Every excuse she could think of would be countered. They had no proof otherwise and this man held all the power in this moment.
“Oh, is your search not done yet?” a new voice interjected. They all turned to find Lavette standing a few steps behind the man, a wooden case in her hands. “I can wait, if you still need to clear this house.”
“And why are you here?” The attendant seemed caught off guard by the sudden presence of someone else.
“The seven of us were going to play Merchant’s Dice once we freshened up following the picnic.” She smiled brightly. “They never had and I was going to teach them.”
“This late?” he asked skeptically.
“Of course.”
“Why?”
Lavette tilted her head slightly, a placid smile slipping across her lips. It was friendly, and yet somehow dangerous. Placating, but threatening. Her tone took on an air of authority when she asked, “Why not?”
“Excuse me?” The attendant blinked, suddenly off guard.
“Becausewe want to, that’s why. Is that not a good enough reason?”
The attendant sighed, glancing between them. He visibly deflated. Lavette had been the one thing that couldn’t be denied because he couldn’t claim she was in cahoots with them, having come from elsewhere. “The lot of you, out while I conduct my search.”
The six of them joined Lavette in front of the house.
“Thank you,” Cullen murmured to her. Lavette nodded. “How did you know?”
“Our houses aren’tthatfar apart. I saw things weren’t happening like normal and I listened in. When he began to press I grabbed this and darted out.” Lavette glanced back with a small grin. “Let’s hope he doesn’t open it. All that’s in here is my jewelry and perfumes.”
“We’ll make sure he doesn’t.” Cullen had an impressed note to his voice. He seemed to appraise Lavette for the first time in that moment. Eira knew what affection looked like on his face when it first began to bud because she’d seen it…even if she hadn’t recognized what it’d been in the moments he’d first fallen for her.
Lavette looked to Eira right as her insides were knotting. “Are you all right?”
Eira nodded.
Noelle leaned in, saving Eira from having to speak too much with Lavette. “You’re going to tell us what happened the second all this is over.”
“Of course.” Eira had intended to all along.
The main doors of the village opened, a strange sight after so many days of being locked tightly. Lumeria’s knights marched in, led by Deneya. Attendants rushed over to meet them. Eira couldn’t make out the words being said so she kept her attention on the house, trying to think of where she’d hidden Adela’s books. They were at the bottom of her trunk. She’d only referenced them a few times before bed and always replaced them. Surely they wouldn’t rummage through her things…
Attendants and knights fanned out, the latter completing another check in and around the buildings. At the same time, a single attendant approached each team of competitors. Eira kept her eyes forward, focusing on nothing. She wanted to be a statue, emotionless, expressionless, nothing that could give her away.
The attendant asked how they were, a few other questions that Cullen answered, and left. Without a decent explanation or discussion, the knights retreated, the doors were closed, and the evening resumed as it had been.
Deneya had known something was amiss and came running. She wouldn’t open the doors without good reason. Perhaps the man really had been a Pillar…
“Is that it?” Noelle asked. “That was a whole lot of hassle for a whole lot of nothing.”
“Welcome to bureaucracy,” Lavette said dryly. “Now, I’m going to bed for real this time.”
“You don’t want to find out what you stuck your neck out for?” Ducot asked.
“Honestly…I think it’s better if I don’t know.” Lavette had an air of worry, and of disapproval. She focused on Cullen a long moment. “Be careful, please. All of you.” Despite adding the last bit, she was really just speaking to him.
She cared about him, at least a little. Eira’s chest tightened. Lavette cared about him and saw Eira not as a threat to their romance, but a danger to his wellbeing.
Somehow…that was worse.
“Let’s go back inside.” Cullen turned on his heel, leading the charge all the way back to the main gathering room. He wasted no time, slamming his hands on the table. “Answers, now.”
