Page 4 of Shardless (Tempris #1)

-From the personal notes of Ivain Castaro, Marquess of Tempris

The 32 nd day of the month Meridian, during the 250 th year of the Empty Throne

It’s been a long time since I took the time to write down my thoughts, but today is one of the worst days I can recall in recent memory. Taly, my little one, is gone. She ran away during the night while everyone was asleep.

I’ve always known that she would want to assert her independence one day. Human lives are so fleeting, and they leave their families so young, so much sooner than any fey could ever dream of sending away a youngling. I knew that when we took her in. I knew and yet now that the moment is here—I wish we’d had more time .

We are all devastated, but Skye is taking her departure the hardest. He believes that the incident in the training yard yesterday afternoon is to blame and set out to find her. Those two have always had a very special bond, ever since we first brought Taly back to the manor. I fear he may have a difficult time adjusting to not having her here.

Sarina is making her own inquiries into where Taly may have gone, and considering my sister’s connections, we should know something soon. Though Taly is stubborn and headstrong—would probably refuse my help if I offered outright—I have no intention of letting her leave my care completely unaided.

Skye let out a sigh of relief as he watched Taly march ahead of him. He’d done it. He’d actually managed to sweet-talk the little hothead into coming back to the manor. When Sarina had suggested he hire Taly as a guide, he’d thought she’d finally lost her mind. And when she still insisted on going through with her plan even after Taly had hidden underneath a tarp just to avoid talking to him, he’d thought the noblewoman was just in denial—too stubborn to accept the fact that the two children she raised together were no longer friends. However, not for the first time, he realized he needed to stop doubting his old governess’ schemes.

Falling into step beside her, Skye eyed the girl walking next to him nervously. Taly was clearly irritated with him, but that wasn’t anything new. When they were growing up, she was always mad at him for one reason or another. And to be fair, he had usually done something to deserve her ire.

He shouldn’t have goaded her today—that was on him. Granted, his apology for what he said all those months ago was completely sincere. When she had first left the manor—no explanations, no goodbyes—he had said some things that he truly regretted when he finally managed to track her down. She had refused to come with him, and he had not taken it well. Still, his own remorse aside, that didn’t mean he hadn’t enjoyed seeing her get flustered when he took away her reason to be mad at him before her anger was completely spent.

“So,” Skye said, plastering on a smile as they turned onto Harbor Manor’s private drive. Taly walked beside him, her hands stuffed in the pockets of an oversized coat that made her look far younger than her 21 years. “How have you been?”

“Fine,” she replied in a clipped tone.

“That’s good,” he said, unfazed by her surly attitude. At this point in their relationship, he was well acquainted with her moods. “I heard you took up salvaging. How’s that working out for you?”

“Great.” Again, she kept her eyes trained on the road ahead, and her voice held a note of irritation.

Skye’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. “Good to hear.” When she still showed no indication that she was going to pick up the thread of the conversation, he tried again. “I tried writing to you at Jay and Laurel’s tavern, but my letters got sent back. Did you move? Where are you living now?”

“Nowhere,” she said immediately, still refusing to look at him .

“Really?” Skye exclaimed with feigned enthusiasm. He smiled when he saw her start in surprise. “What a coincidence! I love Nowhere. My family has business dealings with the Noones—lovely people, by the way—so I visit all the time. There’s this little bakery at the corner of None of Your Business and Uncomfortable, Stony Silence that sells the best pie. I really think you’d love it.”

He thought he saw the corners of Taly’s mouth twitch, but he also could’ve been imagining it. Her posture remained stiff and tense, and she continued to stare straight ahead, pretending to ignore him.

Kicking at a rock on the side of the road, Skye sighed as he pulled at the lapels of his greatcoat. They were approaching the outer edge of the manor grounds, and tiny bell-shaped blooms blanketed either side of the gravel road. Though it was a little late in the season for snowdrops, it seemed even the manor itself was trying to thaw the girl’s icy demeanor. Taly had always had a special appreciation for the little flower. For years, Sarina helped her plant countless bulbs at the first signs of spring, and they had eventually enlisted Skye’s help as well. As time passed, the snowy blossoms had completely taken over the surrounding area.

Looking down at his silent companion, Skye felt a twinge of irritation. Maybe he’d been wrong earlier. Maybe the little brat did need goading. After all, if she wasn’t going to make any effort at playing nice, why should he?

“You’re not in the talking mood. I get it,” Skye said, waving a hand. “That’s no problem. Since it’s been a while since we’ve gotten a chance to catch up, why don’t I tell you about everything that’s happened at the manor since you’ve been gone?”

