Page 61 of Blood Sanctuary, Part One

“You’ve veiled our conversation?” Cassia hoped that question sounded better informed than her ignorant remarks about silk production or Nodora’s origins.

Kia swept out her hand to indicate their surroundings. “There are veils everywhere you turn here, and everyone knows to expect it. When all your people have the power to read your heart, you grow accustomed to making an effort at privacy.”

What a new world indeed. Cassia had best become accustomed to the notion of privacy, too. That would be rather nice, actually, after someone else had dressed her from her underlinens up every day of her life and reported their color to the king.

“I hope you do not find it inconsiderate of me to wonder about Xandra’s private affairs,” Cassia said.

“You are curious about Lio’s affairs,” said Kia, “which are yours as well. I am happy to offer you some reassurance. Let’s start with what you do know.”

Cassia told herself this was just like talking to Perita about such matters. These were her fellow females, even if they did have longer canines than she. “I gather he cared for her all the years they were growing up together and had every expectation of a lasting commitment. He said they were…very close…but never…as close as they might have been.” Now who was talking around the facts? “It seems they had some falling out, but he never told me exactly what transpired that made him despair of their future. He spoke generally of realizing they were not suited. It still weighed heavily on his heart when he arrived in Tenebra.”

Nodora wore a pained smile. “To say it was still bothering him when he left would be an understatement. Neither he nor Xandra expected to live it down for a good long time. It’s one of the reasons why Lio’s family agreed he should go to Tenebra. They were dreadfully worried about the danger, but they realized he needed a real challenge that would engross him.”

Kia was nodding. “That’s always Apollon’s approach, when Lio is beside himself. ‘Give the boy something to do.’”

“I suspect Apollon speaks from experience,” Nodora commented.

“I keep telling Lio he’s a great deal like his father,” said Cassia.

“Ah ha,” Nodora exclaimed. “So it is you we have to thank for his change of tune.”

Cassia lifted her brows in question.

“Whenever we told him that,” Kia explained, “he always replied, ‘No, I’m not.’ Until he came home from Tenebra. Now if you tell him he’s like his father, he’ll grin and say, ‘Thank you.’”

“Mak teased Lio about ‘following in his father’s footsteps,’” Nodora quoted. “He kept suggesting a romantic adventure had put that grin on his cousin’s face. It turns out he was right.”

Cassia was blushing furiously now. As much as it had gratified her to learn her relationship with Lio was no secret here, she hadn’t considered that Lio’s “adventures” with her might have been the subject of so much detailed discussion among his friends. Humans and Hesperines were not so different after all. She suddenly felt more justified in posing personal questions.

“So Lio’s father is known for such, ah, adventures?”

“It was only the natural result of his situation,” Nodora said. “Argyros had Lyta right from the start, you know. They came to Orthros together. But Apollon lived for centuries before he met Lio’s mother. When one is alone that long…”

“…and one is Apollon,” Kia said, “one doesnotlive like a mage. The same is true of Apollon’s son.”

“Lio has a tendency to love very adamantly. We’ve seen that cause him a great deal of distress. So we’re very glad he’s found someone to…” Nodora paused to choose her words. “…provide a focus for his energies.”

That’s what Cassia was. An outlet.

She was now very familiar with the extent of Lio’s energies, and she could only agree it was a fine thing to be the focus of them. That he loved with all his heart? Of that she had no doubt.

The one who found herself the focus of that love was the truly fortunate one.

Kia gave Cassia another probing look. “When we were all sucklings playing Grace, Lio and Mak had our futures all planned out for us. Lio and Xandra would avow, Mak and Lyros would avow, and I would run away to the Empress’s university in her capital, where I would meet a gorgeous mathematician who was genius enough to keep up with me, thereby relieving my friends of listening to my lectures.”

Cassia choked on a laugh. The amusement in the two Hesperines’ eyes was a clear invitation to share in their childhood jokes. A narrow path between beds of short willows brought the three of them into a closer huddle.

“And you, Nodora?” Cassia ventured. “What was to be your destiny?”

“They didn’t have the chance to embroil me in their schemes until I came to Orthros when I was thirteen.”

“She fell in with us because we were at a similar level of maturity in Hesperine terms.”

Nodora laughed. “Immaturity, rather!”

Kia’s eyes narrowed with mischief. “By then we had even more ambitious ideas.”

Nodora rolled her eyes, but she was blushing. “I will only allow you to repeat this because Himself isn’t anywhere in Orthros tonight.”

---