That's better, she thought before drifting off to sleep.
"They should have been back by now," Grace said a few mornings later over breakfast.
"I know," Lex said.
Aria remained quiet. At first, she hoped the delay was due to the long journey. Maybe it had something to do with the weather? Maybe her people had left in search of Aria and her friends? It would have taken longer for Lex's people to find them.
But now, even she had to admit that something must have gone wrong.
"Don't you guys have more guards?" she asked.
"Yeah, and we'd like to keep them," Grace said. Aria could tell that she was angry. "So don't even think about asking us to risk losing more. Or, you know, asking more of our people to die looking for yours."
"Grace..." Lex said, a warning in his voice.
"No, Lex. You shouldn't have sent them in the first place, not after the first two times."
Aria stayed quiet. She could understand why Grace felt that way. These other people were complete strangers to her. But to Aria, they were friends, neighbors, peers. Her mother.
She wanted to bring up the idea of sending another party. But she figured that she should wait until Grace left. Aria could imagine how she would react. Grace had become more closed off since they found out. Aria had a feeling that it had something to do with Mara. They weren't hanging out anymore. They didn't even train together. Mara, it seemed, was just as angry as Aria was. Neither one of them could forgive the Mills siblings that easily.
They ate in silence after that.
Grace eventually left.
It's now or never, Aria thought. "Maybe-maybe, you should send another party," she said. "I mean, you don't have to send many people. Just a few of yours and maybe a few of mine?"
He looked over at her, but she couldn't really read his expression.
"I'll think about it," he said.
"Okay," she said nodding. It was the best she could hope for.
After that, she went to the school, and she ended up having a lot to do, so she didn't get to see Lex until dinner time.
But Grace was with him. If anything, she only seemed more pissed than she'd been that morning. Aria knew she had to wait to talk to Lex.
After dinner, they made their way to their rooms. She stayed silent on the way, thinking about how to persuade him. She realized he was right when he called her manipulative all those months ago.
He sat down on the couch in their front room, and she joined him. She got up and tended to the fire in the fireplace before sitting back down and starting the conversation.
"So have you thought about it?" she asked. She didn't want to seem too pushy. But they were losing time.
"Yeah, I have."
"And?"
"And I'll send another party," he said, shrugging his shoulders.
"What? Really?" she asked. She was a little surprised. She figured that she'd need to argue with him, push him in the right direction.
"Yeah, really."
"Why?"
"What?" he asked, smiling at her. "Isn't that what you want?"
"Well, yeah," she said, smiling a little, "But I didn't think you'd actually do it. Well, not that easily."
He shrugged.
"When?" she asked.
"The day after tomorrow. I'll leave for a village in the south tomorrow night. We'll leave the next morning at first light."
That brought her up short. "Why? Why are you leaving?"
"Because I'm going with them."
"Why?" she asked. She hated the fact that the idea made her a little scared. She was sure that her people weren't behind the reason that Lex's men had gone missing. That they weren't behind the reason, the guards still hadn't returned. But despite that, she felt scared.
"I'd like to know what's going on. Why my people haven't returned. What exactly is happening on the outside."
"Can...can I come with you?" she asked. She still didn't want to go, but she couldn't really bear the thought of him going without her.
"No," he said.
"Why?"
"Because you're the queen. Who will lead our people while I'm gone?"
"Then let me go instead."
"No," he repeated. "I need to know what's going on, Aria. I need to find out what's happened to my people."
"But they're mine too," she yelled.
"Yes, they are. But so are the ones here."
She sighed in frustration.
"Will you miss me?" he asked, smiling.
She looked over at him. The sight of him sitting there, with the firelight dancing in his eyes, made her want to cry. He'd been there all along; he was here now. But the thought of him leaving and her not being able to follow made a lump form in her throat.
"What is it?" he asked, noticing her expression.
"I don't want you to go," she whispered.
He scooted closer to her. "It'll be fine. I'll be back before you know it."
But you don't know that, she thought. But she couldn't say it.
"Don't...don't go," she said.
"Aria..."
"Send someone else. Please, just don't go."
He sighed. “I have to. I need to. And I will come back, I promise."
She knew he had made up his mind. Nothing she said or did could stop him. A part of her admired him for it, for being the type of king who would risk his life for his people. And for hers.
They sat in silence for a little while. She wasn't sure when she'd moved closer to him or when she'd put her head on his shoulder.
Eventually, he said that it was time for bed. She stood up, feeling angry and scared, and maybe even a little desperate. "Why are you doing this? I mean, you didn't even want to send the first party. Why are you so willing to send another?" she asked as he got up.
"Because I know it's what you want. I know it'll make you happy."
"But...what if you were right? What if they are behind all of this?" she asked. She couldn't really believe she was having doubts about what her people had done. In who they were.
"It doesn't matter. I