Taly huffed as she finally turned to glare up at him through narrowed eyes.

“I’ll take that as a yes!” Skye proclaimed enthusiastically. “Let’s see… where to start? Sarina took up knitting a few months ago. That’s been interesting. There’s yarn everywhere now. I know you were always a bit allergic to wool, so watch out for that. And then… oh, shit! Oh no…” Skye brought a hand up to cover his smile when he saw Taly glance over at him before whipping her head back around to stare at the road. “I just remembered. Our hot water went out this morning.”

Although Taly’s expression remained stoic, she couldn’t fool Skye. He had been using his magic to read her reactions since they were children. While most shadow mages liked to channel their aether in order to increase their stamina, speed, or strength, Ivain had taught him that aether augmentation could be an even more effective tool when wielded with a slightly subtler hand.

Skye bit back a sharp bark of laughter when his magically enhanced ears picked up a sudden spike in her heart rate. That got her attention , he thought, making a show of clearing his throat as he tried to suppress another chuckle. If there was one thing that Taly Caro felt strongly about, it was hot water.

Skye rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Yeah… sorry. I probably should’ve mentioned that before. There was an aether surge this morning, and it overloaded the shadow crystals powering the primary water heater. There’s no hot water at all, and the plumber that came out said it wo uld be at least two weeks until he could get around to replacing the shadow crystals in the damaged circuit.”

“You’re lying,” Taly muttered. “You and Ivain are both shadow mages. Either one of you could fix it.”

Skye did his best to suppress the wide grin he could feel tugging at the corners of his mouth. At least she was talking to him now. “True, but we’re both so busy right now with the Gate Watchers—what with the Aion Gate connection and everything that goes along with it. This is my first charging cycle acting as a full-fledged Watcher, and I’ve got so much… stuff that I need to do. And don’t get me started on the things. Shards, the things! And then after the things, more stuff.” Skye peeked at Taly from the corner of his eye, noting the way she fidgeted with the sleeve of her coat. She was agitated now.

“Let’s see, what else?” Skye tilted his head and then snapped his fingers. “Oh! Your room. You might notice a few changes. I was getting tired of having to go all the way out to the workshop when I needed to work on something, so I converted it into a secondary crafting space. I mean, you weren’t using it anymore, and it was right across the hall.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Taly ground out through clenched teeth.

“I was hoping you would say that,” Skye said with an exaggerated sigh of relief. To his growing amusement, he could see that one of her eyes had started to twitch. “I’m actually really excited for you to see what I did with your bed. It’s a weapon rack now. When I started the project, Ivain said that you still needed to be able to use the room in case you wanted to stay the night. So, here’s what I did—the rack folds down into a bed. Genius, right? Granted, I’m still working out some of the kinks. For example, you might feel something poking you in the back if you try to lie down. If that happens, don’t worry about it. That’s a known issue.”

Skye scratched the back of his head. “No… actually, on second thought, you probably should worry. Because it might be a dagger. Or a sword. And Shards, you humans are so fragile. One cut, and you just bleed all over the place.”

Taly’s hands fisted at her sides, and she opened her mouth to say something before thinking better of it.

“ You especially,” Skye continued. “I mean, you were always kind of small, but now? I’m starting to think you moved out just so you could go on a diet. I think you even lost height. Yeah… you’re definitely shorter.” He held out a hand just above her head, laughing when she slapped it away. Taly had always been self-conscious about her height. Even when she was stretching, she barely came up to his chin. “I guess that means we won’t be sparring anymore. You’re just too… what’s the word? Dainty? Yes, dainty is a word I would use to describe you now.”

Taly let out a frustrated growl before muttering under her breath, “No, he’s not worth it.” Skye was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to hear that, but, oh well. It’s not like she wasn’t well aware of how aether augmentation worked.

Skye tilted his head as he pretended to consider something. “That might explain why Sarina has been shopping so much lately. Just the other day, she was telling me that she was just dying to get you into a ballgown. I know you used to hate formal wear, but I really think satin and lace will suit you much better now. You know, because you’re so dainty . And delicate. Yes! Delicate and dainty— that describes you perfectly now.”

Taly’s cheeks were starting to get red. When she blew at a piece of hair that had fallen into her face, Skye’s eyes were once again drawn to the tangled mop that curled around her shoulders. Truthfully, he had been a bit startled when he saw that she’d cut her hair. For as long as he’d known her, she had kept it long, either falling in loose waves down her back or pulled back into a tight plait. Now, the short, flaxen strands stuck out in a style that strangely suited her.

