Princess of Fire (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, #2)

Nine

The following day, Matias was released. They broke the news to Akaljot and Lucas of their engagement after Cal had gotten Matias settled.

"You're both engaged?" Akaljot had asked, still wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

Cal and Matias looked at each other. "Yes, we are."

Akaljot ran a hand through his hair. "And you're both sure of this? You're both sure that you want to marry each other?"

Cal's throat tightened and she remembered what Maria had said.

He was fated to die in the upcoming war.

"Yes," she said. "We're sure."

Lucas shot up out of his seat. "Father, we must throw an engagement party for them. Tonight."

They were all silent as they waited for Akaljot to answer.

"Fine. I'll make dinner reservations at Leopald's," Akaljot sighed. "So is it just going to be the four of us?"

"The four of us plus Luna," said Cal.

"Can I invite Lance?" asked Lucas. "He saw you the night we... rescued you."

"Party of six. I'll go make the reservations," said Akaljot.

—

Night had fallen by the time they made it to Leopald's. They took a detour to the inn Luna was staying at to pick her up. From there, they all walked through the snow-lined streets to Leopald's.

"Lance!" Lucas called as they approached.

A young boy around Luna's age turned to face them. Lance grinned as they approached.

"I was wondering when you lot would show," he said.

"We had to take a little bit of a detour," said Lucas.

Lance furrowed his brows. "Why?"

Lucas jerked his thumb towards Cal, Luna, and Matias. "These three are from Lucis, remember? And Luna is staying at an inn and not with us."

Lance's eyes fell on Luna. In the light from the lamps, his eyes were navy blue. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, but Cal could have sworn that part of it was because of Luna's presence. He smiled nervously. "You look beautiful."

Luna's cheeks darkened from pink to red. "Thank you."

Matias leaned in close to Cal. "They like each other," he said quietly.

Cal nodded in agreement. "They definitely do."

Akaljot cleared his throat loudly.

Lance looked as if he had just been slapped. "Shall we?" he asked no one in particular and held his hand out to Luna.

Luna took his hand and they all made their way inside Leopald's. Luna shivered out of the corner of Cal's eye.

"Are you cold?" she heard Lance ask Luna.

Luna chuckled quietly. "I got so used to the cold outside that the warmth is making my shiver a little."

"Here," said Lance. Cal looked over her shoulder and saw him giving Luna his cloak.

As they made their way to their table, a server took their cloaks from them. Matias pulled out a chair for Cal and sat beside her. Lance did the same for Luna on the other side of the table.

A waitress came around and took their orders. Cal sipped on her wine as they all waited for their food, trying to avoid looking at the lit candles.

"Do you do anything for work, Lance?" asked Matias.

Lance set his goblet of rosé down and brushed his dirty blonde bangs out of his ocean blue eyes. "I'm training with Lucas to join the Krigerean military."

Matias raised his brows. "Really? You don't really strike me as a soldier."

Lance chuckled. "I can't stand the idea of slaughtering people. Lucas and I are training to become scouts."

"How is that going?" asked Cal.

The two boys looked at each other. "It's going quite well," said Lucas.

"We only have another month of training left, and then we graduate to full-time scouts and get to choose our partners," finished Lance.

"Partners?" asked Matias, raising an eyebrow.

Akaljot clasped his hands together and rested his forearms on the table. "Krigere likes to keep scouts in their desired pairs as it's safer for two scouts to go out than one. If they're recent graduates, like Lance and Lucas will be, we tend to send pairs out in groups of four or six—for the first couple of years, that is."

"Interesting," Matias mused, taking mental notes.

Akaljot turned to Cal. "Be up at dawn tomorrow. We start your training then."

"Training?" Matias furrowed his brows.

Cal sighed. "The council wants me to train with Akaljot to gain their trust."

Matias winced and started massaging his temples. Cal's hair stood on the back of her neck.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked in alarm.

"I'm fine," he said. "I think I just need to retire early."

Cal started to get up. "I'll come with you."

Matias waved her off. "It's fine. I can make my way back."

"Are you sure?" asked Akaljot.

Matias nodded. "I'm sure."

"We'll see you later, then," said Cal.

Matias lifted Cal's face to his and kissed her on the lips. "Yes you will."

He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Cal reluctantly watched her future husband walk away from her and out into the city beyond.