Arranged: An Array Series (Book #1)(27)

“You’ve forgotten your manners, Lady Barlow,” Natalie shot back. “You obviously weren’t locked in that orphanage long enough to—”

“You don’t have a right to be here, harassing people.” Ava stood abruptly from her chair, the wood scraping loudly against the floor.

“Ava,” Cecilia bellowed. “Really! You can’t speak to someone like that. How rude and—”

“And you should be talking, Lady Dawson,” George broke in. “With the dishonorable men and stable boys that visit your bed chambers.”

“George!” Cecilia yelled, her face flushed.

“That’s enough,” my father rumbled. “I have a war going outside this room, I don’t need one in here.” He looked over at Madelyn and Ava. “Ladies, I apologize for the awful conversation. I will pay better attention to the guest list next time.”

Madelyn nodded shakily, but Ava’s face was stone sour. She looked pissed beyond all measure.

“Would you mind excusing me, Your Majesty?” Ava asked, looking at Father, who nodded.

“Of course, my dear,” he replied gently. “Take all the time you need.”

She turned, striding toward the door. Without thinking, I stood from my own seat and followed her. When we were both outside the room, she started to pace the hallway.

“Avie, are you okay?” She nodded. I stepped in front of her, forcing her to halt. “Do I need to ask you again?”

She looked at my chest and closed her eyes, her breathing coming in slow, steadied waves. “I’m fine.”

“Of course you are,” I said, lifting her chin to look up at me. “You were going to rip her throat out if the king hadn’t stepped in.”

“I don’t know why I got so upset,” she confided. “It was stupid. I just…have this loathing for that woman. She used to make George so uncomfortable. He told me things that she used to do, and I…” She tried to look down, but I held her chin up.

“Let’s go outside,” I told her. She gave me a weak smile, and I linked her arm with mine. I took her to the back of the palace, through the kitchens, where curious nobles wouldn’t stop us. The kitchen was bustling with servants and cooks, who were in the middle of making dinner for everyone in the palace. Ava reached over and grabbed an apple out of a basket as we exited through the back door.

The night air was cool, with the sounds of crickets singing around us. I took off my coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. Ava looked up, thanking me with a smirk. Then she proceeded to take a bite of her apple and continued walking.

“Feel better?” I asked.

“Much. Thank you again,” she replied. She scanned the sky, and I followed her gaze to the spread of stars. “It’s so beautiful. I used to study constellations at the orphanage. I never did find all of the Crown Bijou. The Zenelou point gave me great difficulty.”

I rotated to the east sky and examined it. “There is the Aldebaran.” I pointed. “Next to that arrangement of three dim stars.” Ava stepped closer to me, following my finger. “If you follow the arrangement, you’ll see dimmer stars in alignment. Look to the left; it’s that tiny star that is flickering rapidly.”

“That’s the Zenelou point?” she gasped.

“It is,” I replied. Ava squealed, jumping up in the air. She turned, embracing me in a hug. As soon as my arms wrapped around her, she stepped back.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, crossing her arms and blushing. “It’s just that…I’ve been looking for that constellation for years, and I had given up hope that I’d ever find it.”

I smiled. “I’m at your disposal. You can hug me whenever you wish.”

“I—” She let out a stuttered laugh. “Thank you.” The fact that this woman, who fought off a viper moments ago, was nervous just by hugging me, intrigued me.

“No, thank you,” I countered, studying the way the moonlight glimmered on her face. “I don’t get hugged often by beautiful women.”

She wrapped my coat around her body more tightly. “I didn’t know flattery was one of your many skills,” she teased. I stepped closer, buttoning up the coat to keep the chill off her.

“I’ve learned many things since you’ve last seen me,” I replied, holding her eyes hostage.

Her lips quirked. “Like what?”

“I can sew and—”

“You cannot!” Ava chuckled.

I laughed, buttoning the last button. “I can. Who else is going to fix the holes in my training gear?”

Ava shrugged. “A maid?”

I shook my head. “I don’t trust anyone here. They’ll put itching powder in my shirts or something.”

Ava laughed harder. “Oh, now you are too paranoid, Garr. Good to know, in case I get a hole in my dress, though.”

I smirked. “I’m expensive.”

She rolled her eyes. “Mmhmm.”

I belted out in laughter and placed a hand on her cheek. “You, Avie, are still just as charming as I remember.”

Her eyes never left mine as she curtsied. My skin tingled, as though she had the power to suck my soul right out of me, making me feel vulnerable.

“Let’s get you inside so you don’t catch a cold,” I suggested, needing to get back to the safety of people. Placing my hand on her back, I escorted her to the palace, trying to keep my mind off those emerald irises.