Page 21 of Power Shift
Caelan barked a laugh. “She did have more bite than everyone so far.”
Soren finally took his seat, though he didn’t scoot his chair all the way in.
“Relax, Lord. She’ll play nice if you do.”
He sent me an incredulous look. “She? You know it’s a girl?”
“Of course. You don’t think a male plant is this angry, do you?”
Moira smiled into her wine. “Gods. I love hanging out with you, Evie. Especially when it has to do with the Lords.”
“Your friend should take care with the way she treats her betters,” Soren said.
Everyone froze. A punch of power rocked the room, blazing against my skin like the sun. Caelan’s eyes went pure gold.
“Oh shit,” Moira breathed. “You done stepped in it now.”
I rarely touched Caelan of my own volition, but this time I lay a gentle hand across his thigh, where none of the curious guests—most of whom were looking our way—could see. “Caelan. I’ll handle this.”
A warm, calloused hand came over mine, Caelan’s magic soaking into my skin. His muscles weren’t as tense as they were a moment before, but his eyes still blazed gold.
I kept my voice low and steady, even though fury blazed through my blood. “I know why you want me to bow to the Lord’s will.”
Soren’s eyes blazed, Moira an uncomfortable barrier between us.
I let a sardonic smile curve my lips. “You and your other Lords are afraid of what I might do. I am a threat to your power base. Little old me with my man-eating vines.” I coaxed those vines closer to Soren. They grew along the table and curled around his dinner plate.
Soren snorted, but I didn’t miss the hard swallow of his throat. “You’re awful full of yourself for a Floromancer.”
The disgust in his voice sent my hackles up. Floromancy was a relatively rare magic, and most people dismissed it. And they were right to, for the most part. The vast majority of people with my type of magic were content to act as landscapers and gardeners, or they ran shops like mine in smaller towns where their powers were easier to hide.
Caelan’s low chuckle was a caress down my spine.
“Keep telling yourself that I am only a Floromancer, Lord Soren. I hope it helps you sleep at night.”
I turned away from him just as the servers approached with the main course and tried to slide my hand from Caelan’s thigh. He gripped it tightly, keeping it pressed there.
And heaven help me, I let him.
Just as thedinner was winding down, and I was gathering my bag, a woman with cool blonde hair and bright green eyes approached the table. Caelan stiffened, almost imperceptibly. Since my hand was still locked on his thigh, I felt the play of muscle.
“Lord,” the woman said, her voice low and cultured. Her eyes swept over the table and snagged on me, a slight curl of distaste on her lip.
“Hello, Nadia.”
She tilted her head. “I wonder if you have a moment where I might speak with you in private.”
Caelan’s brow furrowed. “You may speak freely at this table.”
“Caelan,” Soren warned.
“They are both aware of many of the goings-on at my Keep, Lord Soren.”
Nadia flicked her gaze at me once more, her eyes lingering longer this time.
“I’m aware your engagement to my cousin is broken, but we have not seen her since that night.”
I froze, careful to keep my expression blank. We were swimming in dangerous waters now. Carefully extricating my hand from under Caelan’s, I pushed my plate away and started to rise. “This seems like a private family matter.”
