Zuher was holding another gathering.

Of all the news Aria could possibly have come bearing, Iliana hadn't expected it to be that. Of course, such events were common at court during the social season--which Aria confirmed it to be when Iliana bothered to ask. Balls, dinners, salons, and the rest were the nobility's way of trading information amongst rapidly shifting alliances. During the right months, she could remember Mara barely having time to rest between events.

Still, after the last disastrous evening, Iliana hadn't expected to be forced through another so soon. Especially when they couldn't have known she would be conscious.

"Aatami will be by soon to check on your health," Aria explained. "But, given the tight timeline, I'm to escort you to meet with the dressmakers to check on the state of your gown before your meeting."

"I don't see the point," Iliana complained, knowing it was useless. "We're in the middle of a wasteland. Why exactly is he holding a flower viewing?"

"Zuher isn't hosting," Aria explained patiently. "The To-Be Duchess--Lady Rae Zavitika--is. She simply has His Imperial Majesty's backing. You're required to attend as his representative amongst the ladies."

Iliana grimaced. Of course the duty fell to her--Zuher didn't have a mistress or empress. Gods, according to the rumors he didn't even have a lover to take the role. To her chagrin, she didn't know anything about his family behind Asha, so she couldn't suggest another name to fill her place.

"Flower viewings are as important as council meetings for some," Del volunteered, seeming to read the continued argument on her face. "It's a place to show off your knowledge, while trading rumors and establishing your place amongst the others of your stature."

"I know fuck all about flowers," Iliana groaned.

"Then, you would be better off staying quiet when possible," Aria suggested. Again, her tone was patient, as if Iliana's frustrations were simple words in the wind. "Lady Zavitika will be looking for a reason to embarrass you."

Lady Zavitika.

It sunk in, then, that this would be her first time facing Rae with the knowledge and memories that now swirled through her head. It hadn't clicked in the moment--fates, it hadn't clicked until just then, but Melitta had known the demon.

Melitta had hated her.

Shallow, manipulative, and attention-seeking--those had been the mermaid's kindest opinions of Rae in those short moments Iliana had grasped amongst the confusion of memories. And while she didn't know the reasons behind the opinions, she could guess.

It had been Rae that caused Callias to be strung up in that final scene before their human deaths. But, it had been Melitta who had sacrificed her freedom to take him down.

With a reluctant farewell to Del and a million thoughts on her mind, Iliana was carted away to be primped and preened. The bath, at least, was a welcome detour as it allowed her to finally clear away the blood and sweat caking her frame--all before being shoved into a gown and poked with needles until she bled to the tailor's satisfaction.

"You'll have it by tomorrow, Milady."

Aatami was next. The visit was quieter than expected--perhaps because of Aria at her shoulder. The anxious witch spun from one task to the next, pulling out bottles and pressing their fingers against various parts of her body as they weighed the impact of her confinement on her health.

"You need proper meals," they mumbled while rubbing fingers against their bruised temple. "Water. Real sleep, not unconsciousness. Sunlight. Exercise. You've shrunk to practically two-thirds your size since arrival and there wasn't much of you to begin with."

"Tell that to Zuher," Iliana huffed.

Aatami grimaced. Then, abruptly skittered away to fumble with their cabinets, before grabbing a bottle and shoving it into her hands.

"Alcohol will do you wonders. Now, get out."

How supportive.

Armed with a doctor approved, unhealthy coping mechanism, Iliana was promptly escorted back towards the tower. As Aria walked ahead, she couldn't help how her mind dropped back to their earlier conversation about the flower viewing. It was then she realized she'd been so lost in her thoughts about the memories that she'd forgotten the most basic question.

"Why do you think Rae will be looking to embarrass me?"

Aria didn't respond right away, instead shooting Iliana an expression that clearly stated her opinions on the subject. Or, at least, her choice of venue given how the woman paused the moment the menagerie door had fallen shut behind them.

"Lady Zavitika will see your presence as a threat against her position," Aria explained. "Until your arrival, she had the highest rank amongst the ladies. There are others, of course, of ducal or neighboring royal blood amongst the peerage, but none of them hold the same weight as her title."

