Page 154 of Unrivaled
“That was crude of you, dear,” he said, with a click of his tongue.“If you wanted to proposition me, I’d bid you do so a little more subtly.Or at least wait untilafterI’m drunk.”
I took it as reassurance and laughed at the joke, drinking the refreshing cordial.Only three nights to go.“I’m glad you’re here.Not just because you leant me a wonderful belt.”
“I’m glad I’m here, too,” he said, seriously.“Did you want to rest for a time?The feast won’t start for another hour.”
“No.”I braced myself.“Yes, I do, but I’d rather get down and start circulating,” I corrected, making the answer more accurate.
He nodded his understanding.“If you’d like me to get you out of there, just tell me you’ve news on the pumpkins from Pia.”
The thoughtfulness of that offer made my heart sit lighter in my chest.“Luca, if I need to get out, I’m just going to walk out.”
He opened the door to the area Chay guarded.Light spilled across his form.I saw the knight who’d been the topic of much discussion seated, something large and grey between his hands.A quick glimpse told me it was leather, and beautiful.I resisted the urge to look closer, not wanting to make Chay uncomfortable.
“Of course you will,” Luca agreed, and my eyes were drawn back to his figure.“But there are some conversations where it’s easier to have a quick sidestep than deal with the repercussions later, and that’s true no matter who you are or how powerful.Are you coming, Chay?”
“Now?”Chay asked me.
The way he looked at me, and never at Luca, was unsettling.“Did you need time?”
He just shook his head.“Lead the way, my lady.”
I did, trusting that they could both follow.
* * *
Worse than the informally shallow curtsey I’d given Kadan in front of the watching masses before he’d danced with me, I’d almost collided with a noble from Ltona.He’d gone left, so had I.I’d gone right, so had he.We’d laughed and pardoned ourselves andif that was all.If only that was all.To the harmony of the giggles in the background of the watching vultures, I’d heard him add to the standard apology.More words piling on top of the already out of rhythm interaction.Except I hadn’t reallyheardthe words and I’d responded with “Oh, the day has been wonderful, and yours?”
A moment was all it’d taken for the words to sink into my mind.He hadn’t asked about my day.He’d complimented me.As I’m not a man of awkward step, nor do you lack grace, it must simply be that we’re drawn together.That’s what he’d said.The words just hadn’t sunk in.
“What’s your plan for tomorrow?”Luca asked, leaning his shoulder against the stone beside the door as Chay unlocked it for us.
He was looking at me, which was puzzling.Or mayhap it was simply the buzz of the wine I’d snagged on the way out, hoping it might deaden the storm of thoughts in my skull.But, no, he was looking at me, though Chay was the one competing.Luca knew my plan was to stand around and be seen.Then I recalled what he’d said earlier.Given the short notice, he’d done an excellent job of matching my outfit with silvery greys and deep charcoals, and a bold orange sash worn in the style of Raider’s Ban.
Did I want him matching me?I decided I didn’t despise the idea.“Rebirth.I’m wearing greens.Thanking you, Chay.”I went to touch his shoulder out of habit as I went past, a small thing I’d taken to doing at some point during our training sessions as an unspokenI’m here, don’t step on me.Now it was something I did unthinkingly.That the briefest flicker of hesitation even crossed my mind was unfair.Chay hadn’t needed to attend the evening as my guard, but he had.Thomas had, too, though he’d been convinced to return to his family rather than see me to my tower.
“My favorite color.Bright, or dark?”Luca waved it away.“Bright, of course.I can’t wait to see what your tailors have created.I do believe there might be some more of their work tomorrow night at the ball.”
“Oh?”
“You’ve taken the field,” he said, with a shrug.“Of course others will try to compete.”
“It isn’t a competition,” I told him, irritated.But if people were ordering dresses made with enough of a rush to have them ready fortomorrow night,odds were high they were paying mage rates.They’d also be buying the fabrics, the accessories.All that twill would find expensive homes.
“Not for you,” Luca responded.I checked to see if he was flattering me, but it seemed like a statement of fact, a comment on my mindset.“Isadora’s father found you, I hear.”
“Isadora’s father?”I followed Luca into the common area, lit by the glow of the fireplace.It had been cold when I’d left.Isolde had been back.There was no sign of her, so she was off having fun and stretching her legs, no doubt.I hoped she would return soon.“Count Mikheil?”
“The same.”Luca glanced over my shoulder as he took a candle.“Drink, Chay?”
“Will you be long?”Chay asked, leaning on the door between the common area and his domain, the movement speaking of familiarity and ease.It felt like a normal conversation between friends.There was something healing about that.“I’m competing on the morrow.”
“I was planning on remaining until Audrey told me to leave,” Luca admitted, with a laugh, glancing at me.
My brain was whirring.I could feel the tug of all those thoughts and knew they’d creep in and pull me hither and fro unless I let them settle.“I’ll be waiting for Isolde,” I told Chay.She’d mentioned something about investigating the man I was with.It wouldn’t hurt her if I entertained him a little longer, and distracted myself in the process.
He gave me a quick, knowing look.“Want me to go check?”he offered.
I shook my head.It didn’t surprise me he’d know where to start looking for her.Much as she kept an ear out, so did he.There was little point trying to hide things from one another.Not when we were all working toward the same goals.