Unable to resist the urge, he tugged on an errant lock. “I don’t know what Sarina is going to do with this mess, though. Did you cut it yourself or something?”

Taly’s face scrunched up, and she rounded on him. “Shards! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” she cried as she started punching and shoving him. “You’re a jerk!”

“Finally!” Laughter bubbled up out of his chest as he fended off her assault. “I was starting to think I’d picked up the wrong girl!”

“I am not dainty!” Taly let out another scream as Skye grabbed her fists.

“I’m sorry,” he managed to gasp before he doubled over.

“No, you’re not!” Taly stumbled when he let go of her fists, and the look of embarrassed outrage painted across her expression before she started trying to pummel him again just made him laugh harder .

“I am! I swear I am,” he howled, the tears streaming down his face somewhat belying his words. “I’m sorry!”

“Liar!”

“Okay. Okay!” Standing to his full height, Skye held his hands out in supplication. Taly’s eyes were wide, her cheeks flushed, but she backed off slightly when she saw that his laughter was starting to die down. “You’re right,” he conceded, a devilish smirk curling his lips. “I’m not sorry. Not even a little bit. You’re just so dainty now! It’s adorable!”

With an indignant cry, Taly renewed her efforts, sending Skye straight into another fit of uncontrollable laughter. After letting her get in a few good hits, he easily seized her wrists in one hand and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in close so she couldn’t kick at him. She continued to struggle for a few moments, each trailing chuckle that rumbled through his chest fanning the flames of her ire.

When she finally started to quiet down, he loosened his grip and released her fists. Her shoulders were still heaving from the exertion, but she made no move to push him away.

“Hi,” he whispered, already moving to give her some space. But before he could step away, she gave an unexpected sigh of defeat and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Hi,” she said, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

Skye’s chest felt uncomfortably tight as he folded his arms around her tiny frame, the feeling growing stronger when she gave another soft sigh and relaxed into him. She didn’t speak, and neither did he, and for a little while, it was easy enough to pretend that everything was still okay.

“Quick question,” he said when he felt her start to pull away. He waited for her to look up before giving her damp hair a playful tug. “Why are you wet?”

Taly shoved him as she stepped back. “That’s a long story,” she said with the ghost of a smile. Staring out over the sea of white blossoms blanketing the side of the road, she toyed with the pendant around her neck and scuffed the dirt with the toe of her boot. When she spoke, her voice held an edge of uncertainty. “That stuff about the hot water wasn’t really true, was it?”

That prompted another fit of laughter from Skye, made worse when she huffed and started walking ahead of him. “Taly, wait!” He started jogging after her, still chuckling. “It’s not true. None of it,” he said as he fell into step beside her. Shrugging off his greatcoat, he draped the heavy garment around her shoulders. Something inside him sighed in relief when she reached out and pulled the small peace offering more tightly around her. “Except for the part about Sarina shopping. She’s always had a problem, but it’s been a lot worse lately. I have no idea why.”

He saw her trying to fight it, but despite her best effort to maintain a neutral expression, her lips began to quirk to the side. She let out a frustrated sigh, chewing on her bottom lip as the corners of her mouth continued to twitch.

“Don’t do it,” Skye whispered loudly. “Don’t laugh. You know it just encourages me.”

A muted snort escaped, followed by a giggle. Looking up, Taly finally gave him a real smile. “You’re an ass,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Thank you,” Skye replied automatically, a wide grin splitting his face. This was more like it—more like them.

Eventually, they came upon Harbor Manor itself. It was a sprawling stone structure, built when the Time Queen was still in residence on the island—a monument to an era of splendor that had long since passed. Thanks to the Marquess, the home had been kept in good condition. The gray stone facade was regularly repaired, and ivy crawled across the exterior. Ivain had given up long ago trying to contain the plant’s chaotic sprawl, and now the willful creeper was as much a part of the manor as the blanket of snowdrops that covered the front lawn.

As they ascended the gray-stone staircase, a tall, lanky man rushed down to meet them.

Ivain Castaro, the Marquess of Tempris, had lived on the island for over 700 years—ever since he bought Harbor Manor as a wedding gift for his late wife. He was at this point in his career one of the most renowned shadow mages in the fey world, and it was for this reason that Skye had been sent to train with him when he was only nine years old.

Laughter bubbled up out of the fey noble’s throat as he took the stairs two at a time, and his hands raked through a shock of blonde hair so bright it was almost white. His high forehead only served to accentuate his long, slender face, and despite his highborn heritage and the nearly eternal youth that it granted, lines forged from a countless number of gentle smiles creased his skin.

