Theron seemed to be the consummate playboy on the ride to the Hall of Ice and Heart. It was like he had forgotten what it meant to cultivate, spending all of his time eating and teasing Lyra.
By this point, one would think that the latter had recovered. But that night seemed to replay in Lyra's mind again and again. She didn't even quite know how to face Theron, but she had no choice but to keep up appearances around Matriarch Macie.
If the Matriarch saw that Theron was taking the lead in all of their interactions, then it would be clear that she wasn't exactly doing her job all that well.
So, she played along, trying to temper down her embarrassment. That led to a situation where the two became the center of everyone's attention.
This only made Lyra more embarrassed, but Theron didn't seem to care in the slightest. He ignored everyone, including the Matriarch, as though they weren't there at all.
…
