“It would have been a shame to miss seeing you in this environment,” Tala said. “I can hardly wait to see what fun you stir up.”
Tate narrowed her eyes as Gabriella snickered, not even trying to hide her amusement. “You have a very odd view of me.”
Tala bared her teeth in a sharp smile. “It’s based on experience.”
Tate didn’t have a response for that. She turned to Daisy. “If I were you, I’d escape to the refreshment table. Wait any longer and you’re likely to get caught up in this nonsense.”
Daisy sent a hesitant glance at the Silva. Like most humans born and raised in Aurelia, this was probably her first time seeing one. The Silva tended to remain within the borders of their territory unless they were in the military.
“What about you?”
“Save yourself.” Even if Tate tried to escape the center of attention, the likelihood of any of those gathered leaving her alone was small.
Tate was the circus act meant to draw their interest. No amount of evasion on her part would change that.
Dewdrop caught Daisy’s hands and tugged her in his wake. “Come on. If she says she’ll be fine, it’s best not to second guess or you’ll end up caught in whatever whirlpool she lands in.”
Tate looked down at Night. “Go with them, please.”
He blinked lazily at her, his expression saying he wasn’t a nursemaid. Tate blinked back, reminding him of the two adorable terrors currently destroying her home.
He chuffed but rose to pad after Dewdrop and Daisy.
“I will accompany you,” Mia said, falling into step with him.
Ah, so the Veles woman wasn’t as uninterested in Night as she pretended. Smooth.
“Shall we take a turn of the ballroom?” Tala asked.
“I don’t see why not.”
Tate and Tala started their circuit, moving along the edge of the crowd as Roslyn and Gabriella shadowed them.
Small cliques had formed in the short time since the ceremony’s end. Tate was willing to bet the clumps of people represented the different interests and alliances of those belonging to the emperor’s court.
Every powerful person she’d ever met was gathered in one place. From the Silva Harridan standing right beside her to the Kairi Shodon on the opposite side to the Lord Provost standing guard where the emperor held court in the middle of the room.
It was a veritable who’s who in the empire. Many of them people Tate had already offended in one way or another.
She could feel a headache brewing at the thought.
If she’d known back then that she’d one day have to venture into this pool of carnivorous fishes, she would still probably have done everything exactly the same.
She wasn’t prone to regretting her choices.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were acting like a matchmaker,” Tate said, conscious of the many eyes on them as they moved through the room.
“You sound disapproving.”
Tate made a noncommittal sound. “Rather than disapproving, I’d say cautious. Night loved his mate dearly. It’s going to take a lot to get him to open his heart again.”
He’d never told her exactly what happened, but from what Tate had gleaned it had been traumatizing, for him more so than Pax and Willa. The twins barely remembered their mother. They didn’t know what they’d lost. Night didn’t have that luxury.
It was difficult enough waking up from the long sleep and then realizing how much time had passed. That everyone you once knew was dead and gone, becoming memories that faded more and more as time passed. The world they’d known no longer existed and they were left to find their own way in a place and time they didn’t always understand.
There was also the fact Tate didn’t like the feeling that the only reason Mia was interested in Night was because he was a Veles. Their species wasn’t exactly numerous, and Tate could all too easily see Mia wanting Night for his reproductive capabilities.
He deserved so much more than that.
