Page 168 of Anathema
Disappointed, I headed toward the castle’s library and, along the way, found Rykaia sprawled out on a velvet couch in one of the parlors, eating an apple. The moment her eyes found me, a wily smile lit her face.
“How did you sleep, Bellitula?” she asked, clearly amused with herself.
“Fairly well, though I don’t remember most of the night.”
“You’re kidding. You didn’t touch yourself, at all?”
An unbidden visual of writhing on the bed to the sound of Zevander’s voice in my ear flashed through my head. “If I did, I don’t remember.”
“Gods, what a waste. That’s the whole point of Ambrozhyr. Memorable orgasms.”
“Well, maybe it’s different for mortals. Have you seen Zevander?”
“He rode to Costelwick early this morning with the other Letalisz. Tonight is Princess Calisza’s Becoming, if you’ll recall.” She raised her brow, clearly anticipating an argument from me.
Tension wound in my stomach at the thought of betraying Zevander, sneaking behind his back. “About that … I don’t know–”
“Stop. You have a dress. You’re going.”
“We were nearly discovered the last time you tried to hide my face in public.”
She tore off another bite of the apple, staring back at me as she crunched it between her teeth and swallowed it back. “As I already told you, I don’t have to disguise you that way this time. Everyone will be wearing a mask.”
“What if he sees me there? He won’t be happy.”
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “In that dress? I think he’ll be quite happy to see you, no matter what he tells himself.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying, I think my brother is smitten with you.” She’d made a similar comment the night before, and still, my skin flushed anew as if it were the first mention.
“You’re wrong. He’s been avoiding me all week.”
“Exactly. Zevander doesn’t avoid anything unless he’s frustrated by said thing.”
“That doesn’t sound like attraction to me. It sounds like annoyance.”
She sat upright and chomped into the end of the apple, forcing me to wait until she swallowed it. “Right, so, normal individuals fawn and flirt when they like someone. My brother, on the other hand, acts as if he’s positively repelled.”
Frowning, I shook my head. “That makes no sense.”
“Well, given that he kills people for a living, has enemies all over Aethyria, and was trained to shun affection from women, it stands to reason, I think.”
When she put it that way, I supposed it did.
“I don’t think he knows what to do with you, Maevyth.” She sighed. “Which is why I think you should go tonight. It’ll force him to decide if he’s your protector, or your enemy.”
“I don’t want to force him to decide anything.”
“Then, go for me? I don’t want to be alone in that crowd. The wealthy give me hives.”
“So, why go? What could possibly be so important about this ceremony that you’d risk being seen there?”
Her eyes lit up. “Because Circ’Lunae will be there, and I haven’t seen them since I was a young girl.”
“What is that?”
“You’ll see. When you accompany me in your scintillating black dress. Now run along, little mouse, and examine your dull pile of bones with Dolion and the intruder.” She waved me on. “I shall find you later this evening.”