Lore hummed wordlessly, attention on the crowd around them. “Eventually.”
The hall of crystal and mirrors was an exquisite room, and when the original one had burned in the old palace, those who had seen it mourned its loss. The replica they stood in was brightly lit by gaslight crystal chandeliers. The illumination reflected on the wall of mirrors to Caris’ left. Each mirror was carved to match the size of the window it sat opposite. During the day, she was certain the hall dazzled from the sunlight that poured in.
The carved columns and arched ceiling were painted gold, with bits of clarion crystal embedded in the deeper reliefs. The frescoes painted on the ceiling in sections outlined in gold relief depicted the star gods, with the Twilight Star taking pride of place where the North Star should be. More clarion crystals acted as stars above, twinkling in the gaslight.
There was a nearly soundless hum to the air, beneath the music, that came from the cut clarion crystals. It pricked the edge of her hearing, catching Caris’ attention in a way she’d always been attuned to. Whoever had cut the clarion crystal had been skilled, but not skilled enough that some sour notes weren’t present.
Caris’ fingers twitched with the need to recut and fix what had been created back when she was a young child. She shook her hands to try to get rid of the itch beneath her skin, smiling in the face of Lore’s curious look.
“It’s nothing,” Caris said. It wasn’t as if she could explain to Lore that the hall they stood in made her ache for the aether she so rarely got to touch.
The crowd shifted around them, gazes cutting askance, and a familiar figure eventually appeared, whispers trailing in his wake.
“Miss Caris. Lady Lore,” Nathaniel said with a smile, shoulders tight amidst the stares. “I don’t believe you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Ambassador Honovi tonight.”
The tall E’ridian was decked out in a formal kilt and plaid, the colors of which Caris knew meant he was from Clan Storm. His head was shaved on the side while his long braid was intricately wrapped with beaded leather ribbons and metal hair ornaments that indicated he was of significant rank.
Caris dipped into a curtsy that honored his position. “Ambassador.”
“Miss Caris,” Honovi said, brown eyes studying her with an intensity she couldn’t find a reason for.
She turned her attention to Nathaniel, closing the distance between them to stand by his side. She peered up at him with a straightforwardness she’d never been able to give up, despite all of Meleri’s teachings. “What’s wrong?”
The edge to Nathaniel’s smile softened into something far more like himself. “It’s nothing. How are you this evening?”
Caris glanced back at Lore. “Well enough.”
“Perhaps we should—”
The chatter of the crowd became far more excited, and Caris turned to face the entrance they’d come from. She was tall enough in the heeled shoes she wore to catch a glimpse of the tiara worn by Princess Eimarille over everyone’s head.
“Lady Lore,” Nathaniel said sharply.
The look Lore shot him was one Caris couldn’t read. “I hear the gardens are open for the evening? Perhaps we should all adjourn there?”
“I fear I may tarnish your reputations if I joined you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Caris asked sharply. “And shouldn’t we wait to be introduced?”
Before Nathaniel could respond, the crowd shifted around them, giving space for the guests of honor who had made their way farther into the hall. Nathaniel offered Caris his arm, and she didn’t hesitate to curl her hand around his elbow and let him guide her back some into the crowd. Lore stood partially in front of Caris, making it so she had to peer around the other woman to see anything.
The prime minister was introducing Eimarille to those standing in the front of the crowd, which meant they could not escape an introduction. Leaving would be considered an insult, so they could only stay and wait for the moment the guest of honor was given their names, though Eimarille seemed to know some of them already.
“Lady Lore,” Eimarille said with a polite smile.
Lore curtsied deeply, the skirt of her gown fluttering around her as she dipped down. Caris followed her lead, even though she hadn’t yet been introduced. Nathaniel clicked his heels together before bowing to the degree reserved for royalty, if not a monarch. Honovi bowed as well.
Eimarille nodded at Honovi. “Ambassador Honovi, it’s a pleasure to have you this evening.”
“The clans are honored by the invitation,” Honovi said in accented Ashionen.
Eimarille’s gaze shifted from the ambassador to Nathaniel. “Mr. Clementine. I heard what happened to one of your company’s trains recently. It’s such a pity the Clockwork Brigade has targeted your family’s business.”
“It’s an unfortunate side effect to success, Your Royal Highness,” Nathaniel demurred.
“Yes, isn’t it?” Eimarille’s attention drifted to Caris, those icy blue eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “And you are?”
“Caris Dhemlan, Your Royal Highness. It’s an honor to meet you,” Caris said, remembering her manners. Eimarille’s attention was a heavy thing, and Caris felt pinned in a way she never had before.