“There she is!” he called out in the cultured accent of the mainland fey. “My little one has finally come home!”

Ivain embraced Taly, picking her up and twirling her around before depositing her back on the ground. Holding her out at arm’s length, he appraised her with a critical eye, no doubt noting the way she still shivered beneath Skye’s greatcoat. His nostrils flared, and his eyes flicked down to the bloody tear in the leg of her trousers. It wasn’t the only bloodstain that peppered the worn and faded garment.

“Hello, sire,” Taly said, her tone uncharacteristically formal.

“Sire? Since when do you call me sire?” he questioned with a scowl. Taly bowed her head out of habit. Though the Marquess was a kind man, he had learned by now how to cow his mischievous wards with just a look. Skye still squirmed just thinking about being on the receiving end of that stark, blue gaze.

After a long moment, the Marquess’ stern facade cracked, and he affectionately ruffled Taly’s wild hair. “I jest. I jest. Shards, you are skin and bones, little one. We’re going to have to fatten you up. Tell me, Skye—did you manage to convince her to stay for dinner?”

Taly opened her mouth to reply, but Skye cut her off. “She said she had other matters to attend to, so I wouldn’t want to presume.” He bumped her shoulder and gave her a smirk as he moved to stand next to the taller man.

“I see.” Leaning down to look Taly in the eye, Ivain whispered conspiratorially, “I approve. You shouldn’t make things too easy for him.”

Skye snorted. “When has she ever made anything easy?”

Taly smiled serenely. “I’ve always told you, Skye. You’d have a much easier time if you just stopped arguing back. ”

Ivain laughed loudly as he reached over and slapped Skye on the shoulder. “Truer words were never spoken! Skye, my boy—take that advice to heart. You really will be happier when you learn to stop arguing with the women in your life.” Smoothing back a lock of wispy, white-blonde hair, Ivain announced, “Well, I need to get back to work if I’m going to be able to take this evening off, so I’ll leave you to convince her, boy.”

Turning to Taly, the Marquess ducked down to look her in the eye. “Just in case, I’ve already instructed Eliza to prepare lamb and noodles tonight. Still your favorite, I hope. And even though I told her that you wouldn’t want her to make a big fuss, our Eliza insisted on making a sugarberry pie. The kind with the candied walnuts on top. I believe I also saw her making brown sugar ice cream this morning. Apparently, 21 is supposed to be something of a milestone for young mortals, and she would not be deterred. Not that you should let that influence your decision. No. You have your own life now, and we respect that.”

Ivain made to leave but briefly turned to add, “ Although, Eliza did have to go all the way to the mainland to find sugarberries that were in season. Poor dear—she’s had a terrible time this past winter. She’s just now getting back on her feet after a nasty case of dowsing fatigue, but she simply would not listen to reason. It had to be sugarberries because that was the little one’s favorite.”

Skye laughed at the retreating noble, chancing a glance at Taly. She didn’t seem pleased.

“I’m starting to think I should’ve just walked the other way,” she said, her nose scrunched up like she was trying to figure something out. “Shards, that’s low. Fine. I’ll stay for dinner, but only because there’s pie. You guys know how I feel about pie.”

As he turned to follow her inside, Skye added sheepishly, “I swear, there really is a job.”

“Skye! Come in here,” Ivain called as Skye passed by the open door of his study.

Skye’s footsteps creaked as he walked across the wooden floor. While Harbor Manor couldn’t compare with the grandeur of his family’s estate in Ghislain, it was far more comfortable. Homey. Whenever he was forced to visit his family on the mainland (twice a year, every year), he always found himself craving the warmth that seemed to emanate from the very stones of the aged mansion. He wasn’t looking forward to the day when he would be expected to take up permanent residence on the mainland as his role as future Duke of Ghislain would eventually require of him.

The Marquess stood near the back of the study, a fire crackling merrily in the great stone hearth beside him. He set down the book in his hand, turning to face Skye. “Where’s Taly? I didn’t think you would let her out of your sight now that you finally managed to drag her back here.”

“She’s taking a bath. It seems she still has a weakness for bubbles and hot water,” Skye replied with a smirk, coming over to stand beside his mentor. “And I have an aversion to being punched, so I let her be.”

“It’s good to have her back,” Ivain said with a sigh. “This old place seems so empty without the two of you screaming back and forth at each other from across the hall.”

“Yes, but she won’t stay. She’s out to prove something.” Skye frowned, staring moodily into the fire. “Whatever that may be.”

