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Three Royal houses.

* * *

Summer in Forsythhas this smell to it.

It’s a warm scent, a little musty with every breeze carrying a tinge of the river algae. Even though I can never handle it, always burning pretty much instantly, I’ve missed the sun. Tipping my face up, I let it warm the bridge of my nose, already knowing my freckles are going to come out in full force.

“You little fucker.” Beside me, Effie walks the length of the shovel I’ve set up for her as a perch, her head jerking with each syllable. “Little fucker.”

I give her a stern look. “I see Mama taught you some new words.”

She trills before squawking, “Cute little fucker.”

Laughing, I realize, “Thawed her heart, huh?” Which I already figured out, considering the frown Mama gave me when I went into her office to snag the cage.

I give her head a gentle pet. “It’s just too nice of a day to be cooped up inside, isn’t it, Effie?”

“Effie is a pretty bird,”she agrees, her mimicry of Pace’s voice the best out of all of us.

I’m careful not to exert myself, sitting on a pillow as I use the pruning shears to lop off a thick stem. The whole concept of bed rest is torture, even if it’s only for two weeks. I spent six days in a hospital bed, and not long before that, five days in the dungeon. The last thing I want to do is waste away in another small room.

Not when there are important things to do.

“Verity?” The voice doesn’t surprise me, nor does the long, charged silence that follows it. But what surprises me least of all is his next words, delivered with a long-suffering sigh. “You’re supposed to be in bed.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I see Lex putting his phone away.

Something tells me his brothers won’t be far behind.

“I’m taking it easy,” I explain.

Helpfully, Effie adds, “You little fucker.”

Lex’s eyes cut to the shovel, a touch accusatory considering it doesn’t even have dirt on it. He sighs, descending the steps slowly, his footfalls heavy. “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”

“Honestly?” I look around at the solarium. The dahlias Wicker gave me are looking bigger than ever, their petals fanned out dramatically. “I thought Pace would have seen me.”

Effie jolts at his name, zipping down the length of the shovel. “Pretty bird?”

Lex approaches me, bending to carefully take the shears from my hand. “He hasn’t bothered setting his equipment back up, seeing as how…” He waves vaguely, inspecting the bed of nettles. I can see the question on his face before he even gets it out. “How is he?” he asks, eyes dropping to my belly.

Humming, I reply, “Are we going to pretend like you haven’t been looking at my records?” I hope the sly look I give him lessens the sting of the accusation.

His mouth twists wryly. “I know the vitals and prognosis, but not… not how hefeels.”

The statement, spoken so stiltedly, but so earnestly, makes my chest clench. Softly, I say, “He’s been moving.”

Lex’s head snaps up, eyes flashing in shock. “Really?” Then, his face falls. “I missed it.”

I’m just about to tell him how new it is when another voice sounds from the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” Pace asks, voice deep and tinged with fear. But as soon as he says it, Effie is flapping her wings wildly, clumsily flying to his shoulder.

“Pretty bird,” she squawks, the words rushing out so fast, they’re barely intelligible. “Good girl.”

If there was any ice around my heart, it melts at the way he greets her, a painfully tender smile on his face as he touches her. “Hey, hey, girl,” he coos. “Miss me, huh?”

She jerks her head. “Cute little fucker.”