Alabaster Cities (Kings and Thieves Book #2)

Chapter 10

Aveline's patience wore her guard down. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude. Thank you for understanding."

"It's alright."

Lyla ruefully lifted her shoulder. "And... I know we're here on assignment, but I'm looking forward to seeing Verignes."

Aveline's grin bloomed, dimpling her cheeks. "Oh, Lyla, it's absolutely breathtaking; exactly how it's described. The people are so lovely and cultured- oh, and they have this magnificent church on the road to the main village; the ceiling is entirely mosaic-'

Lyla let herself relax into Aveline's comforting chatter as she regaled her with whimsical stories of the kingdom. Lyla's mother, her suitors, the glaring worry that she wasn't going to be enough- that was all behind her. There were beautiful places and exciting adventures to come. Only looking ahead, from now on, Lyla thought to herself.

Eventually Aveline wandered over to the diamond-paned windows and pulled back the curtain. Lyla stabbed her fork into her egg and forced herself to take a bite.

"Did Ari finish his errand?" She teased around her contemplation of her breakfast, but Aveline seemed distracted as she gazed outside of the castle.

"Um, yes."

Lyla, mid-bite, swiveled around to see what she was looking at. A dusty brown carriage was leisurely pulling up to the castle.

"There's Inez." Aveline grabbed her shawl from where it hung on the back of her chair. "I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you." Lyla swallowed the last gulp of water in glass. "I wasn't going to eat this, anyway."

The sun was still nowhere to be seen as Lyla trotted down the front steps of the palace, trying not to trip over herself as she followed after Aveline. They reached the gates just as Inez climbed out of the carriage, slapping away the hand of a guard who tried to help her down.

"Did everything run smoothly?" Aveline demanded, without so much as even a hello.

Inez's eyes slid quickly to Lyla, and then back. "Yes."

Lyla looked behind Inez to the empty carriage. "Where's Ari?"

Inez and Aveline exchanged glances, and Lyla wondered why they thought she wouldn't notice.

"He's meeting us at the docks," said Aveline. "We'll have to leave soon. Wouldn't you like to say goodbye to your mother?"

Lyla scrunched her hand in the folds of her skirt. Was it bad, if the answer was no?

All the Grand Duchess had told her at dinner the night before was to socialize with the Verignes monarchy, and not to forget to pinch her cheeks every morning to add color. "I don't want to see you return wild and vulgar like those vagabonds you hang around," she'd said, staring at Aveline and Ari across the room who, at the time, had busied themselves with throwing shelled almonds at each other. "And be careful," she'd added. That last bit was so sweet that Lyla didn't want to talk to her now and risk ruining it.

Queen Rowena had told her to look after Ari and Aveline; to make sure they weren't breaking any laws, and such. Lyla had promised her she would try, though she wasn't sure she could make the two of them do anything.

Tristran and Ben came out with Jamie to see them off soon after, once they were finally sure that they hadn't forgotten any last-minute belongings. Tristan gave Lyla a tight hug, and she was so surprised she found herself fighting back tears.

"Good luck," he whispered, giving her shoulder a final pat before pulling away to fix her with a serious stare. "If you need anything, just write."