Page 58 of Winds of Darkness
“You have,” he agreed.
“But I was never served that,” she continued, and he knew she was referring to the oysters.
“I hoard them,” he said matter-of-factly.
There was an extended silence before she said, “I find that amusing.”
“Would you like to try one?”
“Does that not defeat the purpose of hoarding them?”
He huffed a laugh. “I suppose it does, but I am willing to do so.”
It was another few seconds before she gave a decisive nod. “Then yes, I would like to try one. And some fish. I do enjoy the food when I visit.”
“Noted,” he replied with a smile, placing his full plate before a chair. “You can have this plate. I will make another.”
Ashtine stumbled back a few steps, her gaze darting to the balcony doors. “You can eat, Prince. I will wait on the sofa. Or perhaps I should simply take my leave.”
Briar set the empty plate he had just retrieved back down, turning to face her. “Did I offend you in some way?”
“No,” she answered, shaking her head and taking another step back.
“If I did, I apologize.”
“I did not mean to come here,” she said, more to herself than to him.
“You can always come here,” he replied, moving closer to her.
Her focus snapped back to him. “That is a foolish statement. Impulsive visits cannot happen. This should not have happened. I will go.”
On instinct, he lurched forward, because he didn’t want her to go anywhere. She was clearly upset, and he reached out, claspingher elbow. Wind Walkers couldn’t travel with a passenger, so she wouldn’t be able to leave if they had physical contact.
“Ashtine, wait—”
But a violent gust of air slammed into him, and he was thrown backwards. Tendrils of water from the ledges leapt out, wrapping around his arms and waist and keeping him on his feet. More importantly, his magic kept him from colliding with the table full of food. The force of Ashtine’s magic, however, had still blown the smaller plates to the floor. Bread and cheese splattered against the balcony doors and grapes rolled across the marble floor while the dinnerware shattered.
He lifted his gaze to find Ashtine standing with a curved sickle blade in her hand. The weapon’s blade was white and silver. Skystone, he realized. Her reaction had certainly caught him off guard, but it shouldn’t have. Ermir would have made sure the last Evermorn heir could protect herself. Her childhood spent hidden away would have included all manner of training and that would have continued. Sion wouldn’t have let her stop.
“I would not harm you, Ashtine,” he said cautiously. “I only wished to speak with you more before you left. I did not wish for you to leave.”
“I can feel your wards, Prince Drayce—”
“Briar,” he interrupted.
Her lips pursed. “I can feel your wards. I cannot walk among the winds from your rooms.”
She wasn’t wrong, but he hadn’t been thinking clearly when he thought she was going to leave upset. Again.
“I admit I acted impulsively,” he replied. “I did not wish for you to leave.”
“You stated that, but I do not think I believe it.”
“Why would you doubt my words?”
“Because you ceased your visits.”
She said it so simply. No bite or bitterness to her tone. Just a statement of what was.
