Lumberling raised his hand quickly, shaking his head.
"Wait, wait, Lady Thalia. I know where this is going. You're about to drop some ominous red flag, aren't you?"
Her brows furrowed. "Red flags?"
"Yes," he said firmly, giving her a pointed look. "One of those cryptic warnings where you predict doom, I'm supposed to change fate, and somehow I end up doing exactly what you foresaw. That kind of thing."
For a moment there was silence, then Thalia's lips curved, and a sudden giggle slipped out. The sound was light, almost girlish, nothing like her usual composed self.
"You're the first one who has ever told me that, Lord Lumberling," she admitted, covering her mouth, but the laughter still escaped. Even with her veil, her smile was unmistakable.
"Finished?" Lumberling asked dryly.
She drew in a breath, calming herself, and nodded. Her tone shifted, soft but serious.
"Sorry. But yes… I do have a 'red flag' for you."
