Page 85 of Curse of Darkness
“Surrender,” he repeats loudly. Clearly. “We’re not having this conversation.”
I exchange a glance with Thalia. It’s not our place to push. And Finn’s clearly struggling through the matter.
Thalia kisses him on the top of the head in a message of silent support and then circles the table. She catches the edge of my dress, tugging at the lace there to reveal my throat. One eyebrow arches high at whatever she sees. “Someone had fun last night.”
I pop a blueberry in my mouth with a saucy smile. My cheeks ache. I can’t quite keep it off my face.
“How is he?” she murmurs.
That steals my smile away. “The same. But also not the same.”
Thalia’s eyes soften with distress. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” And I don’t. He’s locked down tight today, trying to hide the thoughts bothering him.
The shield is up. The mask firmly in place.
“We have to expect he’s going to struggle to come to terms with what happened,” Finn points out. “I’ll take him out for the night and get him drunk. He’ll talk.”
“Maia’s breath.” Thalia rolls her eyes. “That is theworstidea.”
Finn rolls his eyes in return. “Better than yours.”
“I haven’t even suggested anything yet.”
“You’re going to smother him,” he says. “In love. You’re going to hug him and feed him and follow him around the castle until he finally snaps.”
Thalia’s eyes narrow, and she snatches a grape off the table and throws it at him. Finn catches it with his mouth and chews, winking at her.
Footsteps stride toward the dining room. My heart skips a beat—but then one becomes two, and Baylor and Eris enter.
Finn instantly sits up straighter, cutting the two of us a warning look.
“Maybe you’re right,” Thalia teases, ruffling his hair. “Maybe I should leave Thiago alone and focus on something else. Something like—”
“I will lock you in a box, naked, and ship you off to Stormlight and Prince Kyrian if you even open your mouth.” His glare promises murder.
“What did we miss?” Baylor helps himself to the sideboard.
“Nothing,” Finn snaps.
Thalia laughs. “Eris, you’re positively glowing today. What’s the secret?”
“Didn’t stab anyone today,” Eris says with a shrug, resting one hip against the table and leaning over to pluck a blueberry from the platter in the middle.
“Do you want a medal?” Finn drawls.
The pair of them share a look.
“Day’s still young,” Eris points out.
“But you would have to catch me first,” he points out, dipping his strip of toast in the yolk of his egg, “and you don’t run very fast.”
“I don’t have reason to run. Nobody worth chasing. Nobody worth running from.”
A silent duel takes place across the table, one conveyed in narrowed glances and stiffening shoulders and centuries of tension. The blueberry faces annihilation in Eris’s suddenly tense grip.
“Children,” Baylor drawls, taking his seat at the table. “The last time we started this, someone nearly lost an eye.”
