Page 26 of Tristan
“Papa just come out and say it. It must be important if you begged Father to allow you to come up to breakfast just to speak to me.”
He pauses. “I never said that—how did you know I begged your father?”
“You said he almost forbade it. I know what that means.”
“So, you did notice,” he says half to himself. I’m confused. “Tristan, what husband has to ask his husband for permission? It isn’t—"
Papa goes silent as he looks with scared eyes behind me. I turn to look into the black eyes of Arcade Kanes. He ignores me and grabs Papa by the arm.
“You’re a mess, Eagar. This is why I didn’t want you to come.”
“Just because you have no wish to see me off, does not mean Papa would be so heartless.” All my anger at him, built since yesterday, comes out in one sentence.
He turns those angry depths on me and raises his hand to strike, but he stops. Instead of slapping me for talking back to him, he roughly grabs my chin and turns my cheek toward Papa. “You, see? The prince will sort him out. He’s fine. Let him figure out the rest for himself—that’s an order.”
Let me figure out what for myself?
I seethe. My breath becomes rapid. I don’t care about the scene it will cause, I’m going to let Father have it once and for all—I’ve lost all opportunity to win his praise anyway.
Before I can say one word, Lucca grabs me by the arm. “Not now, Tristan.”
It takes me off guard, cooling my rage, and I see Papa’s eyespleading with me to listen to Lucca and let it go.
“But Papa—you wanted to tell me something. It seemed important. You can’t just let him tell you what to do.”
But Papa always let Father tell him what to do.
Father’s stone stare is unforgiving, my words offending him in a way I don’t expect—on behalf of Papa. Father pulls Papa to him as tears fall from his eyes. I have no idea what just happened. Lucca begins dragging me away. “Lucca, no.” I try to pull away from Lucca and toward Papa. “Papa!”
“It’s okay Tristan,” Papa says.
Father pulls him away and out the doors to the dining hall. Lucca drags me over to his side of the table. He sits me down and shoves juice in my hand. “Drink that. Everything is fine.”
I drink, but only because I can’t speak.What was that?I’m not sure, but I think I hurt Papa again. Only this time it’s worse. My heart is broken. Out of everyone, I love Papa most—even against Lucca. I didn’t even get to tell him that, instead I wounded him.
“Las, Kathir.” Corrik’s cold voice breaks into my brooding. It takes me a moment before I realize he’s talking to me.
“Nawh,” he growls before he storms out of the room.
Apparently, I’m to follow His Majesty. “All right, already,” I mutter glaring in his direction as he walks away. I look to Lucca apologetically.
“I think you should go Tristan,” he says with a smile. “I don’t think he likes me very much.”
“Well, you’ve certainly made an impression, as always.”
“By Ylor! Kathir, come!” He pokes his head back in to yell at me.
I cringe. I’m not doing a good job of obeying him. I stand up and run after the prince as he stalks ahead of me until we are outside where the Elven guard is preparing us for departure. Ignoring me, Corrik adjusts the saddle on a white horse as he adjusts the hair on the top of her snout.
“This will be your horse, Waii. You will take care of her as we ride home,” he says then with his Elven strength, Corrik lifts me ontomy horse like an adult would boost a child, and I can’t help but pout like one too. Nothing is going my way this morning.
“Stay here andawayfrom your cousin,” he warns.
I guess I’ve been put in a time-out, but I don’t reply, and just obey. I’ve made enough of a scene for one day.
I watch from atop of Waii as the rest of the Elven royalty join us. I scan the crowd for Papa and relax when I see him with Mother—my mother looks at me forlorn then turns into Papa’s side where he shelters her. Papa waves at me, but I can see he’s keeping tears at bay. He’s trying to relay that everything is all right, but I don’t believe him. I look around for Father, but he’s gone. I don’t suppose he’ll want to stay to see me off after that catastrophe.
I consider getting off my horse to go apologize to Papa, but then I remember my new master, who most likely has eyes in the back of his head. I’ve angered him again somehow; I’d better not provoke the creature within him anymore. Uncle looks to me with a smile, his arm wraps around Lucca, who for once, isn’t smiling.