“I know. I didn’t expect her to come back for good,” Ivain said with a chuckle. “We might not like it, but Taly has her own path to follow. The only thing we can do is step aside and offer our assistance when she needs it. At least that’s what Sarina keeps telling me. My little sister is generally right about these sorts of things.”

“Yeah, Sarina has told me that too. ‘Let Taly find her own way,’ and so on,” Skye grumbled irritably. “The only way Taly’s going to find is her way into an early grave. Did Sarina tell you she took up salvaging? Salvaging, of all things. It’s like she’s trying to get herself killed.”

“Oh, I know,” Ivain said, placing a comforting hand on Skye’s shoulder. “That little detail did not escape me either. But you and I both know that if you try to dissuade Taly from something she’s set her mind to, you’ll just end up pushing her further away.”

When Skye remained silent, Ivain continued with a faint note of sadness, “Besides, whether you choose to believe what she’s told Sarina concerning her reasons for leaving or not, the fact of that matter is that Taly is not like us. She’s mortal, and a little distance will ease the inevitable pain that always comes with those associations. We may not like it, but humans die, Skylen.”

"We both know there are ways around that," Skye said, giving Ivain a pointed look.

"True, but she would never consent to joining the Feseraa," the older man replied, his mouth set in a grim line. "And to be frank, that's not the life that I want for her."

"But it's just 50 years," Skye argued stubbornly. “50 years of breeding services in exchange for immortality.”

"I understand," Ivain conceded in a measured tone, “but even if the breeding term is only temporary, her children would be taken from her arms as soon as they're born, and she'd be passed around from noble to noble like some broodmare. I don't want that for her, and neither do you.”

Skye stuffed his hands into his pockets. “It wouldn't have to be like that. My mother has already offered to buy the full term of Taly's contract, and she's given me her assurances that Taly wouldn't be forced to uphold the breeding requirements. The contract would just be a way to bring her under the protection of my family. Taly would be safe, she would be respected, and most importantly, she wouldn’t have to grow old and die. That bullshit she fed Sarina about trying to get some distance before she starts aging would be moot.”

Ivain hesitated but then shook his head. “I can't say that the same idea hasn't crossed my mind a time or two this past year—execute a sham breeding contract purely as a means to receive the necessary authorizations required to perform the Rites of the Imorati and grant her immortality. But I still don't like it. The Feseraa have far more rights and privileges now than they did before the Schism, but that might not last. Anti-mortal sentiment has been on the rise lately. If the situation continues to sour, at least Taly, as a human, still has the option to retreat to the mortal realm. As a Feseraa, she wouldn't be able to survive in an aetherless environment. She would be trapped here.”

Skye blew out a sharp breath. As much as he hated to admit it, the older fey noble made some valid points. And it was for those very same reasons that he kept telling his mother “no” whenever she broached the subject. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Was there a reason you called me in here?”

“Ah yes!” the Marquess exclaimed. “Has Taly accepted the job yet?”

Skye barked out a laugh. “What do you think?”

“I see,” Ivain said tiredly, drumming his fingers on the mantle. “That’s a no , then.”

“You know, it doesn’t help that she probably thinks the job was just a ruse to get her here. You and I never go to the Aion Gate this far out from the actual bridging date.”

Ivain sighed and ran a hand across the stubble on his chin. “I am, perhaps , being overly cautious, but I just can’t shake this feeling that something’s off. I’d feel much better if you went and confirmed the last set of readings the Gate Watchers sent us.”

“The readings looked fine to me, but I’ll go where you tell me,” Skye conceded easily. “With or without Taly, I’ll make do.”

“Taly will agree,” Ivain insisted. “Just keep at her. I don’t care how much coin it takes—make sure she takes the job. If this works out, I’m hoping to offer her a permanent position. Guides are just going to become more and more scarce the closer we get to the bridging date. True—Taly is young and inexperienced, but Sarina assures me that our little one knows her way around the island. With a little training and the right resources, she could be far more skilled than any guide for hire—a valuable addition to the manor staff.”

“Wait.” Skye arched a suspicious brow, chuckling softly when the Marquess feigned confusion. “As part of the manor staff, wouldn’t she need to move onto the main property?”

Ivain shrugged. “Yes, that would be the most convenient arrangement. And since she’s been very clear that she no longer wishes to reside within the main house, there just happens to be a little cottage on the eastern edge of the estate I think she would like—very secluded but still inside the manor’s wards. As luck would have it, I’ve just had it freshened up.”

