“Never from you.”
I laugh and roll my eyes as we both down the second drink straight, letting the whiskey relax us even more.
“That was damn quick,” the older human woman returns with two full mugs of ales, brows lifting at the sight of the four empty glasses now resting on the table. “Should I grab another round?”
“I think we’ll stick with the ale for now,” Keane replies before I can, giving the woman a small grin.
“Brierman, Keane,” I remind him with a whisper and push my knee against his.
Keane shakes his head in amusement. “Finish your ale first, Alexis, and then we’ll continue.”
“So demanding,” I murmur.
“You like it,” he chuckles.
My cheeks flush in a small nod as I bring the ale up to my lips. I look out to the room around us as Keane starts to skim his fingers against my back, the two of us avoiding the three Woodlands gazes that have been on us since the moment he sat down.
“Do you know them?” I ask casually, glancing at a table of four human men who are laughing together. There’s no mistaking who I’m referencing in my question, but I keep my eyes trained on the men and not the Discerni.
Keane nods next to me, looking at the same human table as he responds, “the older.”
I take another drink of ale, wondering who the older Discerni is and why the three of them are in Brierman of all places. If they’re here for Keane’s coronation, then this town is far too much of an inconvenience to be traveling back and forth between Bardot. They should have traveled south from their Court and stayed in Cohen or Auclair, or just gone straight into Bardot so they could stay in the Palisades or the castle. But these Discerni have deliberately gone out of their way to travel to the drinking city, and that fact alone makes me grow curious as to their reason for being here.
I feel Keane shift next to me as his hand on my back presses against my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Highness,” a cool voice reaches us from across the table.
I look up to see the younger of the Woodlands Discerni standing before us, his head tipping in the direction of Keane.
“Arens, correct?” Keane asks plainly, staring back at the man with his mask of indifference again.
The Discerni gives the Prince a cool smile, “yes, Your Highness.”
Keane turns to me and holds my gaze for a small moment before he looks back at the man in what I think is a calm challenge.
“Arens, allow me to introduce you to Lady Alexis of Bardot.”
I smile at the Discerni with a nod in greeting.
“A pleasure, Lady,” his green eyes hold mine, the depths of them so cool and collected. His glance darts to Stormfall on my shoulder, eyeing the beast for just a moment before he averts his gaze back to Keane. I notice afew silver hoops in his cut ears, the jewelry flashing prettily under the bottled moonslight in the room and matching well against his pale skin and hair. Stormfall grips my shoulder and follows the Woodlands man with his own gaze, the two of us watching him stand before Keane.
“My cousin’s request was too ill-mannered, Your Highness,” he bows softly to the Prince, “I, however, would be grateful to share a drink with you and the Lady, if you would accept my company.”
I hold back my confusion and continue watching the blonde man quietly, his posture remaining proper and polite as he holds Keane’s gaze without emotions. If Keane is surprised by the man’s gesture he doesn’t show it, just gives him a calm smile that actually aims to reach his eyes.
He extends his hand to the end of the small table and offers the empty seat. Arens gives Keane a small but grateful grin, pulling the chair across from us and sitting down gracefully. Keane lifts his hand from the back of my chair and flags down a serving girl behind us, smiling when she walks over to our table and bows in greeting.
“Highness.”
“Whatever this man would like to drink,” Keane nods.
The girl smiles and turns to Arens in question, waiting for his order.
“Whiskey, thank you,” the Discerni replies without looking at her.
I want to scowl.
I hate that I have to notice… hate that I even have to bring this up in my head, but I make a note as the serving girl walks away. She’s human. She’s human and he didn’t even spare her a curtesy glance.
