Page 29 of Requiem of Silence

He nodded politely. “Thank you so much. My brother and I appreciate you coming to our party to help us celebrate.”Even though we have no idea who you are.

He resisted the urge to loosen the bow tie surrounding his neck. The band started another song, one that seemed to capture the attention of the guests, though he’d never heard it before.

The girl before him—Cosette? Clavette? He’d already forgotten her name—was looking up at him expectantly. He smiled andraised his eyebrows. Was there something else he was supposed to do?

“The band is lovely, Your Grace. They’re playing the most popular dances tonight.”

“You don’t need to call me Your Grace,” he replied hastily.

“Oh, but I do,” she said, laying a hand on his arm, fluttering her lashes. “You are a prince of Elsira now.”

The proprietary feel of that hand made him cringe internally. He turned back toward the lads, who were earnestly debating the merits of two famous swivet players; he wished he knew enough to rejoin the conversation. A movement in a gloomy corner of the room caused him to jerk, but it was just a butler emerging with another tray of hors d’oeuvres. His movement dislodged her hand, but she just stepped closer to him.

He smiled, more forced this time. “Just because my sister was made queen, doesn’t mean that I’m a prince.”

Godriq paused, mid-rant. “Of course it does. What else would it mean?”

Varten shrugged and widened his practiced grin. “Don’t you think things mean more when you work for them?”

Nothing but blank gazes met him. He stifled a laugh. “I mean, inheriting’s nice, too.”

He jumped when Colette, or whoever, grabbed his elbow. “Are you certain you would not like to ask me to dance, Your Grace?”

He chuckled to drive away the tension in his jaw and pulled away from her firm grip again. “Sorry, I don’t even know these dances.” The few couples on the dance floor performed elaborate steps to the syncopated music.

A Lagrimari servant came over with a tray. Varten greeted the man in his native tongue, but the pushy socialite shooed him away, a look of disgust on her face.

“You don’t like scallops?” Varten asked.

Her lip curled. “I don’t like the help. Seeinggrolsin the palace, it’s a disgrace.”

Varten stuffed his hands in his pockets, his face growing taut. “Grols,you mean like the queen?”

She paled and clutched the jewels around her neck. Nearby, conversation stopped. He honestly had no idea what he sounded like, but judging by the way everyone had suddenly grown tense, he hadn’t hidden his ire. “No, I… Queen Jasminda isn’t like the rest of them. Neither is the Goddess. You know what I meant.”

He grew very still, feeling almost as if he was turning to stone. “Because the rest of them are, what? Like my father? I’m not sure how you managed to come here forgetting that my brother and I are halfgrol,but please allow me to remind you.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “I may look like one of you, but I’m not.”

He hadn’t yelled, but he hadn’t managed to hide the venom pouring out from deep within. The girl reddened and scurried away, teetering on her high-heeled shoes. When he looked up, the lads around him were all gaping at him like he’d grown another head.

Roshon was suddenly at his side, a hand on his arm, pulling him away. “Your face looks like a tomato. What’d she say?”

“The same shite everyone here is probably thinking.”

They escaped the ballroom and went out into the hallway. Dressed identically, somehow Roshon seemed to appear more comfortable in his formal wear. The music was just a low hum on the other side of the wall and Varten’s emotions began to settle. He ran his hands over his face. “Who thought this party was a good fecking idea?”

Roshon raised a brow. “As I recall, when Jasminda first brought it up you said, and I quote, ‘That’s a good fecking idea.’”

Varten shook his head and turned away. That felt like a lifetime ago.

“You don’t have to go back in, you know.”

“It’s our party.” Varten crossed his arms.

“Yeah, so we should be having fun.”

“Well, you’ve been hiding out somewhere with Ani the whole night, so I have to pick up the slack.” Did he sound bitter? He was having a hard time reining it in right now.

Roshon sighed and leaned next to him. “You don’t have to do everything everyone asks. Jas meant well with this, Sovereign knows she did it for you. But if it’s not your thing, just tell her.”

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