As the Crow Falls | ✔

Chapter Five

Niccola was not ashamed of the ten heartbeats it took her to process what Verde had just said. She was fairly certain she gaped like a fish the entire time. In a realm as obsessed with appearances as Calis, Verde might as well have just told her that crows preferred swimming to their usual means of transportation.

His expression remained amused. "You look surprised."

"Are you pranking me right now?"

"Not in the slightest. To tell you the truth, I'm a touch impressed he came out so soon after his parents distributed that notice; poor man gets plagued by enough would-be suitors already. Couldn't keep away from the people when there's fear of a beast running around, I suppose." A shadow of the frown he'd worn while speaking to Isaiah shrouded his face.

"You look like you have more to say," said Niccola.

"Not that's mine to share. What brings you here?"

It was a clear diversion from whatever he'd prodded Isaiah on earlier. Prodded the crown prince of Calis. The Cantor royal family had only one child. Niccola resisted the urge to rub her temples. She still struggled to wrap her head around this. Isaiah had spoken so casually with Verde, too, like they'd known each other well for years. In the three moons since Niccola had met him, Verde had never told her about this.

She dropped her hands. "Well, talk of a marriage proclamation was half of it, so we might as well start there."

Verde's eyes twinkled. "Interested?"

"No!" Niccola rounded on him, offended, and realized he was teasing. "You're insufferable."

"I daresay you could do worse. As could he. Who knows, might give you both someone to work with 'stead of breaking your backs trying to do everything on your lonesomes."

"I have my criteria, and it takes one in a hundred to match even the most basic of them. I am not in the business of partnering off to just anyone simply because others find them attractive."

"Yet you inquire about the marriage proclamation. What would you like to know?"

Niccola bit her lip as she considered how to phrase the question appropriately. Verde knew where she was from and why she was here, at least on a superficial level. He knew she was from Varna. He'd guessed it early, and she'd asked him to swear himself to secrecy. As far as she knew, he'd kept his word. He himself was born Madeiran—Calis's neighbor on the other side—though he'd lived in Calis all his adult life. Realm relations made their circumstances differ significantly, but he understood the challenges that came with identifying oneself as a foreigner.

He also knew she was here after her sister. She'd claimed Phoebe had run away from home, and though she doubted Verde believed her, he'd made no attempt to pry.

"I told you about the diviner," said Niccola. She'd kept that part of the story, at least. "Well, I haven't found the woman in the picture yet. I was hoping a marriage proclamation would bring people together from across the realm, so I might have a better chance at it. So my first question is, will there be a ball?"

Verde snorted. "Have you met the Cantor royal family?"

It was hard to stay serious when talking with him. Verde's dual citizenship with a more powerful realm enabled his bluntness of speech, as did the high regard he and his Calisian wife Margaret held within the community. Little was more validating than watching him take pot shots at Calis whenever the topic arose.

Niccola fought a smile. "How big?"

"In all? Depends what they have planned for him." Verde blew out a breath. "I know things I'm not supposed to, so I won't disclose. But I can tell you it will be big indeed, and you will likely be invited. So will whoever you're looking for, if they're around."