“It’s gorgeous.”

  When Trent followed her gaze, he was awed by the orrery. As the huge golden sphere in the center began to glow with a light that seemed to soak right through the metal, the central disc began to spin. That spun the long brass struts and the tiny spheres hanging at the end of each, and the tinier spheres around those began to spin around each of their parent orbs.

  Each strut looked to spin at its own rate, and not every orbit of the spheres on their end was entirely perfect. As Trent watched the struts slowly rotate, the spheres drifted closer to each other and then away, like people ice-skating on a large, frozen lake. The light from the huge central sphere lit one side of each smaller sphere, while the other remained in darkness.

  Victoria looked at Emerald in wonder. “Are those planets?”

  “Yup.”

  “But there’s eight of them.”

  Emerald glanced at her. “And?”

  “There are only six planets in the sky.”

  Emerald raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

  Trent cleared his throat. “I was taught the same. If there are actually eight planets, that’s news to both of us. I’m no expert on astral bodies, but I’ve read a few books.”

  Emerald looked between them as if she thought they were teasing her, then shook her head. “Knowledge really has fallen behind in the last three hundred years.”

  Trent frowned. “There was a rather destructive mage war.”

  “Right. I remember hearing about that, though it never came to Clarion’s shores. I never imagined all that mess would set back your knowledge this much, though.”

  “So there truly are eight planets in our sky?”

  “In our solar system, yeah.”

  “What’s a⁠—”

  “Later.” Emerald raised a hand. “Just know there’s eight.”

  “Right. So which of the eight planets is ours?”

  As the planets continued to spin, Emerald pointed at the fourth planet of eight. “That rock right there. That’s the one we’re spinning around on.”

  Trent nodded. “That’s what we were taught as well. So perhaps telescopes today simply aren’t powerful enough to detect the outer planets.”

  “I suppose that’s possible.” Emerald considered, then grinned. “Anyway, surprise!”

  Victoria still hadn’t unwrapped her arms from around Trent. In fact, she was now pressed so close that he didn’t know what to do with the arm that wasn’t embracing Ruby. He couldn’t put it around Victoria’s narrow waist, could he? That would be improper.

  As one of the larger planetary orbs whooshed by overhead, Victoria laughed softly and gave his middle a squeeze. “It’s amazing to think that this represents the planets orbiting our realm. How do we know when an eclipse will happen?”

  Emerald turned back to the controls. “Oh, that’s easy. We just need to reset the date and time. The orrery’s warming up first. I don’t know when the old man used it last, and I don’t want to start cranking all its levers before the gears are nice and oiled. I’d hate to break it.”

  Ruby’s hand tightened on Trent’s arm. “Oh, we mustn’t do that! We need it to find Ivy.”

  “Sure. Anyway, we need to let it spin a bit before we start messing with it. Ruby? Want to learn how to work the controls?”

  Ruby pulled away from Trent like she’d been fired from a bow. “I can touch it?”

  Emerald laughed. “Sure.”

  “But the Enchanter never lets me touch his devices!”

  “Well he’s not here, is he? C’mon. We’ll work on it together.”

  As Ruby darted off without a backward glance, Emerald turned her back on them and focused on the controls. Trent realized then that Victoria had pressed her body even closer to his. In Ruby’s absence, with the space still filled with gloom, nobody could see them.

  Yet there was still just enough light to see down Victoria’s dress. And as she peered up at him, they both knew that. Her faint blush made her only more beautiful.

  “Trent?” His name sounded so perfect when she whispered it. “Could you put your arm around me? It’s a bit cold down here.”

  One part of Trent screamed at him to refuse. The other boldly reminded him that he couldn’t refuse an order from his princess. And so, with an emotional mixture of longing and a tiny bit of guilt, Trent wrapped one arm around Victoria.

  She sighed happily and nuzzled his chest.

  As Emerald loudly pointed out the levers and dials to Ruby, who listened raptly, Victoria snuggled against him as closely as Ruby or Bethany might. Her soft breathing was louder than he expected in the silent gloom. Soon, she spoke in a voice soft enough only he could hear.

