blurted. He would’ve guessed she’d known Jessend for years from the way they interacted. Although, Jessend had treated him the same way.
I guess it isn’t that strange for her.
“So she certainly didn’t know about Jek.” Lisanda let out a whimper. “That damn song. I don’t think I can ever listen to it again. Every time I used to hear it, I would feel your pain.” She spoke to Jessend. “And that was enough to make me cry. Now there’s my own ache mixed into it.”
Jessend sat next to Lisanda, putting her hand on her sister’s back. “Jek Trayden is the King’s Mage,” Jessend explained to Cleve, “which is basically the top position for any mage working for our father. But there’s some trust issues between him and our father. Lisanda told me all about it.”
“We care for each other deeply,” Lisanda said plainly, as if she were listing what she had for breakfast. “But my father doesn’t believe it’s genuine. When Jek was first hired, we were spending all of our free time together. My father kept claiming he was only pretending to be interested in me because he has some sort of revenge planned.”
She fluttered her hand in disgust. “And Father thinks my mind is twisted from a poison I’d consumed before Jek came to the palace. It’s a long story that I won’t get into right now.”
Jessend nodded. “It really is, but very interesting and romantic.” She used her arm to scrunch Lisanda’s shoulders.
“I can tell you later,” Lisanda said, as if she thought Cleve was interested to hear. He decided it would be better not to tell her that he didn’t care.
“Anyway,” Lisanda continued, “Jek and my father got into many arguments. And then there was the worst one of all. Jek demanded to know how he could prove his loyalty to me and our family. He was sick of the accusations. My father told him to bring back ten desmarl eyes, and Jek agreed, soon leaving while consumed by rage.”
Lisanda’s gaze sank to her crossed legs. “He promised he would be back…and went, just like that. I couldn’t change his mind.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Men can be so stupid in their stubbornness.”
“I assume it’s no easy task to get desmarl eyes?” Cleve asked.
He noticed a tear fall from Lisanda’s lowered face. “It would probably be easier to stop a war than to get ten desmarl eyes.”
“He practically stopped a war before if Zav’s army really had been planning to attack us.” Jessend rubbed Lisanda’s back. “He’ll be back.”
Is she referring to him kidnapping that boy prince?
Cleve didn’t ask, figuring it wasn’t the right time. Though, now he had to admit to himself he was curious about this mage.
“I’m sorry, Lisanda,” Cleve said, not wanting to see her in so much pain. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Tell Silvie not to be upset with herself,” Lisanda answered, a slight smile forming finally. “She didn’t do anything wrong, and she has a beautiful voice.”
Jessend nodded. “She does, that show-off. Did you see how she jumped when we mentioned music?”
Lisanda let out a quick sniffle and then a giggle.
Chapter 9
Jessend didn’t invite Cleve into her room that night, either.
He didn’t realize how much harder it was to sleep on his own until he’d been with Jessend…when he’d dug up everything that had been buried for years.
He thought he’d found everything, but fragmented memories laced with a mixture of pain and happiness kept sprouting up like old skeletal remains. He’d uncover the trace of something, wanting to investigate it further, but not without Jessend there—never on his own. He wasn’t ready for that.
He found himself in a storm of confusion, with memories popping into his mind, and he wasn’t sure whether to fight them back or accept them along with the pain that came with them.
He found little comfort in his soft bed until his thoughts went to Reela. It hurt to realize he might be becoming the
I guess it isn’t that strange for her.
“So she certainly didn’t know about Jek.” Lisanda let out a whimper. “That damn song. I don’t think I can ever listen to it again. Every time I used to hear it, I would feel your pain.” She spoke to Jessend. “And that was enough to make me cry. Now there’s my own ache mixed into it.”
Jessend sat next to Lisanda, putting her hand on her sister’s back. “Jek Trayden is the King’s Mage,” Jessend explained to Cleve, “which is basically the top position for any mage working for our father. But there’s some trust issues between him and our father. Lisanda told me all about it.”
“We care for each other deeply,” Lisanda said plainly, as if she were listing what she had for breakfast. “But my father doesn’t believe it’s genuine. When Jek was first hired, we were spending all of our free time together. My father kept claiming he was only pretending to be interested in me because he has some sort of revenge planned.”
She fluttered her hand in disgust. “And Father thinks my mind is twisted from a poison I’d consumed before Jek came to the palace. It’s a long story that I won’t get into right now.”
Jessend nodded. “It really is, but very interesting and romantic.” She used her arm to scrunch Lisanda’s shoulders.
“I can tell you later,” Lisanda said, as if she thought Cleve was interested to hear. He decided it would be better not to tell her that he didn’t care.
“Anyway,” Lisanda continued, “Jek and my father got into many arguments. And then there was the worst one of all. Jek demanded to know how he could prove his loyalty to me and our family. He was sick of the accusations. My father told him to bring back ten desmarl eyes, and Jek agreed, soon leaving while consumed by rage.”
Lisanda’s gaze sank to her crossed legs. “He promised he would be back…and went, just like that. I couldn’t change his mind.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Men can be so stupid in their stubbornness.”
“I assume it’s no easy task to get desmarl eyes?” Cleve asked.
He noticed a tear fall from Lisanda’s lowered face. “It would probably be easier to stop a war than to get ten desmarl eyes.”
“He practically stopped a war before if Zav’s army really had been planning to attack us.” Jessend rubbed Lisanda’s back. “He’ll be back.”
Is she referring to him kidnapping that boy prince?
Cleve didn’t ask, figuring it wasn’t the right time. Though, now he had to admit to himself he was curious about this mage.
“I’m sorry, Lisanda,” Cleve said, not wanting to see her in so much pain. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Tell Silvie not to be upset with herself,” Lisanda answered, a slight smile forming finally. “She didn’t do anything wrong, and she has a beautiful voice.”
Jessend nodded. “She does, that show-off. Did you see how she jumped when we mentioned music?”
Lisanda let out a quick sniffle and then a giggle.
Chapter 9
Jessend didn’t invite Cleve into her room that night, either.
He didn’t realize how much harder it was to sleep on his own until he’d been with Jessend…when he’d dug up everything that had been buried for years.
He thought he’d found everything, but fragmented memories laced with a mixture of pain and happiness kept sprouting up like old skeletal remains. He’d uncover the trace of something, wanting to investigate it further, but not without Jessend there—never on his own. He wasn’t ready for that.
He found himself in a storm of confusion, with memories popping into his mind, and he wasn’t sure whether to fight them back or accept them along with the pain that came with them.
He found little comfort in his soft bed until his thoughts went to Reela. It hurt to realize he might be becoming the
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