“Thank you, Lord Astor,” she replied with a small smile. “Are you enjoying the evening?”
“Very much so,” he answered, his hands clasped behind his back. “It has been wonderful to see the two of you together. I hear that is rare.”
“Cethin is rather busy, and I’m still learning,” she admitted. “So we cherish the quiet moments.”
The lord’s smile was a knowing one. “I can’t say I blame you. It’s important to nurture that relationship.”
“Speaking of,” Razik interrupted. “I was in the process of escorting her Majesty back to her husband.”
“Of course,” the lord said. “I wasn’t looking for a dance or to take any of your time. Only to offer congratulations on your union and new title. As a new lord myself, I understand still trying to get your feet under you. I apologize if I overstepped.”
“Not at all,” Kailia said. “I look forward to more conversations in the future, Lord Astor.”
“Please call me Corveth,” he said with another bow of his head while Razik urged her forward.
“He seems pleasant,” she mused, Razik ensuring the crowd gave her ample room.
“They all do at events like this,” he replied gruffly. “Pay more attention to how they act behind closed doors than in the public.”
That seemed like sound advice.
“Where is Wren?” she asked, feeling the disadvantage of her height. Normally she was watching these events in the air, drifting among smoke and ashes. Down here, she felt as though she were being swallowed by the crowd despite Razik’s efforts.
“She was dancing with Bram the last I saw,” he replied tightly.
“How does that work? If she’s with him, and you two are?—”
“She’s not with him,” Razik interjected.
“Are you sure? Because it seems as though?—”
That was when the first scream rang out.
A female scream that had them all whirling to the sound. Murmurs and panic immediately set off in the crowd as everyone tried to figure out what was happening.
Razik was already close, but somehow Jarek and Fallon materialized by her too.
“Who is stupid enough to pull something during the king’s Union Celebration?” Jarek growled, keen gaze scanning the room.
But that was not the question Kailia was asking. She was wondering if it was a who or a what, because the answer to that was going to make all the difference.
“Everyone is going to need to move, Raz,” she said, already having summoned her bow.
“Wait until we know what we’re dealing with,” he retorted.
“Raz?” Jarek asked, glancing over his shoulder.
“Shut up, and do your job,” Razik snarled.
Gods, if only she could use her magic. She’d already know what they were dealing with. She couldn’t see shit down here, not without?—
“Lia!” Razik hissed sharply, but she was already moving.
Her bow slung across her chest, she crawled along the floor, between legs and dresses and shiny boots.
“I swear to Sargon, Lia,” he was snarling, and she heard the grunts of people she could only assume Razik was shoving out of the way. But there were too many of them, and she was faster, even with her bow smacking into shins.
Finally, there was a decent opening, and she popped up.
