Hyacinth (Tamlin's Healing Arc)

Chapter Thirty Five

"The High Lord requests Lady Cin's presence in the foyer," Vixra announced, gently knocking on the door of the Seams Closet.

Cin rolled her eyes towards the window, noticing the orange glow of the setting sun. "It can't be that late already."

Sarette, threading the tape around her neck, jotted down the measurements in her notebook. "Actually, my Lady, you are free to leave. I have everything I need from you right now."

"Are you sure there aren't any more measurements you need to take?" Cin asked, stepping down from the low pedestal.

"I'm all done. I'll call on you after breakfast tomorrow. If I don't see you again, enjoy your evening further, my Lady," Sarette replied, pushing herself off the floor and heading to the worktable to unpack the material.

"You're dismissing me. Sarette, how dare you?" Cin chuckled, noticing the neatly packed clothes beneath the material.

Sarette winked at her. "We shouldn't keep the High Lord waiting."

"This isn't over." Cin waved her off and followed the now-sweating Vixra into the hall and all the way back to the foyer. Cin couldn't tell if Vixra was worried about getting into trouble or if she was simply sweaty from running around all day. Either way, it was hard not to notice the buckets of sweat pouring from her.

In the foyer, Tamin was engrossed in conversation with Kenai, discussing a cleaning routine.

"I'll see what I can do, Kenai. Did you find anyone who might want to work here?" Tamlin asked, shifting his weight and crossing his arms.

"I did. And they might even be willing to work for the same wage we are," Kenai responded, clasping his hands against his lower back with a hopeful expression.

"Okay, tomorrow is already spoken for, but if you can get them here by the end of the week, I'll meet with them and see if they're a fit," Tamlin nodded, then glanced over Kenai's shoulder toward Vixra and Cin. His face lit up unmistakably, igniting something in Cin's chest. He cracked a smile, and Kenai took a cautious step back, clearing a space for Cin.

"Thank you, my Lord," Kenai said to Tamlin, then nodded to Cin. "My Lady."

Tamlin extended his elbow, and Cin linked her arm through his, beaming up at him as he guided them toward the front courtyard.

"Where are we going?" Cin asked as they descended the front steps. She enjoyed their time together, appreciating the soft beauty of the honey-soaked courtyard in the warm glow of the setting sun, which transformed Tamlin's golden hair with a reddish hue.

"We're going to the Fountain of Gems. I thought a stroll through the garden would be nice for someone who's been in a closet all day," he smirked, clearly hinting at something else up his sleeve.

"For all you know, I could have visited Sarette less than an hour ago," Cin shrugged.

"And did you?" He raised an eyebrow, reaching up to graze his fingertips on the low-hanging cherry blossom petals of the trees they passed.

"No," Cin rolled her eyes, deliberately trying to ignore the bursting daffodils on either side of the path before Tamlin could notice them. She changed the subject, "How did it go today? I suspect you visited some of the sentries?"

"My old unit leaders, yes. I realized visiting each and every sentry would take months if not years. But with the unit leaders, perhaps I can reduce that time," Tamlin said as they approached the Fountain of Gems. "I didn't expect them to forgive me on the spot, and some of them, given free rein to speak their minds, flat out told me to forget they exist."