“Such a generous reassurance.” The tone dripped with playful admiration. He was only half joking when it came to this supposed smugness he exhibited, which probably only made it more fun for her. He gave her a look that suggested he thought she was making it all up and somehow, in doing so, was the first in centuries to sidestep his ability to sense the deception.
“This is one of those times when being able to tell myself you were lying to unsettle me would be nice.” It was never that he couldn’t take no for an answer. They came few and far between, but she wasn’t the first or the last to deny him something. She had, as she said, always left that sliver of hope that the answer might change. The suggestion underlying it all that she enjoyed the pursuit was enough encouragement to ensure it continued. It seemed surreal now to think it might be over. His life was calmer now, and maybe that had been what changed everything. That ochre gaze was not so prone to wandering these days. There was talk of him and the lovely young Chaldean, but Avalynn knew by now that situation was anything but simple, and it was far from what popular belief would have of it.
There was more magic at work in these gardens than people realized. Mikino’s own, which had been a gift to Shayleiah’s mother after their wedding, were known to be more natural. Here things were always temperate. It was never sweltering during the day or too chilly at night. Some felt that something was lost in that control—Melinda certainly had—but Mikino was accustomed to such luxuries and thought little of it. Order was always his preference, though he could see the beauty in chaos from time to time.
"I think you probably prefer the look of disappointment. A little cruel of you, isn't it? When we do go through with this, I will try my best not to look to smug upon the altar." It was a pleasant enough walk, then, to reach the border of that mysterious section of the garden that had been decreed for Royal use. There was indeed a guard still on patrol, though that could certainly have been a coincidental part of his route—for all they really knew, he was on his way off shift from somewhere else. As Lord Regent, he could have walked right past and he probably would have received a deep bow for his trouble, but instead he gave Ava’s hand an abrupt tug back, off course, as if there were some real danger of being caught and interrogated for their presence here.