THEY SET out to the glassworks under Prince Kaillen’s management in the morning.
The outing had been put forth as a spontaneous one—Kaillen had suggested at breakfast, which had been a quiet meal with the Ardunnians, the princes, Tanya, and Ezekiel and his parents, that Velia and her family might enjoy seeing the workings of a glassworks—but Ezekiel knew it had to have been carefully calculated between Kaillen and Nikolaus at least, even if Ezekiel hadn’t known about it. From the expression on Father’s face, Father hadn’t known either, and he wasn’t certain what to think of the idea.
Velia and her uncle and aunt responded with polite interest and enthusiasm for the proposed trip, but Ezekiel watched Flavian out of the corner of his eye, and not only because Ezekiel seemed to have more a
