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“How are you feeling?”

“Full,” I said. “Satisfied. And tired. But good tired. For once.”

“Why don’t you take a walk through the city?” he suggested.

“Doesn’t that open up even more possibilities for people to see us together?”

“I won’t be walking with you. I’ll be,” he grimaced, “I’ll be watching.”

“So I’m going to take a walk by myself while you play bodyguard?”

“I’m notplayingbodyguard. I take that role very seriously.”

“Fine,” I said. “When’s our next training?”

“Tomorrow morning before dawn. I’ll bring you coffee.”

I tried to hide the smile forming on my lips. The idea of Rhyan’s coffee first thing in the morning—of Rhyan first thing in the morning—was the best thing I’d heard all day. But I was still annoyed at him for suggesting he revert back to being my bodyguard, even if I knew it was for the best and something my father and Aemon had ordered him to do.

“Isn’t that going to be suspicious? You showing up to my apartment first thing in the morning?”

He sighed. “With the new information we have about the akadim and the likelihood of the Emartis making another appearance in the next few weeks, I’ve been assigned to your detail every morning before dawn until you step foot in the Katurium. So I’ll be there no matter what. This way, there’s coffee.”

“Okay. Sounds good,” I said.

“When you walk,” he added, “just be careful of your surroundings. I’ll be with you the whole time even if you can’t see me. But the Emartis, they’re hiding in plain sight.”

Hours later, I was back in my apartment, snacking on leftovers Rhyan had packed me from the picnic and trying to catch up on some scrolls. The sun was setting, and I was ready to call it early and crawl into bed.

But there was another persistent knock on my door. I assumed it was Tristan coming to check on me. I was only just realizing now how odd it was that he hadn’t been over earlier in the day—unless I’d missed him. I had told him I’d be scarce, and he seemed to be respecting that, but I still had a pit in the bottom of my stomach whenever I thought about him.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by the brown hair and eyes of Ka Grey. Haleika stood impatiently in my doorway. For once, her expression was serious, her mouth thin and without joy.

“Can I talk to you, your grace?” she asked formally.

“Of course, Hal.” I gestured her inside and closed the door. “Do you want to sit?”

She shook her head, her curls bouncing. “I’m not staying. I only came to tell you something.”

I stopped breathing, waiting for her to speak.

“What I said earlier today, I was covering for you. Leander didn’t see Rhyan on the track with you—he didn’t see how close you two were. But I did.”

“Hal, I—”

“Did you tell him? Did you tell him we were there together?”

“No,” I said. “I didn’t.”

“I’m not blind,” she said, twirling a brown curl nervously around her finger, her cheeks red. “I know what you’re doing. And I know what it means. And what consequences there might be. To your place here. To his. To your place in my family, in my Ka.”

“Hal, no. It’s not like that at—”

“Don’t insult me, Lyr. We’ve known each other too long. I am trusting you to keep this secret because it’s the only way I’m keeping yours.”

“Hal, there’s no secret. I swear, I love—”

“The rumors have already started. They’ll reach Tristan soon. Or worse. Keep my secret, Lyr, or yours gets out.”