“You made it,” I say, sitting up.
“Apologies for being late. My meeting ran longer than I expected.”
Zadyn was meeting with Gnorr this afternoon to research some theories on how to extract my magic.
“Lady Marideth.” Zadyn nods to her in greeting. Marideth’s eyes roam over him indiscreetly, top to toe, not even bothering to hide her blatant curiosity. Those steely gray eyes toss a knowing look in my direction. I tilt my head in confusion.
“Lord Rhodes.” She tips her head before her eyes are pulled toward the tall figure stepping around the big umbrella above us. “And as I live and breathe, the Captainhimself,” Marideth crows, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jace stands above us, eclipsing the sun. I can’t pry my eyes away.
“Marideth,” he says in greeting. A curt nod is all the acknowledgment he gives me. For reasons I can’t even begin to understand, he’s still a dick to me when people are around.
I take that back. He’s also a dick to me when peoplearen’taround.
“Not feeling social today, or are you still recovering from last night?” Jace peers down at Marideth, his form an imposingshadow against a picturesque backdrop. She rolls her eyes dramatically, reaching for a grape.
“Be grateful I bowed out when I did. Or you would have lost your trousers to me in cards. Again.” She pops the grape in her mouth and chews loudly.
I was beat from yesterday's training, so I skipped out on the party last night. But it seems Jace attended. I’ve barely seen him at any of Sorscha’s gatherings this month. Lately, he’s full of excuses as to why he can’t attend. Personally, I think he just tries to avoid being around me at all costs.
“Quite the party animal?” I squint up at him. His eyes are cold and his posture standoffish as he literally looks down his nose at me. I don’t get a response.
Rising to my feet, I say to Zadyn, “I’m going to dip my feet in. Wanna come?” He nods and follows behind me. As I pass Jace, our shoulders brush lightly.
“Wait,” Marideth hauls herself up off the ground and stretches like a lazy cat. She grabs Jace by the arm and starts towing him downhill toward the water alongside her.
Kai greets Jace with a welcoming clap on the back as Sorscha, Ilsa, and Cece flock to Zadyn, who responds bashfully to their shameless flirtations. Making him blush has recently become one of their greatest sources of amusement. Beside us, Marideth shoves Dover into the water until he is fully submerged and flailing.
Looking around at these faces I’ve known for such a short time, I realize that I care for them. I never expected them to be this way. To be kids, moonlighting as adults, just trying to figure it out. Just like me.
I notice Sorscha tear her smiling eyes away from Zadyn to look at Jace. His head inclines slightly toward the hill in silent invitation, and she quietly extricates herself from the pack to follow him. I try not to eavesdrop or stare, but I can’t helpglancing toward them as they make their way a few feet up the hill.
They stand surprisingly close to one another. Jace is talking, but I can’t make out what he’s saying. Sorscha nods, a curl falling loose from the chic, messy pile on her head. I hold my breath as he places a hand on her arm. It’s a friendly gesture, but I find myself clenching my fists.
“Someone likes to watch,” Marideth whispers in my ear. I start, but she just chuckles.
“I was just curious,” I admit. “What’s going on there?” My tone is casual. Nonchalant.
At least, that’s what I’m going for.
“Exactly what it looks like.” She plops a floppy hat over her brilliant hair. “They keep it kind of quiet, but Jace has been courting Sorscha for the past few months.”
“What?” I sputter, facing her.
“They’ve been seeing each other,” Mar explains slowly. “The king has been pushing for a marriage between them, but the queen wants Kai to marry Sorscha.”
“Oh?” My stomach tightens in disappointment. “And how do they feel about that?”
Their hands dangle close to each other, fingers practically kissing.
“Oh, they’ve been trying to talk their way out of it. Sorscha and Kai love each other, of course, just not in that way. But the king has politics to consider. Wed Sorscha to Kai and the alliance between the two kingdoms strengthens. On the other hand, making a Vod prince into king consort puts an awful lot of power in foreign hands.”
My eyebrows knit together as I force myself to look back at Mar. “Why not wed Sorscha to a noble instead?”
“The king practically raised Jace. He fought in the king’s armies for a long time and rose through the ranks exceptionallyfast. Now he’s on his way to being appointed Hand of the King. He would be a good match for Sorscha. The king wants her to marry soon, to produce heirs, and come into her full power.”
The knife twists as I watch the two of them make their way further up the hill, her hand nestled in the crook of his arm. A peal of angelic laughter sounds from her as she beams up at him with the warmth of a thousand suns. The thought of the two of them producing heirs sends a shot of envy through me. Envy I have no business feeling because he and I can barely stand to be in the same room without ripping each other’s heads off.
