“If I get you a toddy are you going to down it?” Keane asks, watching me as I take in the vigor of his court.
“Yes, most likely,” I admit without shame.
“Two then,” he smiles in reply, “to get rid of your tension.”
The Prince grins and leans back in his chair, raising a hand to a boy behind us. His call allows me to peer around him, spotting Desmond at his direct right with Mana next to him, then Cal and Hollis.
I smile at all of the green of our group seated at the head table, my heart taking a few calming beats at the reminder of home.
“Your friends are well and settled in, Alexis,” Keane follows my glance when he leans back towards the table, “with a better sense of urgency than you, I might add.”
“It’s not that,” I shake my head, “you’re surrounded by the green of Knowledge, Your Highness. I’m smiling because it looks good.”
“It does,” he nods, not looking at my traveling crew at all but instead at my emerald dress. His eyes are on the high slit that is hidden under the table, his gaze taking me in with a look of genuine appreciation. There’s nothing leering about that look, no part of it that makes me uncomfortable. In fact, my body flushes with heat under his gaze, hating how much I love to see his look of approval.
I quickly reach for the toddy he ordered and down it straight.
“Once more,” he hands me the second with a grin.
I accept the drink but stop just before the glass reaches my lips.
“You as well, Your Highness.”
Keane nods, his playful eyes letting me know he approves of the game. He leans back in his chair again and flags down the serving boy once more as I look out to the room in front of us and search for the familiar blonde with cool grey eyes. Alanna is seated at the table to our left, her laughter carrying easily as she sits with a number of Discerni men.
“Alexis…” his voice calls me back.
I turn to see the Prince with a toddy raised up high.
“To your first night in the Court of Warriors,” he says in small seriousness, “and hopefully to many,manymore.”
I clank my glass against his and down the liquid again, watching as Keane grins and does the same.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a woman down our drink,” a man to my left states. He doesn’t say the comment with any malice or ill-intent, just plainly as if he’s curious to the sight.
I turn to the Discern sitting next to me and am instantly greeted with a reserved smile. The man has his long brown hair neatly pulled into a knot at the nape of his neck, a thick brown beard matching it in color and reminding me a bit of Cal’s in its fullness. He’s not as large as my friend, and his face is definitely graced with the angular beauty of a Discerni instead of the fullness of Cal’s human one, but he still has the same woodsy, rugged look about him.
I smile back in familiarity.
“It’s not a slight to this court, I promise. Merely a misunderstanding
that has turned into a game.”
Keane chuckles behind me in agreement.
“I’m not upset, Lady,” the Discerni replies politely, “simply curious.”
I eye the drink in my hand with a nod. “The glasses at Bardot containing our whiskey are small, just a bit smaller than these. We typically down them at court to start the night off, so I assumed the same applied here when I first arrived and was given a toddy.”
“Ah, well now you misunderstand me,” the man smiles, his light brown eyes twinkling as he glances over my shoulder to the Prince, “I was more so curious as to why a Lady from Knowledge would sit and drink so openly with our Prince.”
Oh.
I shift in my seat.
Do I tell him it’s because his Prince likes testing my waters just as I do his? That he enjoys goading me in a challenge to experience his court?
Or do I tell him that after knowing said Prince for only a few days, my body and the core of my being wants to respond to that challenge and meet it above all else, regardless if he’s only interested in me to learn more about his father’s aims.
