Page 20 of Chasing the Night
Ender coughed half way through my question. It thankfully covered my untimely query, but just in case it hadn’t, he laid his hand on mine and squeezed with purpose. I jerked my hand away and glared across the canopies at the other party.
Why? Just what would cause people to scheme against one another and force their children into such futures? Was power really that sweet? What the fuck did they even consider power or an event hostile enough to hold the new brother in law hostage?
My mind reeled throughout the entire ceremony.
The next thing I knew, the official was announcing them to be Kase and Reverie Kantor. My heart broke when I saw the pain and bewilderment in Reverie’s eyes. When the Kantor boy smashed his mouth against hers, Reverie’s hands balled into tight little fist, but she suffered through it without striking.
“Come,” Messiah urged. “There’s a feast in the city hall.”
I followed them back down the cave’s many slopes and down the street to a regal looking building with many windows. By then, I was certain the bottom of my foot was one giant blister. Every step burned, and even when I stood still, it was maddening. How the fuck did Isabella parade around like this all day?
As if sensing my thoughts, Isabella’s arm came out and snagged me as I passed. It was a crude redirecting, but she managed to plant herself in front of me so that we collided into a hug, of sorts.
“Chalice, love… this is Uncle Icarus, Atticus’ brother,” she said in a thin voice that stressed the man’s importance.
“I say, your daughters grow more exquisite with every arrival, Isabella. Soon you will have Nayana herself seeking refuge behind you.” The man was the exact opposite of his brother. His grey eyes sparkled with life and his hair was fashionable. He wore the breast plate armor of a warrior and fashioned a fine, black kilt. “Very nice to meet you, young lady.”
He was so distinguished looking, I couldn’t help but stare. Blinking out of the day dream, I stuffed my hand in his and tipped my head respectfully.
He had none of it. The man brought the back of my hand up to his mouth and pressed an endearing kiss to it.
“You also! Un… Uncle Icarus,” I stammered, quickly looking to Isabella, uncertain if I had done it right.
She smiled and waved her hand to Icarus’ right. “Icarus has brought his two wards along, Taryn and Rekkon.” The two young men nodded to give me an indication of which name belonged to whom.
Taryn was tall with long brown hair and a well-groomed beard that climbed his cheeks. Rekkon had short blond hair and crisp blue eyes. His shoulders were broad, and his posture spoke of old money.
From the front of the dining hall, someone thumped the table. Everyone fell into a hush.
“Please, allow me,” Rekkon said. He took my hand and paraded me through the room at a slow genteel pace. A laziness that only money could afford. By the time we made it to our table, I was cursing him and the damn heels.
He made a great show of pulling my chair out for me and snapping his fingers at the servants. I wanted to crawl under the table and hide. Everyone kept glancing away from the Kantor who was giving a toast and eye balling us. I’d never been so humiliated in my life.
As I sat there, I slowly started to contemplate the reason for my pairing with the two men. Every time I glanced toward Isabella, Atticus was staring back at me expectantly.
He means to… Surely, he didn’t mean to arrange me with anyone. I won’t have it!
Indignation tossed and turned until I was seething inside. A peasant girl, no more than sixteen, stepped beside me and carefully filled a wine glass. I gave her an appreciative nod, and eagerly began to sip it.
I couldn’t very well be indulged in conversation if I had a mouthful, now could I?
Two sips later and the thing was empty. Taryn and Rekkon were both staring at me with odd expressions. The girl came forward again and filled my cup to the brim.
“Where did you come from?” Rekkon’s brow lofted and his smile stretched like a cat.
“What makes you so sure I am not from Rochambeau?” I smiled, before bringing the glass up to my mouth again, passively trying to signal that I was entertained enough without his assistance. I had half the glass emptied in one clean swig before Isabella snatched my upper arm in a vice.
“Because only slaves and peasants drink wine like that. It is meant to be sampled and savored, you slurp it down like a barn animal,” she hissed against my ear. She loosened her grip, leaving four crescent shapes on my flesh where her nails had dug.
“Icarus,” Isabella purred.
I sat up so straight my back ached, and I concentrated as hard as I could to keep my hands from balling into fists. I tried to watch the speaker and hunt for Reverie, but the truth was, it was all I could do not to let my anger flow down my cheeks.
Was this what Reverie was dealing with? All those tears and curses? I nodded to myself, it explained everything perfectly well. I knew I wasn’t going willingly with the likes of Taryn or Rekkon. Contract be damned.
Icarus and Isabella were deep in conversations and slowly gravitating toward the shadows at the edge of the room. I kept my eyes straight ahead, too ashamed to look at either of the men. Their insults had rubbed me the wrong way, but it was Isabella’s infantizing that truly cut me. I admired her so much.
“Pardon,” a deep honeyed voice murmured behind me. Messiah squeezed himself sideways between me and Taryn. He squatted down so that Taryn was forced to move or suffer Messiah’s ass in his face.