Page 88 of Ocean of Ink
DarlingWren. Castien looked down at the pressed linen tablecloth. He began working through a complicated equation he had read in a book before tonight. He was right to think he’d need it. Finn had gone too far. He knew what he was doing, Castien was certain of it.
The scrape of a chair to his left nearly startled him, for he was so concentrated on the equation his Gift scrawled in his vision. Wren sat down, the silky fabric of her dress billowing with the movement. A sweet scent washed over him; it reminded him of a stroll through the royal gardens.
Wren glanced over–a failure in subtlety–then looked down at her hands folded in her lap. There was a soft grey smudge on her right hand that made warmth spread through Castien’s chest. He held his hand out under the table where no one could see but her. There was a matching smudge that he hadn’t been able to scrub off while getting ready. She turned her head toward him, and they shared a secret smile. His heart soared. He felt the same way he had that day in the Watchtower. A part of him wanted to run, and the other to stay forever.
“Where is your date, dear cousin?” Finn asked from the other side of Wren, breaking their moment.
Castien glared at Finn above Wren’s head.
“I came alone.”
“Is that so? How curious.” Finn’s eyes sparkled with mirth.
Over Finn’s shoulder, Calypsia prowled toward Castien’s table, talons hooked into Soren’s arm. They stopped at the two empty seats left. Calypsia laid a hand on the back of the chair next to Letta, a large sapphire glittering on her finger. The jewel matched the tone of her dress, which was a vibrant blue accented by hundreds of tiny white pearls. But the piece of her ensemble that drew the eye the most was the large, serrated tooth sitting in the center of her collarbones. It looked to be from acadral, one of the more dangerous creatures in the Heartless Tides. Reckless merchants hunted them down and sold their meat and teeth for a hefty sum.
“Good evening, are these seats taken?” Soren asked in a forced baritone.
Castien raised a brow in question to Finn. He did not have reason to refuse a woman as high a rank as Calypsia, but he also didn’t particularly want her to sit with them.
“I’m afraid so,” Finn answered smoothly. “Two of our friends were having a conversation, but now they’ve come to join us.” He gestured to where Kierana and Eindar walked arm in arm, both equal in intimidation. The room parted around them.
Calypsia smiled, but her irritation was clear. Kierana was a princess in her own right, though likely Calypsia was one of those who thought otherwise.
Kierana’s smile when she approached was as much of a weapon as the daggers hanging from her waist.
“Calypsia, how kind of you to grace our table with your presence. Tell me, are you well?” Kierana let go of Eindar’s arm and set her hand on the same chair Calypsia’s hand was on.
“Quite, and you?” Calypsia responded tightly. She slowly removed her hand.
Castien glanced at Wren to get her reaction. She wore a small, satisfied smirk that almost made him chuckle. It was clearshe had enough experience with Calypsia to be happy at her rejection.
“I’m wonderful. It’s a beautiful evening to spend with friends.” Kierana gestured to the servants entering the room. “It looks as though dinner is to be served, so we will have to catch up later.”
Calypsia took a step back and grabbed Soren’s arm again. He flinched slightly before painting on a smile.
“Enjoy your dinner.” The three words sounded akin to a threat.
Calypsia retreated to a table across the room, dragging Soren with her. Castien did not have Wren’s Gift, yet he still thought Calypsia’s anger was tangible in its strength.
“Dreadful creature,” Kierana said as Eindar pulled out her chair.
Letta’s eyes grew wide at the comment.
“You made her rather angry,” Wren commented.
Kierana scoffed. “She believes herself better than everyone else because of her father’s deeds. If she wants to impress me, she’ll kill her father and take his throne. Until then, I have no respect for her serpentine ways.”
“You’re scaring our guest,” Finn scolded Kierana while gesturing to Letta. Percilean rubbed her back soothingly, but said nothing.
“Oh, she should learn at some point.” Kierana met the girl’s doe eyes. “If you’re going to be a part of this circle, you need to learn to look past titles and seemotive. Percilean may have a heart of gold, but that does not mean everyone does.”
Letta nodded frantically, face pale.
“I certainly do not,” Finn joked to lighten the mood.
“No, no, you don’t,” Castien said with a sharp look. All he got in reply was a grin.
Servants arrived at the table in a flurry of steaming bowls and polished silverware. They set down the first course, a lemon herbsoup, then disappeared to prepare the next one. Everyone began to eat, but Finn did not grow quiet as the rest of the table did.
