“You threw that at the man as you were riding atop your horse?” he asks.
“I did,” I reply, taking a drink of the amber ale before leaning back in my chair.
Desmond flags Dnes for a toddy and then reaches a hand up to his short-clipped beard.
“And where did you learn such a skill?”
I sigh at the skepticism in his tone and the way he looks at me, as if daring me to withhold information from him.
“Self-taught out of boredom,” I reply with a shrug.
“Pretty,” he narrows his eyes.
What a pretty lie.
I remain quiet and finger the rim of my mug.
“Lord Daniel said you rode back for him…”
“Without hesitation,” I nod.
“He wants you,” he says quietly over his drink.
I sigh again. I had suspected the same in Red Falls that first night at court.
“A compliment to him, then,” I smile, thinking of the polite Warrior Lord. He’s a very strong Discerni, not to mention good looking. It remains a complete puzzle to me that he is unwed and hasn’t yet found a suiter.
“A compliment toyou,” Desmond corrects from my side.
My eyes dart to him quickly.
Why should he care?
I slowly look behind us to the table set for dinner, spotting Cal talking to the Prince as Keane nods at something he says. But the Prince’s eyes,damn those eyes, are fixated on me from afar, his brown gaze leveled and intense as he gives me a small nod from his seat. That simple gesture admits that he’s listening to mine and his brother’s conversation, and suddenly Desmond’s comments start making too much sense.
I scowl and turn back to the Master Informer, watching as his lips curve up in a small grin. I roll my eyes and grab the mug in front of me, tilting the rest of the ale back before I place it firmly down on the counter. I stand up and look directly at Desmond, letting my chest brush into his.
“Tell your brother that he can ask me any questions he likes,” I lean into the dark Discerni, “or is ityou, Prince Desmond, who is curious about who and what I want?”
Desmond’s dark eyes narrow down on me as I turn from him with a grin.
“Let me know, Master Informer,” I look back as I walk to the table, “I’m sure I can squeeze you in somewhere.”
Keane holds back an amused chuckle, his lips mouthingWarrioras I take a seat next to Hollis.
“Alright then, Alexis?” my Discerni friend smiles.
Stormfall hops down from under my hair and lands on the table, walking directly towards Holis’ hand that’s holding a glass of water. The Discerni quickly tips the glass over for him to reach inside, his smile beaming at the baby beast with absolute affection.
“And then some,” I grin at my friend.
“Good,” he nods, reaching for a basket of bread in front of us, “are you ready to go home?”
Home.
CastleBardot. The bustling Palisades. My cozy room. The lush green of the Bell Grove and the Willow that cascades around you. The Great Oak with its sparkling black leaves and twisting roots of granite and wood…
Wait.
