Page 53 of Return of the Darkness
“Would you like me to ink yours?”
Elisara smiled. “I think it would be nice to have a permanent reminder of him, even if he is always here,” she replied, resting a hand on her heart.
“Caellum,” Nyzaia called, feeling odd at the civility in her tone. “Could you see if Vigor left any needles in his healing bag?” Caellum nodded and left the four queens together as Nyzaia rose to retrieve a pot of ink from the desk.
Sadira frowned. “Should you be leaning on your back like that?”
“Vigor wrapped it and said I should be okay for now, as long as I rest.” Elisara smiled at the princess’s hands. Sadira shifted, clasping one hand over the other.
“We have a lot to discuss.” Larelle leaned beside Elisara and hummed, keeping her eyes on Sadira. “You noticed as well, then?”
“Noticed what?” Nyzaia asked, sitting back on the stool.
“I saw it on Caellum’s finger.” Elisara smiled at Sadira. “Congratulations.”
Nyzaia glanced between the women. “Am Imissing something?” As Sadira blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the glinting gold band captured Nyzaia’s attention. “Wow, I’m losing my touch!”
Larelle chuckled. “Does that mean we would make better assassins than you?”
“Absolutely not,” Nyzaia scoffed. “You and Sadira could perhaps be Alchemists as you’re both smart enough—or Courtesans. Plenty of men and women would hand information over to you.” Nyzaia smirked when the two women blushed. “Elisara would perhaps make it in the Blades.”
“You know damn well I would,” Elisara exclaimed, though her smile faltered.
“Where was the wedding?” Larelle asked. Sadira glanced at Elisara, but her face was welcoming.
“We married on a field of irises at the edge of Albyn. It was just us, Sir Cain, and Taryn.”
“Did Sir Cain cry? I always thought he was rather a sentimental man,” said Elisara, earning a laugh from Sadira.
“He did. Taryn and Caellum did too. Come to think of it, I was the only one who didn’t.”
Larelle laughed.
“What was your dress like?” asked Elisara.
“Oh gods! Are we really going to sit and talk about dresses?” groaned Nyzaia. Elisara elbowed her friend.
“Just because you don’t favour them doesn’t mean you cannot appreciate them.”
“I would rather sit and listen to how good the sex was afterward than talk about dresses.”
“Nyzaia!” Larelle chastised.
“What! Does that not make my feelings on dresses clear enough?” Nyzaia rolled her eyes, and Sadira stifled a laugh, forcing Nyzaia to smile. She looked at each of the three women in turn: a tired Elisara in a fresh white shirt, Larelle in her regal navy gown, her head held high even when relaxed, and Sadira in pink florals,highlighting the kindness in her face. And there Nyzaia sat in her leathers. Four queens, acting as though they were just friends at a tavern.
“Do you remember when we were getting ready for the welcome ball at my palace?” Nyzaia asked.
“That seems like an age ago now.” Elisara glanced at the cup of water in her hands, her smile gone.
“We were talking and laughing while getting ready.” Nyzaia smiled and squeezed Elisara’s hand, knowing she thought of that night with Kazaar. “We wondered if we would ever get to sit together like that again.”
“I remember,” Larelle nodded. “I said we would. I knew we would have a day in the future where we would sit like this, laughing or crying. We would be together.” Larelle reached for Sadira and Elisara’s hands and squeezed them both. The three queens stared at Nyzaia, who rolled her eyes before joining hands with them, a calm energy flowing between them all. Nyzaia looked at the three queens, her heart warming. Despite her worries and Tajana’s absence, she felt safe with these women and realised then that they were her friends, not her fellow rulers.
“And there will be another day, another moment like this.” Nyzaia smiled, hope filling her veins. “In the future.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Larelle