Skye turned away from the fire and stepped over to the large oaken desk stuffed into the far corner of the room. Picking through a stack of papers, he asked, “This wouldn’t have anything to do with those three mortal girls that went missing last week, would it?”

Ivain’s face was impassive as he stared into the fire. After a long moment, he said, “Tempris is always a much more dangerous place when the Aion Gate is charging, but I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t seem worse this cycle. The number of missing person reports that have crossed my desk this year is… troubling. Especially considering how many of them have been either mortal or magicless. I know my sister keeps a close eye on our little one, but I’d feel much better if Taly mo ved closer to the manor.”

“What happened to ‘humans die,’ and ‘a little distance will ease the inevitable pain that comes with those associations?’ Hmm?” Skye glanced at Ivain from the corner of his eye. “C’mon, which is it, old man?”

Ivain pulled away from the fire, scratching at the back of his neck as he came to stand next to Skye. “The cottage is all the way over on the eastern side of the property—how much more distance do you want?”

A rumbling peal of laughter erupted from the older fey’s throat, and he clapped a hand on Skye’s shoulder. “Now then, come along, boy,” he said as he ushered Skye towards the door. “Go get ready for dinner. This is the first time our little family has been together for a very long time, and Sarina will want you looking presentable.”

With that, the door to the study closed behind him with a soft click. Skye smiled as he headed towards the stairs that would lead to his quarters on the fourth floor. It seemed Sarina wasn’t the only Castaro sibling playing games.

As he approached his bedroom door, he heard another voice calling out to him. “Skylen Emrys! Get in here!”

Skye grinned. It looked like he had already managed to piss Taly off. At least he hadn’t lost his touch.

“How may I be of service, Miss Caro?” he asked, walking into the spacious suite just across the hall.

Unlike his quarters, which had been outfitted in dark, masculine hues of green and brown, Taly’s personal apartment was all air and light. Draped in varying shades of blue and cream, it was like walking inside a cloud. The last of the evening light was streaming through a nearby bay window, casting shadows across the various pieces of mortal tech that lay scattered across every available surface. For as long as he could remember, Taly had always been fascinated by anything that came from the mortal realm, and though Sarina had tried, the noblewoman had never been able to get the girl to stop tinkering with the random bits of junk she would sometimes find at the Swap. As a result, Skye had taken to calling her “Tinker,” and then eventually just “Tink.”

Taly was sitting at an ornately carved wooden vanity, and their former nanny and teacher stood behind the fuming girl, trying to tame her rebellious mop of hair with a brush and a pair of scissors. It seemed Sarina still hadn’t given up on trying to turn her into a proper lady.

“Sarina? Any idea what I’ve done now?” Skye gave the auburn-haired noblewoman a pleading look.

Sarina, smiling coyly, replied, “I believe you forgot to mention our visitors.”

“Oh.” Skye did his best to maintain a neutral expression. When it came to managing Taly’s ire, it was important never to show any signs of weakness.

Taly whipped around to glower at him. “Yes ‘ oh .’ Aimee barged in here while I was bathing. She didn’t even knock.”

Of course, she did , Skye thought, suppressing a groan. Aimee Bryer, Ivain and Sarina’s great-grandniece, was the heir to a lesser barony on the fey mainland and had been visiting Harbor Manor every year since Skye had turned 20. Even though it seemed like it had been far, far longer since he’d first met the prissy noblewoman, this would only be the fifth time that Skye had been forced to endure her presence at the manor.

Studiously ignoring the places where Taly’s white shift had become slightly transparent underneath her damp hair, Skye muttered, “Well, Aimee always did like your room better than the guest quarters.”

Skye sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck when he heard Taly scoff. That was, perhaps, a bit of an understatement. Less than an hour after being introduced for the first time, Aimee had tried to have Taly evicted from her own room, arguing that a “mortal pet” shouldn’t have nicer quarters than a fey noblewoman. That, of course, hadn’t sat well with Skye. Or Sarina. Or Ivain—who had promptly shown Aimee back to the guest wing.

“Don’t worry,” Skye said smoothly, doing his best to mollify the irate girl. “Even if you hadn’t come to dinner, we wouldn’t have let her use the room. It’s still yours.”

“That’s not the point,” Taly replied, glancing at Skye over her shoulder. Her scowl deepened.

“ Talya , if you don’t stop squirming, I’m going to cut an ear off. And it might not be accidental.” Sarina placed a firm hand on the top of Taly’s head and twisted her back around to face the mirror.

Taly stared at Skye’s reflection, her arms crossed. “Why didn’t you tell me that Aimee was coming to visit so much later this year? She and Aiden usually come at the end of Yule.”