"I'm--"

"As noble as her in the eyes of the law," Aria interrupted. "She will have to sit you at her table, serve you her tea, and gift you her attention--and she'll hate it."

Iliana folded her arms over her chest. Something about Aria's tone rubbed her wrong, so instead of following the knight as she started for the stairwell, Iliana rested her back against the tower door. "You sound awfully familiar with it all."

Frustration swirled in Aria's eyes. "It's obvious to anyone with common sense, Milady."

"Call me stupid, then," Iliana retorted. "Or clueless, since I wouldn't have guessed the reason without you spelling it out. Your 'anyone' is restricted to those with experience amongst the peerage, Milady."

She'd thought it before and was only more certain now--Aria couldn't be a common knight. Between Zuher remembering her name and her knowledge of the peerage, there was some detail Iliana was lacking. It was discomforting given how heavily she relied on the demon.

With an uncharacteristically loud huff, Aria spun to the stairwell and started up it. Temptation swirled beneath Iliana's skin. The door was behind her. It would be so easy to run.

But, just as easy to be caught and strung up for her hubris.

So, she climbed the stairs.

As they walked, tense silence swirling between them, Iliana finally took a moment to study the knight. Her black hair--neatly trimmed curls no longer than her ears--and black eyes were nothing special for a Reotakian. Her skin was the usual deep tan and her body as broad and fit as any other knight. She was taller than Iliana, but that, too, was nothing remarkable.

"What's your full name?" she demanded.

Aria snorted. "Is that how you ask for a favor in Aeolis?"

"I was trying the Reotakian method."

The guard must not have judged her sarcasm worth a response, because she simply unlocked the tower door, before gesturing for Iliana to go inside.

She didn't.

"It's not that hard," she pointed out instead.

"Why do you suddenly care?" Aria asked in turn.

Iliana hesitated. There was no specific reason--just that nagging instinct that she was missing a key detail. That something about this situation would be useful to her at some point somewhere. It swirled alongside an awareness that every time she had ignored that instinct up until this point it had gone poorly for her.

"I just do."

Aria looked like she wanted to argue further, which was surprising. So far, the guard had been tired and irritable on many occasions, kind on others, wary, but never angry. "Get inside."

Reluctantly, Iliana slipped past her and into the room. Then, as the door was about to slide shut, a soft sigh filled the hall.

"Lark--like the bird. It's Aria Lark."

Thud. The heavy wood door almost seemed to mock her with the confusing silence that followed. What good had that information done her? As far as she was aware, there wasn't a single Lark in the nobility she'd been introduced to since her arrival--and Iliana was almost certain she'd met the majority of those that held any sway when attending the ball.

So, what was it if not her family? Why did Zuher remember her?

┈♔◦𓇣◦☽◦❤◦☾◦𓇣◦♔┈

The flower viewing took place in a distant building that Iliana had yet to be introduced to. The glass walls as she approached made its purpose obvious, but she was still ultimately confused. How did Zuher manage to have a flourishing greenhouse in the middle of a wasteland, in a country riddled by drought?

The building wasn't small by any means and as Aria ushered her inside, the sudden wave of violet that struck her senses made her question feel stupid. Faeries. The menagerie hosted them--or at least, Iliana had witnessed a few lingering in the courtyard the day Zuher had bet with her over that duel. It only made sense that they were allowed to maintain the greenhouse given how closely tied they were to nature.

"Lady Iliana of Zuher," the doorman announced.

The title was unsettling enough that any awe she might have felt immediately dissipated.

A small cluster of tea tables had been used to decorate the center of the greenhouse. Each held a vase Most of them were already occupied at her arrival, but the moment her name was given the ladies rose to their feet. It was dizzying to realize the sway her name held, even if the title threatened to make her ill.

Well, the power it held to all but one. 'Aria wasn't wrong.'

