Page 70 of A Vow of Embers

“Getting to smell nice has been one of my favorite things,” I confessed. “Vanity or not.”

Io held up a dark blue dress of mine up to the light, inspecting it. “Daphne always says ...” She caught herself speaking about her old mentor as if she were still alive and started over. “Daphne used to say that it was an unnecessary luxury when we were surrounded by sweet-smelling flowers and that we shouldn’t try to compete with the goddess’s creations.”

I didn’t care. I was going to pack up an entire bag of scented soap when I returned to the temple.

IfI returned to the temple.

Io shook her head and then visibly brightened, as if she were putting on a brave face. “I’m assuming you’ve been enjoying your private washroom?”

“It is the only good thing about being married to your brother.” I immediately wished I could recall my words because I didn’t want to hurt Io.

But she didn’t seem offended. “Has it been difficult?”

“You have three other brothers. Surely you won’t miss the one if I kill him.”

“Unfortunately he’s my favorite and I’m rather attached to him,” she said with a smile, recognizing that I had been teasing.

“That is unfortunate,” I said. Then I thought of how difficult things really had been. My chin quivered; my throat ached. I hated being so close to tears. “I’ve been very lonely.”

She frowned. “You said you had to stay away from Quynh but I thought that you had at least spent time with her. Haven’t you?”

“No. Your brother won’t allow it.”

A determined look crossed her face. “We’ll see about that.”

Ahyana had flopped backward onto the bed I shared with the prince. “This is so luxurious. Do both of you sleep here?”

“We do.”

She turned on her side and flipped her braids over her shoulder. “And you two haven’t ...”

We all seemed to be skirting around certain things today. “I am untouched.” Not completely true, but close enough. I didn’t know if telling them about my naked escapade with Alexandros would scandalize or encourage them.

It could honestly go either way with this group.

Not wanting to continue down this path or answer any more questions that could reveal too much, I came up with a way to distract them. “But I might have pulled a sword on him.”

“You attacked him?” Io’s voice squeaked slightly.

“In a sense.” In every sense.

“I thought you had an agreement,” she responded in a worried tone.

“We do.” It had been foolish of me to risk Locris’s future just because he was infuriating. “But he makes me forget all of that.”

“Interesting,” Zalira said softly with a gleam in her eye that I did not care for.

I turned my attention back to Io because I no longer wanted to discuss Alexandros. “I’m just so glad you’re all here.”

My adelphia arriving had filled me with hope. Io would know how I should spend my days and I would have a sense of purpose again.And with Suri here—I would have to come up with a scheme so that she could search the treasury. It wouldn’t be easy to get her away from the others, especially with Io’s plan for them to all stick together, but I would manage it.

Zalira and Suri had gone off to investigate the washroom further while Ahyana sighed happily as she curled up on my bed.

“You may not continue to feel that way,” Io said. “Antiope told us to continue our daily training and Maia tasked me with taking over our education. Although now we’ll have actual books we can use! Did Xander give you access to my mother’s library?”

“No. He said while he’d agreed to do it, he hadn’t specified when.”

“Hmph. Another thing I need to discuss with my brother. I decided to concentrate my efforts on healing while we’re at the palace and I need her library.”