.
“Here I thought I was finally going to get a break, but you’re just like Rosalie.”
Olivia laughed, flattered by the comparison, despite the small pang of jealousy at the mention of Rosalie. She had always been a little jealous of Daphne’s Glandorian best friend. Not just because Rosalie got to see Daphne in person every day, but because Olivia had wanted a friend like her in Henton. But from the stories in Daphne’s letters, there was no one quite like Rosalie.
They reached the first courtyard, and Daphne expressed suitable admiration, immediately lifting Olivia’s spirits once again. Her cousin had lived far from the Glandorian capital and had never been inside a palace before, so she was interested in everything they saw. The swell of pride inside Olivia grew at the chance to show her cousin her new home. It might be temporary, but she had come to feel a sense of connection to the palace and belonging with the whole community who lived and worked there.
When they reached the courtyard where both Julius and Olivia now started their mornings, they found Cade and Zane in the middle of a bout.
Olivia smiled, pleased to have run into the brothers so quickly. She sat beside the fountain, and Daphne sat with her, while Julius strolled closer to watch the bout from the sidelines.
“Fighting.” Daphne sighed. “The most fatiguing thing of all.”
“I think it’s interesting,” Olivia said. “Julius said he’ll teach me when things slow down in the winter.” She paused, wondering if she would even still be at the palace in the winter. She hadn’t thought of that when Julius was at her side, talking of future lessons while his eyes shone with warmth.
A shout from Cade drew her attention. She looked up in time to see him skip backward, barely escaping an attack from Zane. She cheered when he regained his footing and launched a counterattack, earning an enigmatic look from Julius. But she didn’t mind playing favorites when it came to Cade. Not only was he Julius’s closest friend, but he had been suffering for weeks under the weight of Marigold’s continued disappearance.
Zane threw a glance their way, his eyes lighting with curiosity when he saw someone new beside Olivia. But his inattention nearly cost him the bout, and he was forced to focus again on Cade’s attacks.
“That’s Lord Zane and Lord Cade,” Olivia said for Daphne’s benefit. “They’re the two sons of Lord Strathmore, who is—” She glanced sideways, and her words died.
Daphne was leaning against a small potted tree, to every appearance asleep.
Olivia shook her head wonderingly. How could Daphne possibly sleep through the sounds of the bout and her own cheering and chatter?
The bout finished with a neat move from Zane, ending with his sword point hovering lightly over Cade’s heart. Cade took the loss in good part, strolling toward Julius, his breath still coming hard. Zane followed more slowly, dipping his head in Julius’s direction.
“I’m glad you’re both here,” Julius said. “Olivia’s cousin has come to stay with her, and I wanted to introduce you before the reception tonight.”
The reception would be smaller than Olivia’s first soiree—held for the select group of nobles who maintained apartments in the palace. However, the guest list meant that despite its size, it would still include the most influential segment of Sovaran nobility. Thankfully that included the two brothers.
Between the queen’s lessons and the string of summer entertainments, Olivia had become familiar with every face in the Sovaran court. But she still felt most comfortable with the four men who made up Julius’s inner circle.
The girls her own age were invariably polite but kept her at a distance. She had sometimes wondered if they guessed her betrothal might not last, and they were reluctant to open their inner circles to an outsider until it was confirmed she was there to stay. Whatever the reason, she hadn’t pressed the matter and so was delighted to finally have Daphne for female company.
Julius led Cade and Zane over to the fountain. “This is Daphne.” He gestured at her before looking at her properly and letting out a crack of laughter.
Both Cade and Zane stared in silence.
“Is she…asleep?” Zane asked, shaken out of his languid drawl for once.
Daphne straightened, stretching her arms and yawning. She blinked several times and looked around.
“Is the fighting over?” she asked. “Good.”
Olivia choked down a laugh. “This is my cousin, Daphne,” she said. “She’s originally from Oakden.”
Immediate comprehension filled both men’s faces. Everyone knew the link between the Oakden Legacy and sleep. Cade gave Daphne a respectful bow, and Zane followed a beat later.
“It’s a pleasure to meet any relative of Olivia’s,” Cade said, and Zane murmured agreement.
The brothers didn’t linger long due to a scheduled meeting with their father, and after their departure, Olivia finally took pity on Daphne and led her to Olivia’s suite to meet Mildred.
Daphne was suitably impressed with the mouse, showing more enthusiasm than she had for Olivia’s human friends. And Mildred responded to her admiration, acting quite unlike her usual shy self.
“Did you know mice nap throughout the day and night?” Daphne said. “Very sensible creatures.”