“Because then you wouldn’t have come. Can you blame me for trying to increase my odds?” Taly’s eyes narrowed, but she remained silent. “ And besides,” he said, trying to look contrite, “she and Aiden just arrived this afternoon. They’ll probably be too tired to come down for dinner. I doubt you’ll have to see her again.”

That seemed to somewhat abate her fury. Somewhat being the operative word. Taly was still scowling, but at least it was no longer at him. Deciding to keep his mouth shut while he was ahead, Skye wandered into the adjoining room, absentmindedly inspecting the random collection of disassembled mortal tech that lay scattered across the surface of an old worktable. Countless hours of his childhood had been spent within these walls. He knew almost everything about this collection of rooms.

For example, he knew that the board by the main door creaked, so it was important to be careful and step over it when sneaking around after everyone had gone to bed. And that crack in the doorframe—that had mysteriously appeared after an unfortunate incident with an experimental catapult that Taly had fashioned out of gate tech. There was a matching crack in the door leading to his quarters just across the hall that had mysteriously appeared around the same time.

“There! All finished,” Sarina proclaimed, stepping back to admire her handiwork.

Skye turned and couldn’t help but smile. He had always known that Sarina was a miracle worker, but she had outdone herself this time. She had somehow transformed Taly’s unruly tangle of hair into something far less chaotic. It was still quite messy by fey standards, but the wilder flyaways had been tamed and now curled gently, cascading out of a loose twist at the base of the young woman’s slender neck. A few rebellious strands had already managed to escape and framed her face.

“Now, where is that cosmetic glamour?” Sarina said mostly to herself, picking through a small jewelry box. Finding what she was looking for, she reached for Taly.

Taly stubbornly waved her hands away. “No. I don’t like glamours. They itch.”

Ignoring the girl’s feeble attempts to ward off her advance, Sarina firmly grabbed her chin and turned her head. Despite Taly’s squirming, she expertly clipped on a pair of small silver earrings set with blue water crystals. The glamour shimmered as it activated, and in the mirror, Skye could see that Taly’s cheeks were now just a little rosier and her lashes a little darker. “Lovely,” Sarina said, turning back to the vanity and reaching for a flowered jar. “Still, I think it’s missing something. Maybe just a little kohl around the eyes?”

This time, Taly jumped out of the chair and crossed the room. It seemed she was done being cooperative. “Nope. That’s where I draw the line.”

“But, Taly. You have such pretty eyes. Gray eyes are so rare, even among the fey.”

Skye chuckled as he made his way back into the main room and leaned against the doorframe. He had seen this battle play out time and time again. It always ended the same.

“Absolutely not,” Taly said heatedly. “You always poke me in the eye. I’m lucky I still have both of them.”

“Now, Taly—"

“No.”

Seeing that she wasn’t going to win, Sarina held up her hands in surrender. “Well then, it seems my work here is done,” she declared. Gesturing towards the bed, she added, “I’ve already laid out a dress for you. Skye, I need to get myself ready. Would you mind helping her with the laces?”

“My normal clothes are fine,” Taly said through clenched teeth, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her shift.

Sarina turned and gave her a motherly stare. “Oh, of course, dear. But, I’m afraid I already sent them to the laundry. They were quite damp. You’re lucky you didn’t catch a cold.”

Taly wasn’t buying the act. “I’m sure there’s something else in my closet that I wouldn’t find quite so… offensive.”

Smiling evasively, Sarina replied, “Oh, I’m afraid I sent your old clothes to the laundry too. I was dusting in here today, and I noticed that everything needed to be laundered. Everything except that lovely lavender dress you never got a chance to wear.” Not waiting for a reply, Sarina turned and swept out of the room with a swish of her skirts, confident in her victory.

“I hate it when she does that.” Taly looked crestfallen as she considered the offending garment draped across the foot of her bed.

“You left me all alone with her and her scheming when you left. It serves you right,” Skye teased gently, coming to stand behind her.

Taly looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed. “Yeah, but you’re a guy. She hasn’t tried to make you wear a dress.”

“Yet,” Skye snorted. “She was getting close though. She hasn’t had anyone to dress up in a long time. In fact, you probably saved me a lifetime of embarrassment today. Between you and me, I don’t think I have the figure to pull off a corset.”

Taly sighed dramatically and approached the bed, running a finger across the jeweled beading that peppered the structured bodice. To be fair, the dress was very pretty—at least Skye thought so. It was just far too elaborate and “poofy,” as Taly used to say, for her liking. She had always hated the voluminous ballgowns that seemed so popular among the fey nobility.

