The Bound (Ascension #2)(71)

“Oh no. They have business elsewhere. Just Affiliate Maelia is planning to come with me,” she said, using her title for emphasis.

“Two Affiliates in the palace,” Dean said with a sharp shake of his head. “Never expected that.”

“When was the last time Byern sent ambassadors to Eleysia?” she asked curiously.

Dean laughed. “The last time they were sent or the last time they were accepted? Because that King of yours sends them all the time, trying to convince us that it’s diplomacy.”

Dean’s face darkened, and Cyrene winced.

“But I haven’t seen one in the palace in…years. Not since I was a kid, I think. I was young enough that the woman gave me a truffle of some sort from your marketplace back home.”

“That was nice of her.”

“It turns out, I’m allergic to chocolate.”

Cyrene’s mouth dropped open. “She couldn’t have known that!”

Dean gave her a meaningful look. “She was kicked out of the palace soon afterward. So…let’s try not to have a repeat.”

“I promise, I won’t ply you with chocolate,” Cyrene said with a laugh.

“But can I ply you with chocolate?”

Her eyes lit up. Eleysian chocolate was a delicacy. “I’m not sure I’d ever say no to chocolate.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Cyrene flushed and turned her attention back to the water.

The ship docked into Fifth Harbor, and their party exited the giant Eleysian sea vessel.

Dean walked down the broad wooden dock with his three men ever present at his side. Cyrene and her friends followed behind them until they stopped in front of a collection of small banana-shaped boats swaying in the water.

“After you,” Dean said. “The gondolas will take you anywhere in the city you would like to go. I would love to extend the invitation to stay in the palace to the rest of you, if you all would care to join us.”

Orden smiled and shook Dean’s hand. “Much appreciated. But we’ll be on our way now.”

Ahlvie smirked. “Thanks for the ride.” They clasped hands, and Cyrene could just barely hear the threat in his voice when he leaned in and whispered, “Take care of them.”

Cyrene sighed and rolled her eyes. Men!

Orden and Ahlvie disappeared into the first gondola with promises to meet up again soon. She nodded and watched them leave with a forlorn smile. The last time they had split up…her world had turned to chaos.

Avoca clasped Cyrene’s arm the way they had during their Bound ceremony. “I don’t feel right about leaving you.”

“We will be nearby, Avoca. You’ll always know if something is wrong.”

“But I will not be in the castle to stop it.”

“I’ll be okay. Let’s just follow he plan,” Cyrene pleaded.

Avoca nodded once and then hurried into the gondola. Ceis’f followed her without a word. Cyrene watched them go with a sad sigh. Right now, she needed to be in the palace, and she needed everyone else on the outside, looking for Matilde and Vera. It was a big island. Who knew how long it would actually take?

“Ready?” Dean asked, offering her his arm.

“Of course,” she said.

Darmian offered his arm to Maelia.

“Thank you,” Maelia whispered, seemingly surprised by the attention.

“My pleasure,” Darmian responded with a smile.

Hmm…curious.

Cyrene stepped into the flat-bottom gondola. It rocked slightly under her weight, but her sea legs were still with her from the journey from Aurum, and she righted easily. She took a seat, and Dean occupied the space next to her. Maelia and Darmian took the seats behind them, followed by Faylon and Clym.

The gondolier pushed off from the dock and began moving them down the main waterway into the city. Lanterns hung from posts that highlighted the channel winding forward before them. Even in the darkness, it was magical.

After passing a few other gondolas on the water, they came to a major intersection, and before Cyrene stretched the expanse of the Eleysian palace grounds. Sand-colored stone walls kept the rest of Eleysia from entrance to the royalty and the enormous palace beyond the walls.

The gondola stopped in front of a metal gate on the river. Upon seeing who was on board, slowly, the gate began to grind upward, revealing its sharp metal spikes. When it was high enough for their boat to safely pass through, the gondolier proceeded through the gate, and they were officially on palace grounds.

“Welcome to my home,” Dean whispered into her ear.

They glided to a wooden dock on a vast lake. The castle loomed over them in all its magnificence.

“Is this the only entrance?” Cyrene asked in awe.

“No. There are two main entrances on the grounds, but the waterways are for royalty.”

Cyrene shivered. It was so easy to forget that Dean was in fact Prince Dean Ellison of Eleysia.

When she had met him in the forest back in Aurum, he had just seemed like a privileged merchant’s son. No more, no less. He was charming and attractive but also thoughtful and honest. She had hidden her true self from him, but it had seemed, even then, like he knew more about her in that moment than most people ever would.

Cyrene half-expected a delegation to be awaiting their arrival, but there was no more than a page boy no older than twelve, holding a lantern for their arrival. The group exited the boat and walked over to the boy.