“Yes, really,” Rian said with a leer. “A juicy, firm, ripe melon.”
“Well, there goes my appetite,” Geris declared as he got up. “Goodnight, everyone.” He bowed to the King, then his hosts, and left.
It was silent until Geris was out of the hall.
Then Sebastian whispered loudly, “Yup, he's jealous of your king-conquering ass.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
A few days passed in Riscavik. I started drawing up designs for a barrier. It would need a special type of flexible metal, and to find that, I'd have to speak to a Ricarri. There were none in the Dragon enclave. There were only Dragons. And Sebastian and me.
Sebastian had given me everything he had on the rasalt beetles. He even lent me his books, so I had the information to refer back to. His job was done. Or on pause until we needed him again. So, he spent most of his days wandering the estate, avoiding its older residents.
I thought things would be tense with Emmavane the day after the dinner battle, but she showed up at breakfast the next morning as if nothing had happened. And Mila exchanged polite words with her. It was bizarre. Even more strange was Emmavane's polite, if not warm, behavior toward me. Not that I ever wandered the estate as Sebastian did. I spent most of my time trying to invent something to free the forest of its infestation.
Even now, on my first excursion out of the manor since the beetle discovery, it was for experiments. Rian had been doing a lot of kingly stuff while I was busy. He wasn't often inRiscavik and wanted to make use of the time. And I didn't like it when he sat with me. Mainly because he couldn't keep his hands off me, and I was trying to work. All of that is to say that I had no idea where he was while I was in the woods behind his home, stabbing kitchen knives into the cold ground.
As I said, the barrier would require flexible metal. I wasn't sure what type, so I wasn't worried about that right now. I just wanted to test my theories on heating the metal to get it to slide into frozen ground. So not only had I brought a few knives from the kitchen outside with me, but I'd also brought some heat crystals (borrowed from Rian's sitting room fireplace).
I had everything laid before me along with my notebook. It felt so peaceful out there, in the quiet woods, and I couldn't help spending a moment on myself, just closing my eyes to relax before I got started. There was no birdsong, something that was obvious but hadn't occurred to me at first, coming from a warmer climate where the birds didn't have to migrate. The birds of Sken probably migrated to Vix for the winter.
“Ugh!” I growled and opened my eyes. “I can't even focus on a moment of peace. My mind instantly wanders.”
Vashana, on the blanket beside me, lifted her head.
“It's all right, girl. I'm just talking to myself.”
I stared down at my experiment and knew I had to conduct it first. That had always been my problem. I was the opposite of a procrastinator. I had to get things done as soon as possible or the anxiety would consume me. So, I got to work.
It didn't take long for me to realize my theory was only partially true. Heating the blades helped them enter the ground a little, but heating the ground was of greater help. Still, I hadn'tconsidered things like roots and rocks. I was frowning down at the knife handle when I got distracted again. This time by my lover's voice. Actually, it was Vash who alerted me to Rian first. She shot to her feet and stared back toward the house. That's when I heard Rian.
I couldn't hear what he was saying, but the tone wasn't pleasant. I stood up, meaning to go to him, but when I drew closer, I saw that Rian was with Geris. They stood in the clearing before the manor house, arguing. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I didn't want to step out into the middle of their argument either. So, I stepped back, motioned Vashana to sit beside me, and leaned against a tree while I waited for them to finish.
Rian suddenly said, “Then just go, Geris!”
“I have to see this through!”
“I will notify you of any progress, but I don't want you here anymore. You have an estate in Riscavik. There's no reason for you to be underfoot in—”
“Underfoot?” Geris cut him off. “I'm here to help.”
Rian sighed. “I know you mean well, but your constant reminders of the state of the forest and pestering me to pester Galin is not helping. Please, just go home. I'll send word, I promise.”
Then I heard footsteps crunching through the snow. I assumed they were Geris's, and he was leaving. I waited a few seconds, intending to step out and join Rian, but then I heard Geris speak.
“Gods damn it,” Geris muttered. “This may all have been for nothing.”
Then I heard more footsteps. Instead of going inside, I went back to my experiment and sat down on the blanket I'd spread over a cleared spot. Vash sat down beside me and cocked her head at me. I stared at the knives. I wanted to sink one into Geris's traitorous heart. Extreme? Not if he was the one who had released the rasalt beetles.
His words circled my mind. What else could he be referring to? It all made sense. Geris wanted back in Rian's life and he'd found a way to get his attention. Had he known that he'd be chosen as the enclave's representative? Or maybe he just expected the issue with the beetles to draw Rian home. Either way, it was clear that he was now regretting his actions. Not that his regret made a difference to me.
The problem was that I had no proof. All I had was a single sentence I'd overheard. Rian would believe me, but would he see it as I did? He knew Geris, but it had been many years since they'd been close. Maybe Geris wasn't the friend he remembered. And love could make a man do crazy things.
“So what do I do?” I whispered.
Vashana whined.
My hand clenched around the hilt of a dagger and I growled as I stabbed it into the ground. Even after it sank deep, I held on, my fingers turning white with my fury. It was true that my people were some of the most vicious fighters on Serai. I may be a gentleman, but that blood ran in my veins. I couldn't stand aside and do nothing while another man destroyed a forest to steal my lover.