  “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s a beautiful place.”

  Trent somehow kept his voice calm. “Of course, Highness.”

  “Vicky. No one can hear us down here. No one is paying attention to us at all.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  She gave his midriff another squeeze, then ran her hands slowly up and down his back. “This is one of the few times I’ve been out of my chambers in years.”

  He glanced down at her in surprise. “Truly?”

  Her gaze followed one of the gleaming and spinning planets as it rotated slowly around the room. “I was always in my chambers in the palace. Or in court. Or in a room studying something or the other. The only time I ever got to leave the castle was in a carriage, and even then I was surrounded by my Queen’s Guard and other soldiers.”

  “I imagine that must have gotten rather old after a while.”

  “And lonely.” Victoria tightened her arms around him. “I was so lonely, even when I had my parents. It was my fault, really. I shouldn’t have read so many books.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Why would it be bad to read books?”

  “These weren’t books on diplomacy or history. They were, well...”

  She hesitated as if worried he might judge her, so he gave her the gentlest of squeezes to assure her he wouldn’t. He wasn’t supposed to treat her like one of his wives, but he could still treat her like a friend who needed counsel. An exceedingly soft, attractive friend.

  As Victoria glanced up at him, another faint blush colored her cheeks. “I obtained a few books I wasn’t supposed to have, and some were rather... lurid.”

  “Ah.” Trent abruptly understood. “Beth read more than a few of those.”

  Victoria giggled softly. “I know. We’ve talked about them when we were alone in my chambers. She even brought me a few I hadn’t read, and they were certainly entertaining and... educational. I loved those books, but they also taunted me with what I couldn’t have.”

  “You mean romance?”

  She nodded sadly. “I’ve never been kissed. I’ve never gotten to go on a date with a man who made my heart flutter, or walked hand in hand with one beneath the stars beside a glimmering lake, or gotten caught in a rainstorm so fierce we have to shelter in a tree, and...”

  She didn’t have to finish her thought. They were both thinking it.

  “So thank you for this. For today.” She hugged him tightly. “I know this is a fantasy. I know I’m to marry some royal I’ve never met, and I know I have to do so to protect my people and to keep my nation strong. I know what I’m doing by asking you to hug me like this when I can offer nothing more. I’d never do it if you didn’t have... others... to comfort you afterward.”

  At that moment, Trent truly didn’t know what to say.

  As Victoria smiled up at him again, her beautiful features were a mixture of warmth and regret. “No matter how much I might fantasize about marrying the gallant knight who saved my life and kingdom, it can never happen. I know this, and you do as well. So this is just... something nice for me. Practice. I’ll never break any important boundaries.”

  Trent took a breath. “Vicky⁠—”

  “Just let me have my fantasy a bit longer.” She cuddled close and closed her eyes. “A date away from the castle with a wonderful and handsome man. Holding each other in the darkness beneath a wonder of brass and gold. A life beyond the cage that holds me.”

  He tightened his arms around her. “You feel like you’re in a cage?”

  “Every day. Yet even if I could escape it, I wouldn’t. Too many people are depending on me to lead them now. My father can’t do it, since his soul has been replaced by a devil, and my mother can’t do it for... obvious reasons. So it falls to me to lead Dalry into the future.”

  With the reassurance that Victoria knew this was a fantasy as much as he did, Trent held her close and lightly ran his hands up and down her back. She moaned softly and pressed more tightly against him. She nuzzled his chest and breathed out.

  “Gods, that feels wonderful. Please don’t stop touching me.”

  Trent squeezed her waist. He rubbed her back. He even gently stroked a few strands of her blonde hair away from her cheek, which made her shudder in delight. Her flush had spread from her cheek to her neck and down to her breasts.

  He didn’t kiss her. That was a boundary both of them knew they couldn’t break. But he could certainly embrace her so closely and so intimately it felt like they were barely wearing anything at all. That didn’t break any boundaries... technically.

