"Who is she?" Iver's stern voice cut through the quiet of the study as he leafed through a leather-bound book, standing before one of the numerous towering shelves.
"Now you ask that?" Geneva folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the nearest shelf, lips compressed in disapproval.
Ester and the envoy that had escorted Ro out the ship on her arrival stood a few paces away from the two nobles.
Geneva let the silence hang between them before adding, "You said you would not involve yourself with this nonsense, and yet here you are, showing such immediate interest." Her eyes narrowed. "The moment she arrived, no less."
"I changed my mind." Iver snapped the book shut with his palm, finally turning to face them. "And what did that fool decide? To let the nymphs decide who to bring?"
The envoy, Don, went rigid. A slight twitch pulled at Ester's cheek. Geneva's frown deepened.
Iver was one of the few nobles with the authority to insult the king so casually. Even if he was related to the ruler.
Geneva started, "It doesn't matter—"
"Of course it doesn't matter." Iver straightened, his jaw hardening. His eyes momentarily flashed with a faint golden glow. "There were better ways to have handled this."
"Save your bloodthirst for the monsters," Geneva shot back. "Intimidation wouldn't have served us well long-term either—"
"That is not what I meant." Iver turned away from them and strolled towards the end of the row. His footsteps were silent against the polished stone floor.
Geneva cursed under her breath and followed him. The space opened up. Rows of shelves gave way to high windows, cushioned seats, and a neatly arranged, broad desk. She slowed her pace and plopped onto one of the chairs with a huff.
"Iver, listen—"
"That woman is here with intentions." Iver stopped mid-stride and angled his body to face her. "Did you notice that?"
Geneva drummed her fingers against her lap. "Clearly, anyone would be. Even their duller ones." She then paused, weighing her words. "She was careful with what she said in the carriage. I'm not stupid, boy." Her features hardened. "And from what I could tell, this one is smart."
"She is conniving. Possesses acute memory. For someone who had just arrived here, she knows the layout of my house to a degree."
Confusion flickered across Geneva's face. "They wouldn't be foolish enough to provoke us."
"Fools would." Iver continued towards the windows, his hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the grounds outside. "I paid attention to her this morning. She was noting routes in the city. Studying them."
Geneva's fingers stilled. Her lips thinned and her eyes narrowed. Her gaze then shifted to where Ester and Don stood, both trying to remain inconspicuous.
The pale light penetrated through the tall windows lining the wall and caught the faint glow rising in the older woman's eyes.
"Don," she called out to the envoy, her tone sharp, "You said she was introduced as Tury at the Estate in Erzi?"
"She gave you a different name," Iver commented, matter-of-factly. He turned around to face a displeased Geneva.
"Ro. I did study her carefully during our conversation. She wasn't lying..."
Iver raked his hand through his hair. "When is the next delegation leaving for Erzi?"
"Tomorrow morning," Don let out, his voice lower.
Geneva clipped in. "They will conduct more in-depth research on her there. The family will also be coming, along with other dignitaries from the nation for the ceremony next week."
Silence settled over the room for a few seconds. Then Don cleared his throat. "If... I may."
All eyes turned toward him.
"We noticed something unusual at her family estate," Don continued, his tone careful. "Many of the servants seemed frightened of her."
Geneva's expression darkened immediately. "You said nothing of this in your report."
"I apologise." Don shifted his feet. "I only learned of it the evening before. One of the other attendants noted it. The servants showed reverence for the governor's son and his widow, but a strange... distaste for her. A lot of them even seemed terrified of her." He twisted his lips thoughtfully. "She seemed a little different though after her illness during the journey. More troubled than guarded like how we initially met her."
Ester had on an utterly perplexed look.
Iver's lips stretched in a grin. The air rippled with a faint distortion, as though heat was erupting from a sun-warmed rock. Ester flinched. The envoy shifted on his feet, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face. Geneva sat still, resting her chin on the back of her hand with her eyes unfocused and calculating.
Iver shrugged off his coat and sprawled the heavy fabric over the back of a seat. When he spoke again, his voice was calm with an underlying edge. "When you return to Erzi, I also want to see this report you come up with. Every single finding you can discover about this woman and that family of hers. I need to know who I am marrying, after all."