They had barely gotten to the garden when the air changed around them. The scent of earth and fresh blossoms mingled with the faint hum of the wind brushing through the tall trees that surrounded the courtyard. Aria walked beside Clara, her hand loosely clasped in the other woman's as the soft sound of their steps pressed lightly into the gravel path. The moment they stopped beneath a large oak tree whose branches hung low with heavy leaves, Clara turned toward her, her lips lifting into a faint, knowing smile.
"King Zyren seems to like you a lot," she said softly, her voice smooth, teasing, and touched with something Aria couldn't quite place.
Aria's gaze flickered toward her, brow creasing as she tried to understand what exactly Clara was trying to imply. The comment itself was enough to stir irritation in her chest. She thought it nonsense — pure, deliberate nonsense spoken by a woman who seemed to find joy in stirring chaos where there was none.