  Emerald glanced back briefly from the controls. Yet rather than being scandalized by what she saw, she merely smirked knowingly. When Ruby straightened and tried to glance back as well, Emerald snapped her fingers to catch her attention.

  As Ruby stared raptly at the controls, Emerald started pointing out levers and dials again. Emerald knew what was happening. She thought it should. Trent was intensely grateful to her at that moment.

  Ruby would never betray Victoria’s confidence willingly, but someone could overhear her talking about how Princess Victoria and her first knight had been wrapped in each other’s arms in a dark orrery beneath the monastery. Yet Emerald?

  Emerald would never breathe a word of their embrace to anyone. Victoria could have her fantasy without anyone ever being the wiser. He trusted Sapphire, but he also knew why Victoria had wanted to come here without her. Sapphire might not approve.

  Nor should she.

  Finally, Emerald cleared her throat and spoke loudly. “So, that’s all there is to it! Ready to give it a whirl? I’m sure Princess Victoria is anxious to see what you can do.”

  With a tiny eep, Victoria peeled herself off of him just before Ruby glanced back in wide-eyed delight. Her eager expression gave no sign that she had noticed anything other than the two of them standing close together. It was too gloomy for her to see Victoria’s blush.

  “Master? Can I?”

  His heart was pounding after cuddling his princess, and his mouth was a bit dry. His cock was also hard as a rock after having Victoria’s luscious curves melded with his body, which was intensely inappropriate given their relationship. Which only made him want her more.

  He cleared his throat and wet his lips. “Yes, Ruby. Let’s see if we can find an eclipse.”

  She turned to the controls and took a breath. “All right! Let’s start by finding today.”

  As Trent watched in increasing wonder and Emerald stood by in case Ruby got something wrong, Ruby expertly moved levers and turned dials. As she did so, the spheres of the orrery slowed, then reversed. Trent watched in wonder as the mechanism spun forward.

  Each sphere or planet continued to orbit and move in relation to each other until they stopped. Each time they halted, Ruby adjusted something.

  Trent imagined she was matching the orrery to today’s date. Planets spun and the “sun” glowed as Ruby adjusted the device, casting shadows across the many spheres and on the fake sky above.

  After a short while, Ruby called out in delight. “That’s it! That’s it, right?”

  Emerald grinned and thumped Ruby’s arm. “Yup. You got it.”

  “So... now?”

  “Keep moving forward one day at a time. We could find one immediately, or not for hours. It’ll be one of the tiny spheres around our planet that does it, unless it’s a planetary eclipse, but I think what happened back in Clarion was natural. It needs to be a lunar eclipse.”

  Ruby nodded. Trent and Victoria stood close together and watched as the planets spun, and stopped, and spun, and stopped. The shadow cast by the tiny sphere of moon rotating around the fourth planet often touched the planet itself, but never totally blocked the light.

  Until it did.

  “There!” Victoria pointed and called out excitedly. “An eclipse! That’s a total eclipse!”

  Trent grinned in relief. “You’re right. How long from now?”

  Ruby peered at the device, then spun excitedly to face him. “Eight days, Master!”

  Trent felt a fresh rush of hope. “That’s quicker than I expected.”

  Emerald nodded ruefully. “Lucky for us. I’d have to stay down here and advance the days a bit longer, but I don’t think we’ll get another one for a good while yet. It’s that eclipse or none. We’ll only get one shot to verify Beth’s theory.”

  Trent walked forward as he stared up at the now motionless orrery. “So how do we know where we need to be to be present when it occurs?”

  “We’ll ask the old man. Now that we know the date on which it occurs, he can map out the planetary coordinates to learn where we need to go to be in the path of totality.”

  Trent stared blankly.

  Emerald smirked. “He’ll figure out where in the realm we need to go to see the eclipse.”

  He nodded. “Thank you.”

  “So we have eight days to figure out where we need to be and how to get there.”

