Tempered Hearts (Hearts of Valentia Book 1) by Starla Huchton, S. A. Huchton Read Free Book Online Page A

spineless. “Not always, no, but I’ve not been privy to details of things quite so much as I was with that. When I have a task at hand, I’m very focused and do everything I can to see it completed.”
    He hummed thoughtfully, and the conversation lulled, allowing her to eat without worrying over more words. Fruit was replaced by boiled eggs and bread before he spoke again.
    “Your knowledge and involvement with elves is quite extensive, but what of dwarves?”
    Her eyebrows bunched before she could reign in her tell of frustration. “They’re far more secluded, unfortunately. I’ve seen emissaries come and go from Aerenhall, but my exposure is very limited. I’ve studied their language some, but without anyone on hand to help, I’m rather lost on pronunciation. It’s a harsher language than elven, but I don’t think it’s outside my ability to learn it.”
    “Well, I’d offer to introduce you to a friend of mine, but I’m afraid he’d be… unsuitable a conversationalist for a lady of the court.”
    She bristled, unsure if she was more offended that he thought her overly sensitive, as the swooning nobility often were, or if he were insulting someone he called a friend. “And why would you think so?”
    Duke Ingram coughed, interjecting himself into the conversation. “I’m familiar with the dwarf in question, my lady, and I agree with His Highness’s assessment. Ehlren might not upset you, but he has an aversion to high society dealings.”
    “Not that I blame him,” Prince Darius said under his breath, likely not intending her to hear it.
    Dabbing at the corners of her mouth, Arden used her napkin to hide her response. “Some wage war with axes and swords, others with whispers and words.”
    The prince’s gaze rested heavy on her, but she ignored it, focusing instead on her meal to avoid second-guessing her choice of comment. She wondered if quoting a book of proverbs written by kings of old would impress him or not, but it was worth a try. She sorely needed to be seen as an asset to him, or else what a poor match they’d turn out to be.
    Darius
    She surprised him at every turn, which in itself was a huge feat. The longer he spoke with her, the more Darius realized perhaps Ingram was right about the Lady Arden being different from the type of noblewoman he’d come to expect. Where the evening before he dismissed her as another bland, twittering member of the court, by the time they walked the pristinely tended gardens, en route to the orchards, he was definitely revising his opinion of her.
    “And you collect the samples for… what purpose?” he asked as they strolled the path dividing the cherry and apple tree groves.
    Her shoulders tensed, her blue eyes darting back to the conversation between Ingram and the Duchess twenty paces behind them. “I… I study their different properties.”
    He considered her reaction and decided to take advantage of a skill they had in common. If she was hesitant to say whatever it was in the open, speaking in a tongue their company didn’t understand might be convenient.
    “ Would it suit you better to speak about it this way? ” He asked, his elvish only a little rusty after a few months of disuse.
    She gave a small start, but smiled as her cheeks colored. “ If you don’t mind. My mother doesn’t approve of some of my interests. ”
    Darius chuckled. “ Then I’ll admit to being very intrigued by what this forbidden subject is. ”
    “ I wouldn’t say forbidden, exactly, ” she said, frowning a little, though she looked more frustrated than upset. “ My mother is of the opinion that chemistry experiments are very unladylike. I try to appease her by explaining that it’s very similar to cooking, but she’s not any more excited about the thought of me working in a kitchen, either. My father disagrees. He tells me he didn’t marry Mother for her embroidery skills, but found her ability to read the intentions of other people fascinating. He placed