Carefully picking up the dress, Taly held it up to her body for appraisal. She almost looked scared of the pale lavender mass of satin and lace. “Might as well get this over with.”

“Should I hum a funeral dirge or something? You know, to set the mood?”

“Shut up!” came the curt reply along with a string of muttered cursing as she disappeared behind the dressing screen.

Deciding it was in his best interest to let her fight this battle on her own, Skye plopped himself down on the bed. A small, brown package bounced and landed beside him.

This must be Taly’s.

Curious, he reached for it.

“Don’t touch that.”

Skye jumped, startled. Looking at the screen, he didn’t see any indication that she had been watching him. “What is it?” he asked.

“It’s none of your business,” she snapped back in between muffled sighs and grunts. “Damn it. Why is women’s clothing so complicated? It makes no sense.”

“Taly, what have you gotten yourself into?” he asked, now staring at the package suspiciously.

“It’s nothing,” she said, stepping around the screen. “Just a little something I wanted to try out.”

Skye could tell she was hedging. Making a mental note to revisit this issue later, he decided to drop the subject for now. Their relaxed, casual banter almost made it seem like the events of the past year had never happened, and he was loath to break whatever spell had managed to revive the easy familiarity.

He looked up as he heard her bare feet padding across the expanse of the room and felt his breath catch in his throat. The pastel fabric perfectly complemented Taly’s fair skin, and the bodice tapered elegantly into the folds of the skirt, revealing a narrow, feminine waist. Skye was suddenly having a hard time remembering if she used to fill out her other dresses quite so well.

“You know, for the fuss you put up, the dress isn’t half bad,” he said, feeling slightly awkward. He took a deep breath as he moved around to tighten the laces on the back of the bodice.

Taly stood up a little straighter as he pulled the laces taut, absentmindedly fiddling with the teardrop pendant around her neck. It was a plain little piece—polished, pink quartz and no bigger than a thumbnail—and she still wore the delicate silver chain he had given to her years ago as a birthday present. As she twirled her wrist, Skye caught sight of a crescent-shaped scar at the base of her palm. Reaching out, he stilled her hands, rubbing a thumb across the blemished flesh.

It was a magical burn—evidence that his worst fears were true. He’d actually hurt her that day in the training yard. Except for their disastrous confrontation in Ryme a few weeks after she’d left, that incident marked the last time he’d seen her.

“Was this… did I do this?” Skye whispered, staring at the little scar intently. In the aftermath of her departure, he had never been able to figure out just what had happened. They had been sparring, and when he began to discharge the dagger in her hand—just like he’d done countless times before—she had dropped to the ground, screaming in pain. He had rushed to help her, but she wouldn’t let him. Instead, she had run inside and locked herself in her bedroom. Nobody knew she was gone until the next morning.

Taly chewed at her lip. “It’s not your fault,” she finally replied, equally quiet. “That’s just the price I paid for trying to use an enchanted weapon in a fight against a shadow mage. Really, I’m the one to blame.” She attempted a laugh, but it died in her throat.

Skye wanted to ask her the one question he had been repeating to himself over and over since she left. Is that why you ran away? He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to form the words.

Sensing his hesitation, Taly said, “That’s not why I left. At least, not completely.” For a moment it looked like she was going to say more, but she didn’t. Instead, she closed her mouth with an audible click of her teeth.

He continued to stare at the mark. Even after a year, it was still there—an angry, purple welt.

Pulling her hand away, she asked, “Are you finished?”

“Uh… not yet,” Skye stammered as he turned back to the laces on the back of her dress. He worked quickly, making sure to carefully conceal the white shift beneath the delicate silk of her go wn.

“There. All done,” he said stiffly as Taly turned around to face him. The lighthearted atmosphere had dissipated, and she wouldn’t look him in the eye. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Well, since Sarina and Ivain seem intent on making this a formal affair, I should probably go change. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Skye turned and made for the door. His throat felt tight, and he wanted nothing more than to retreat to the quiet solitude of his private chambers.

“Hey, Skye. Wait a minute,” Taly called as he crossed the room to leave. “Does Sarina still send the laundry out?”

Skye paused and then let out a rumbling laugh. She had finally figured it out.

“Just now catching on?” he asked, a little too pleased.

He didn’t need to turn around to see the dawning look of horror on her face as she started to realize the full extent of Sarina’s manipulation. The laundry wouldn’t be delivered until the next morning.

“You cagey bastards trapped me here.”

“See you downstairs,” Skye responded in a sing-song voice as he excused himself.