Rhea looked at the pile of rejected invitations on her desk. Her gaze dismissed them as she resumed her work, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door.

The Baron strode in and placed a letter on her desk.

“You can’t keep rejecting their invitation, Rhea.”

Rhea sat back in her chair, “Father, I am far too busy at the Flower Path and heiress responsibilities to take more than a week to entertain Lady Althea Iris.”

“That may be so.” He sat in the chair opposite her desk, “Do you know how I’ve kept the Ipheion clear from royal intrigue for so long?”

Rhea tilted her head.

“I keep them happy. I provide resources. I answer the royal family’s invitations. I do my responsibilities as Baron so they don’t have to worry about the state of my lands.”

Rhea sighed, “So this is my responsibility then?”

Calder clapped his hands, “Exactly, daughter. Making connections with the royal family may complicate things on occasion, but it provides far more benefits than drawbacks.”

Not wishing to take multiple modes of transport to the Duchy, Rhea rode Wren to the estate.

The flight never failed to put her in a good mood, swooping through the skies made all other things seem small in comparison.

It was when she arrived at the Duchy that things started to annoy her. Lady Althea was yet to get back after a courtship day with the Crown Prince and all who was available to welcome her was Lord Easton, the Duke’s brother, a rather somber fellow that Rhea had found seemed to glare at her on occasion. He was handsome she could admit that but she didn’t approve of his gaze that looked at her with such obvious suspicion and disdain.

He brought her into the parlor and offered her tea.

The parlor was silent neither knowing what to say.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Iris.”

He merely nodded and sipped his tea, his gaze never moving from hers over his teacup. Rhea refused to shift uncomfortably beneath his gaze.

When at last Althea burst through the doors in a whirlwind of cream and gold skirts, Rhea could barely hold back her sigh of relief.

“Come, I’ll take you on a tour.” Althea grabbed a hold of Rhea’s hands and pulled her through the doors, barely giving her brother a wave before proceeding to show the grand estate off to Rhea. The walls were adorned with molding in cream and gold, giving a softness to the tall imposing surroundings. There was an atrium, a conservatory, a ballroom, and numerous other rooms they passed.

“I heard you arrived on skybeast, could I perhaps meet it?”

Rhea nodded, “Could we perhaps stop by the kitchens? Wren will warm up to you quicker if you have a baked good in hand.”

Wren seemed to be on her best behavior when Althea came up to greet her with the baked goods she didn’t even playfully nip her fingers like she would with anyone but Rhea.

“I think Wren likes you.”

“Really?” Althea’s smile was so bright, that Rhea had a feeling she should cover her eyes.

Seeing her gaze linger upon the two-seater saddle that Rhea had used due to her other being refurbished back at home, Rhea turned to Althea. “Would you like me to take you on a flight?”

Althea was a giddy passenger upon Wren. Rhea couldn’t help but smile at the joy the woman exuded as they spun through the skies overlooking the many swamps and forests of the Duchy. When they landed back upon the Duchy courtyard, Lord Easton was waiting his arms crossed over his chest his brow lowered. His purple-black hair looked even darker with his somber gaze that was magnified by the reading glasses upon his nose.

Althea dismounted and ran to his side, “Easton you must take a flight with Rhea. You will not regret it.”

Easton unfolded his arms as the Duke came up from behind and slapped him upon the back.

“Yes, brother, go have some fun.”

Rhea looked between the three, she found she probably wouldn’t be able to reject the Duke’s idea. She could only hope Lord Easton would.

His countenance changed and the smallest little smirk sat upon the corner of his plush lips.

“I suppose I could.”

The flight was as silent as their tea in the parlor had been. Rhea couldn’t help but feel hyper-aware of his arms that brushed against her back as he leaned forward in time with how they swerved or dove. He didn’t make a sound unlike his sister and so Rhea got an odd sort of idea in her head. Let’s see if he can hold back a shout for long. Urging Wren to speed off onto the horizon, Rhea felt satisfied as she heard a shout escape from the stoic Lord Easton Iris.