gorgeous,” Glyssa said. “Artwork, indeed. It almost makes me want something like it.”
Tiana released Camellia and they turned at the same time to look at the robe. It was a formal gown with a built-in breastband and a low heart-shaped neckline. The sleeves were long and had rectangular pockets. The dress was lined with a cream-colored silk.
But what captured the gaze was the sheen of the fabric and the shades of pale green, cream-colored, and white embroidery that made the subtle floral pattern appear woven into the cloth.
“Lady and Lord!” Tiana gasped. She turned to stare, openmouthed, at Camellia. “How could you afford that? It must have cost—” She snapped her mouth shut.
Glyssa continued, “—a year’s worth of both my and Tiana’s salaries and your business profit.”
“I stood in line outside D’Thyme’s home all night Halloween and the morning of New Year’s Day, Samhain, a year ago. You remember.”
It was a tradition that the first hundred people who arrived at a noble’s door on Samhain received the services of the noble for free—or rather subsidized by the NobleCouncils as part of their yearly NobleGilt.
“I thought you were crazy,” Glyssa said. She angled the hanger so the silk and thread caught the light. “It was below freezing.”
“I wanted the gown.”
“And you do tend to be determined,” Glyssa admitted.
With hesitant fingers, Tiana touched the pale petal of a flower. “Beautiful, and it’s your pattern, isn’t it? On your tea set.”
“Yes.”
Glyssa shook her head in admiration. “You did fabulously well. As usual.” She handed the dress to Camellia.
“It could be a bridal gown,” Tiana said.
“No!” The word was too violent, but Camellia couldn’t help it. “No husband.”
“No HeartMate, you mean. You have one.” Tiana lifted her chin.
Camellia laid her dress on a chair. Sweat had sprung on her palms. “I thought we’d decided we wouldn’t discuss that.”
“You have a HeartMate, not everyone does. That’s rare,” Tiana continued.
Camellia’s mind buzzed and a haze of hurt and anger seemed to separate her from her friend. Tiana wasn’t the confrontational sort. Her numb mouth formed slow words. “Why are you talking about that now ?”
Glyssa stepped next to her and flung her arm around Camellia’s shoulders in a hug, facing Tiana. “Yes, why now ? Hasn’t Camellia had enough problems today without you poking at her?”
Tiana’s face scrunched, and she mumbled, “We discussed HeartMates at temple today. How fate will bring HeartMates together.”
“Now is not the time, Tiana.” Glyssa’s voice held a note of arrogance that Camellia had never been able to master. “We all have our sore points, and our secrets. Maybe you’d like to tell us—”
Camellia shook all the stupid emotions aside. Her friends needed her. Of them all, when Tiana and Glyssa argued, the friendship came closest to shattering. “No. Stop. We know she can’t tell us about her home.”
“I swore an Oath, swore a Vow of Honor, I’m bound to say nothing ,” Tiana said miserably, backing away from Glyssa and beginning to tidy the room.
Nudging Glyssa with her elbow, Camellia collected her shredded emotions and tried to mend them together. She knew that if they were shaped into a garment they’d look nothing like her gown. Not now. “Glyssa, you know there are great consequences to breaking a Vow of Honor, and you wouldn’t expect her to.” Camellia whistled out a breath. “Yes. I have sore spots.” She had to pant through the next sentence. “And secrets, and I don’t ever like to think of my HeartMate. I don’t intend to claim him.” Her jaw flexed and she stared at Tiana, who had her calm-and-serene-but-I-will-get-back-to-the-subject-so-you-will-release-your-problems- and-change-for-the-better expression on.
“We’ll thrash this out later.” Camellia’s mouth pulled up in an ironic smile. “Tiana, you want to help us work
Tiana released Camellia and they turned at the same time to look at the robe. It was a formal gown with a built-in breastband and a low heart-shaped neckline. The sleeves were long and had rectangular pockets. The dress was lined with a cream-colored silk.
But what captured the gaze was the sheen of the fabric and the shades of pale green, cream-colored, and white embroidery that made the subtle floral pattern appear woven into the cloth.
“Lady and Lord!” Tiana gasped. She turned to stare, openmouthed, at Camellia. “How could you afford that? It must have cost—” She snapped her mouth shut.
Glyssa continued, “—a year’s worth of both my and Tiana’s salaries and your business profit.”
“I stood in line outside D’Thyme’s home all night Halloween and the morning of New Year’s Day, Samhain, a year ago. You remember.”
It was a tradition that the first hundred people who arrived at a noble’s door on Samhain received the services of the noble for free—or rather subsidized by the NobleCouncils as part of their yearly NobleGilt.
“I thought you were crazy,” Glyssa said. She angled the hanger so the silk and thread caught the light. “It was below freezing.”
“I wanted the gown.”
“And you do tend to be determined,” Glyssa admitted.
With hesitant fingers, Tiana touched the pale petal of a flower. “Beautiful, and it’s your pattern, isn’t it? On your tea set.”
“Yes.”
Glyssa shook her head in admiration. “You did fabulously well. As usual.” She handed the dress to Camellia.
“It could be a bridal gown,” Tiana said.
“No!” The word was too violent, but Camellia couldn’t help it. “No husband.”
“No HeartMate, you mean. You have one.” Tiana lifted her chin.
Camellia laid her dress on a chair. Sweat had sprung on her palms. “I thought we’d decided we wouldn’t discuss that.”
“You have a HeartMate, not everyone does. That’s rare,” Tiana continued.
Camellia’s mind buzzed and a haze of hurt and anger seemed to separate her from her friend. Tiana wasn’t the confrontational sort. Her numb mouth formed slow words. “Why are you talking about that now ?”
Glyssa stepped next to her and flung her arm around Camellia’s shoulders in a hug, facing Tiana. “Yes, why now ? Hasn’t Camellia had enough problems today without you poking at her?”
Tiana’s face scrunched, and she mumbled, “We discussed HeartMates at temple today. How fate will bring HeartMates together.”
“Now is not the time, Tiana.” Glyssa’s voice held a note of arrogance that Camellia had never been able to master. “We all have our sore points, and our secrets. Maybe you’d like to tell us—”
Camellia shook all the stupid emotions aside. Her friends needed her. Of them all, when Tiana and Glyssa argued, the friendship came closest to shattering. “No. Stop. We know she can’t tell us about her home.”
“I swore an Oath, swore a Vow of Honor, I’m bound to say nothing ,” Tiana said miserably, backing away from Glyssa and beginning to tidy the room.
Nudging Glyssa with her elbow, Camellia collected her shredded emotions and tried to mend them together. She knew that if they were shaped into a garment they’d look nothing like her gown. Not now. “Glyssa, you know there are great consequences to breaking a Vow of Honor, and you wouldn’t expect her to.” Camellia whistled out a breath. “Yes. I have sore spots.” She had to pant through the next sentence. “And secrets, and I don’t ever like to think of my HeartMate. I don’t intend to claim him.” Her jaw flexed and she stared at Tiana, who had her calm-and-serene-but-I-will-get-back-to-the-subject-so-you-will-release-your-problems- and-change-for-the-better expression on.
“We’ll thrash this out later.” Camellia’s mouth pulled up in an ironic smile. “Tiana, you want to help us work
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