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We both freeze, listening. Alexei whispers. “Do you—”

“Shh,” I say. Then I point.

Right around the corner, on the flowering path leading to the barn, Mirdza and Grigoriy are walking, hand in hand.

“It’s precisely because I love you so much that I want to marry you,” Grigoriy says. “And this time, I really think you’ll like the ring.”

Mirdza drops his hand and puts her hands on her hips. “Grigoriy Khilkov, I already told you. If you propose to me one more time, I’m going to dump you.”

“But your best friend’s married,” he says, “and even your idiotic sister—”

Mirdza pokes him in the chest with her finger. “Don’t call her that.”

“You do all the time.” He scowls. “Why can’t I?”

“I can call her idiotic because she’s my twin, but you don’t get to insult her. It’s not like she’s your sister-in-law.”

“Yet,” he roars. “And about that, if you would just agree to marry me.” He drops to one knee, and he holds up a box. “At least look at this one.”

“I can’t believe we’re breaking up,” Mirdza says. “I warned you, and I warned you, and you insist on making things difficult with another stupid proposal.”

Although this is quite entertaining, it feels like an intervention might be in order.

“Mirdza?” I say.

Both of their heads whip toward me. “Adriana?”

“And me, too.” Alexei’s grin is a little smug, but I can’t fault him for that. “What was that you were telling me this morning?” He coughs. “About how I needed to man up, I believe were your words?”

Grigoriy’s hands curl into fists at his sides. “What I said was true.”

“And yet, the manliest man I know. . .just got dumped while on one knee? Or did I misread some part of that?”

Alexei’s about to get us stabbed. I drop one hand on his wrist. “Hardly helpful,” I hiss. “Alright, Mirdza. How about you and I chat while these two think about how many years they’ve been friends.”

Mirdza’s scowling when I drag her over near the blooming bushes on the side of the mansion. “What on earth are you doing?”

“He’s just proposing because both of his friends have,” she says. “And I don’t think there’s any reason for us to be in a rush.”

“Let’s review,” I say. “There’s a maniac who’s trying to take over the world and making good progress, there’s your recent miracle healing, there’s the ongoing threat of attack from who knows where, and oh, yeah. Your mom’s getting older, and tomorrow’s never guaranteed.”

“Yes, but none of that is a reason to be hasty about—”

“No.” I shake my head, and then I glare. “You told me I was running away.”

“You were.”

“And you’re just as bad!” I soften a little. “I know it’s scary.”

“Martinš held it together until they were married,” Mirdza says. “What if Grigoriy changes?”

“Did Aleksandr?”

Mirdza frowns.

“Do you think Alexei will? He was just telling me how I should just let him go, now that he’s a weakling disappointment—no throne, no water powers. He thinks I should dump him.” I can’t help laughing. “As if the only reason I loved him is that he could make it rain.”

Mirdza’s laughing now, too. “It is nice having money for the first time ever.”