Page 107 of Pretense

Essie didn’t have many memories of her father, but she could picture her father’s exuberance. It must have looked a little bit like the smile he’d had when picking her up and twirling her around until she couldn’t stop giggling.

“Then Farrendel can be the one to make the official announcement in a press conference with all the reporters.”

Next to her, he stiffened. “What?”

She grinned up at him. “Well, if you’re going to go around blurting it to everyone, I might as well give you the joy of telling the entire kingdom.”

He gave her a forehead-furrowing, tight-mouthed baleful look. “I am only telling friends and family in Tarenhiel. Escarland’s people are all yours.”

“I thought that threat might work.” She patted his chest, then stepped back. They were probably making his family uncomfortable.

But instead of the shifting, looking-everywhere-but-at-them look she had expected, Weylind’s mouth had a slight upward tilt.

Jalissa still gaped at them. “Baby,” she repeated.

“Yes.” Essie’s grin was so wide it almost hurt. “Surprise.”

Jalissa shook herself, laughed, and stepped forward to grip Farrendel’s shoulders in an elven hug. “I am so happy for you, shashon.”

“Linshi, isciena.” Farrendel let go of Essie to return his sister’s shoulder clasp.

When Jalissa turned to her, Essie didn’t wait for Jalissa to give her a staid, elven shoulder clasp. It just wasn’t enough for the joy of the moment. Instead, Essie pulled Jalissa in for a human hug.

Yet, Jalissa surprised her by giving her a hug back. “And I am happy for you, isciena.”

And, when they stepped back, the smile on Jalissa’s face held a depth of joy that had been missing in the past half a year or better.

What had happened while Essie and Farrendel and the others hid out at Lethorel? They had been gone less than a week.

While Jalissa had been congratulating them, Ryfon and Brina had disembarked from the train and were currently exchanging hugs with Weylind and Rheva. Their elven hugs, too, seemed a bit more emotional than elves normally got in public.

Melantha had left the train as well and was now embracing Rharreth. And…were they kissing? In public? Kostaria had really done a number on Melantha’s elven sensibilities.

Machasheni Leyleira strolled forward and faced Essie and Farrendel. “You have my congratulations. This is indeed happy news that should be shared.”

Wait, how did she find out? Essie gave herself a mental shake as she hugged Leyleira as well. One didn’t question how Machasheni knew things. She had her sources, and they were impeccable.

Farrendel exchanged a shoulder clasp hug with his grandmother. “Linshi, machasheni.”

Essie gave another exaggerated sigh. “Well, all of your family now knows. I guess I’ll tell my brothers the next time I see them, whenever that is. Maybe by then I’ll be able to plan a proper announcement.”

Weylind faced them again, making a muffled, throat-clearing noise that was as undignified as he ever got whenever her brothers weren’t around to make him loosen up. “Actually, we will be leaving as soon as the way is cleared to Escarland.”

Essie moaned and buried her face into Farrendel’s shoulder again. “Ugh. Not another train ride. My stomach is going to kill me.”

“You do not have to come if you are not up to it, isciena.” Weylind’s tone had far too much sympathy in it, as if he hadn’t picked up on the joke in her complaint. “We only need Farrendel.”

“But he’s going to see my brothers, isn’t he?” Essie tilted her head so that she could glance at Weylind.

“Yes.”

“Then I’d better go along. Otherwise Mr. I-can’t-keep-this-one-secret will let it slip.” Essie swallowed back her nausea. “Rheva or Melantha will come, right?”

“Rharreth has already agreed to come, so, yes, I believe Melantha will come as well.” Weylind glanced over his shoulder at the two of them. They had stopped kissing, so they were able to nod as if they had been listening demurely to the whole conversation.

Rharreth shrugged, still holding Melantha’s hand. “We planned to travel to Escarland anyway.”

Farrendel wrapped an arm around Essie again, that wrinkle back in his forehead. “What is this about? Why do you need me? Has Mongavaria attacked Escarland?”

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