“I don’t care for mead either,” Dyna said. “I’m not fond of the taste.”
It wasn’t the taste that bothered him. His head was already pounding from the little he sipped. Celestials didn’t drink. Allegedly, it sullied their sanctity, but he suspected it was because they couldn’t hold it.
Strangely, his bond with Dyna also became muddled. Was it because of the mead?
Zev returned with the same meal and ate heartily between chugs of the drink. He enjoyed it well enough so Cassiel decided to try it again. Letting the mead linger on his tongue, he found it crisp, with hints of honey. His face flushed as the mead quickly worked its way through him. It left him feeling lightheaded, and the Blood Bond faded further. It was thin. Wrong.
He didn’t like it.
The part of him that wanted nothing to do with the bond was relieved to be free of it, but the rest of him detested the feeling. It left him apprehensive and sore as though the bond itself was warning him that something was wrong with Dyna. A fading or broken bond meant death, but she was right in front of him, alive and well. He had to fight the urge to reach across the table and take her hand to ease his worry.
Cassiel shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts and continued filling his mug. Between him and Zev, they drank two more flagons of mead. By the end, he was swaying in his chair, floating on a cloud of euphoria powerful enough to dull even his worries.
He lazily rested his chin on a hand, peering at Dyna through his blurry vision. “Why do you fear to be alone?”
“Leave her be,” Zev slurred. “She has suffered things you couldn’t imagine.” He offered Dyna a lethargic grin and gave her head a clumsy pat.
Cassiel snorted into his mug. “Haven’t we all?”
“You’re a condescending bird…” Zev garbled. He lifted the flagon. “Here. Have another drink. May it mend your terrible manner. It’s much needed.”
“Do not condescend—” Cassiel lifted a hand to point at Zev only to knock his mug over and mead spilled across the table. Dyna scooted her chair away before it poured on her lap.
Zev snickered. “You’ve made a mess, Your Highness!”
Dyna shook her head. “You’re both drunk.”
“Oh, aye, and I like it!”
Cassiel snorted, “I suppose I do as well.”
“I thought it was against Celestial faith to drink. Your brother would have a fit.” Zev sat straight in his chair with a stern expression and spoke in Prince Malakel’s self-important voice, “You have dishonored the Soaraway family!”
Cassiel leaned back in his chair and laughed at how well Zev mimicked him. But his laughter died away and he dropped his head in his hands, feeling sick. Not because of the mead but because it occurred to him Malakel was right. He was always dishonoring his family. Be it from drinking or existing.
“You are irrelevant. When you are gone, no one will care to remember you.”
With a bitter smirk, Cassiel poured himself another drink.
Cheers.
Chapter 36
Dynalya
With great effort, Dyna steered her inebriated companions through the crowded taproom and up the stairway. It took three times as long because they kept tripping over their useless feet, stumbling into each other and laughing. She was exhausted by the time they reached the second floor. Her steps faltered at the dark hallway, the hanging lanterns casting eerie shadows on the walls. The window at the end of the hall was black with the night outside.
Dyna followed behind Zev and Cassiel as they staggered along to their room. She unlocked the door with shaking fingers, and the hinges creaked as it slowly opened.
Darkness waited inside.
She stopped short at the threshold, her heart pounding as goosebumps prickled up her arms. Cassiel and Zev wobbled into the room, dropping their packs on the floor with heavy thuds. Both headed for the small bed set near the door. They flopped on it together, and the wood base groaned under their weight. They complained about the other being in the way, elbowing and kicking to claim space.
A lantern rested on the nightstand next to the bed. She took a deep breath, ran inside the dark room, and quickly lit it. As soon as a soft light illuminated the space, it loosened the threads of fear that never left her.
The room was a decent size. The bed was set against the wall and across from it were large double windows with the shutters closed. Beside it was a matching armoire with brass knobs. A folded screen divided the space, hiding the chamber pot and bath. She opened the shutters to let in the moonlight, but an adjacent building blocked most of the view, leaving only a sliver of the lake below.
The room soon filled with a symphony of soft snores. Zev slept facedown, hanging half over the bed. His messy hair stuck to his face, leaving only his scrunched lip visible. The Prince slept on his back at an angle with his legs resting over Zev’s butt. Dyna stifled a giggle, wishing to have a portrait of the spectacle they made. She was glad to have witnessed Cassiel laugh, and banter with Zev. It was nice to see for once, even if he was drunk.