  “We’ll start at once.” Trent glanced at Victoria. “Highness? Would you like to stay down here with Ruby and Emerald and watch the orrery a bit longer? I can relay the date to the Enchanter and get him started on whatever he needs to do to find our destination.”

  She forlornly shook her head. “I can’t tarry here. I have so much else to do, and several briefings to attend, as well as a speech to write. It was a wonderful diversion, but it can’t last forever.” She offered him a meaningful glance. “Still, I had a wonderful time.”

  Trent nodded mutely.

  “Now, Sir Marston? If you and Ruby would be so kind as to escort me back to my chambers, I’ll let you get back to your other business. Do you plan to host your parents for supper tonight?”

  Trent grinned. “Yes. Also, I’d like to get them moved into a place of their own.”

  “We’re running out of those, but I’m certain I can find something for them. Please give them my regards tonight, and remind them how grateful I am for their support.”

  “I will, Highness. Now. Shall we?”

  Victoria glanced at Emerald again. “Thank you for the tour. This place is amazing. I hope we can return someday.”

  Emerald offered a casual salute. “Any time you want, Highness. Though if I do escort you down here again, you might want to bring your first knight. Just to keep an eye on things.”

  Victoria watched Emerald for a long moment, as if judging her intent. Emerald simply smiled easily in return. Finally, Victoria nodded and relaxed.

  “Thank you, Emerald. That’s an excellent idea.” She glanced at Trent and blushed faintly as their eyes met. “I may just take you up on that.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Supper that night was absolutely perfect. In addition to hosting Trent’s parents, Pace and Marika, they also hosted Pip Kaldron, Trent’s firm friend from his time in Eight Company, and Aron Roe, the young guardsman they had come to regard as a friend after Aron sought out Princess Victoria and swore himself to her service.

  With four additional people at the table, his tribe and those they cared about—Trent, Bethany, Ruby, Revca, Kari, Sapphire, and Emerald—took up enough space that they had to bring in an extra table to give everyone a place to sit. Fortunately, Sapphire and Ruby had no problem moving heavy furniture.

  Bethany had somehow acquired a feast, some of which she had prepared and some of which she had no doubt begged, borrowed, or acquired from others. His wife was resourceful, and Trent made sure to whisper to her how grateful he was when he could sneak her away for a moment. She hugged him, careful with her baby bump, while glowing with pride.

  Gertrude didn’t attend. She was away at the Logan estate, gathering intelligence on the latest matters in Whitebridge, and Trent was a bit disappointed on Pip’s behalf. Yet a bit of gentle needling assured him that Pip and Gertrude’s love was growing stronger every day, which made him happy. Pip was a good man, and he deserved a good woman.

  With Bethany so far along, the talk during supper inevitably turned to plans for their first child. Marika proved all too eager to offer plenty of embarrassing stories about the trouble a young Trent got into, which her son could do nothing about.

  There was even a quiet mention of Margo—Trent’s younger sister, who’d died of plague rot when he was young—but briefly and without anyone lingering on her loss. Trent realized then that he hadn’t thought of Margo in weeks.

  Now that he knew for certain that souls existed and there were realms beyond this one—he’d seen both—he hoped that wherever Margo’s soul was, she was happy. He might even get to see her again someday. That was a cheering thought.

  Having everyone crowded into his chambers also meant there was no empty spot where Ivy might have sat, though he knew the others were thinking about her. Trent wished there was more he could do to find her, but despite imbibing Ivy’s quintessence, Revca had been unable to find her soul in the Firmament. They couldn’t do anything for eight more days.

  All they could do was plan, wait, and hope.

  Once even Revca somehow got involved with the child talk, a conversation that enraptured every woman in the room save Sapphire, Trent walked off with Aron, Pip, and Pace to have a brief smoke. He rarely smoked, but he enjoyed the occasional pipe on warm nights.

  His father had somehow acquired pipes for all four of them. Trent didn’t ask how, any more than he’d ask Aron where he’d gotten the herbs he offered. It was best to simply accept some gifts and not inquire too deeply into their origins.