With her hair twisted into a neat bun at the top of her head and her fingers playing the rim of her cup, Rae Zavitika was the picture of noble grace. Her fathomless eyes studied Iliana in a way that felt different than Nicolet, despite all the siblings' similarities. Whereas Nicolet's attention felt like she were being hunted by a carefully coiling snake, Rae was akin to the scrutiny of a fox.

Except Iliana liked foxes.

"Over here, Milady," a servant urged.

Iliana nodded, before catching the fabric of her skirts and moving towards Rae's table.

"Lady Iliana," Rae greeted. A light smile played on her lips that came nowhere near her eyes. "How sad I was to hear you were ill--I take your presence today means you've fully recovered?"

How far above Rae did her status as the emperor's plaything place Iliana? And how heavily did she want to acknowledge it? For not the first time since her arrival, Iliana cursed her childhood self for not paying closer attention to her lessons. With what little she remembered and the details the others had given her, she was mostly certain that no rule of etiquette allowed for Rae to remain in her seat. And yet, no one seemed bothered.

Iliana settled on dipping into what felt like an appropriately shallow curtsy. "Yes, I have. Thank you...Lady Zavitika, was it?"

The demon's smile thinned. "How quickly you forget."

Iliana simply took her seat, not bothering to respond to the obviously pointed statement. If Rae was allowed thinly veiled insults, wasn't the same true of herself? Seeming to realize the same, Rae's eyes narrowed. However, she didn't push the point, instead settling her tea on the table as her other fingers curled over the end of a fan.

"Given it is your first time amongst us, I feel that introductions are due," Rae murmured, before glancing at the vaguely familiar girl at her side. Iliana racked her brain before recalling that it was the same noble lady who had stood next to Rae in the hall, warning her tha Nicolet wanted to discuss something before he left. A lackey of Rae's, then? "If you wouldn't mind, Laeanne."

The woman in question slipped into a shallow curtsy alongside a friendly nod, before she turned and began introducing each of the noble ladies in turn. While Iliana recognized many of them as faces she had met at the ball, there were just as many unfamiliar titles and names amongst them. She wasn't surprised--it took status and courage to stand in front of a crowd of vultures and announce yourself. A quiet atmosphere like the flower viewing was likely much easier than the eyes of a ballroom.

Much to Iliana's surprise--and perhaps disappointment--the event that followed was relatively boring. The moment introductions had been finished, the conversion shifted to recent performances and writings, followed by discussion of personal estate renovations and purchases. Iliana had to bite her tongue a few times--because, gods, how did they discuss the purchase of a person as casually as the release of a new play?--but, somehow remained civil through all of it.

That was, until Rae purposely folded her hands in front of her face, settled her chin atop the bridge her fingers created, and smiled.

"I hope we aren't boring you, Lady Iliana," she mused.

Iliana shook her head, even as a yes fell to the tip of her tongue. "Not at all."

Mara would have been proud of her.

"Yes, well, it would make me a poor host to leave you out of the discussion just because you're unfamiliar with Reotakian culture," Rae continued, seeming to dismiss Iliana's disagreement. "Oh! I know what we could discuss."

Dread uncurled in Iliana's stomach. Still, she merely raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Scandals. Oh, I know it's unbecoming, but I do love the drama that rolls around court. Don't you?"

Iliana pursed her lips. "Not really."

"Perfect," Rae replied.

She dropped her hands into her lap so she could curl them into fists. Was this the woman's goal, then? If she was just going to ignore her?

"Oh, and I know just the topic to start us off. We all know how close you are with Zuher," the demon continued. Her companion flinched--perhaps at the lack of title?--but didn't say anything as Rae's smile seemed to drip with artificial sweetness. "Tell us, what are your true feelings on him, hm?" 

A/N: I did it! Yay for regular updates. 

Think Iliana is gonna be smart? 

I'm not as close to finished with the next chapter this week as I was with this one, but I'm going to give it a shot. See you then! 

P.S. I have another project running at the moment called Starry Rose. It's on a collab account with a friend (Arctic_Chains ). We only have one chapter up, but we have 20 written with weekly Friday updates! Check it out if you enjoy books like this, with epic gods and magical adventure! Oh, and while it also has slow burn, it has soooo much more romance.