“No.” I shook my head and swallowed hard. All moisture once in my throat had vanished. Knowing Mirael wasquestioning my intent, I attempted to pivot the point. “My concern is only for myself. Is the illness fatal?”
“No,” she replied coyly, her smile tipping the corner of her mouth up despite her best effort. “She will be fine, and perhaps you will too.” She paused for a moment. “Any other inquiries you might have?”
I attempted to gather my thoughts. “What is the name of the woman you were with?”
“She goes by many names.” Mirael looked everywhere but in my direction. “Would you like me to find out what’s ailing you, or should I assume you are well enough not to require a healer? I have other matters to tend to.”
“There’s no need for your services. I will take rest in my room,” I said. Mirael dipped her chin before I made my way back through the corridor.
I found Amalee sitting on the sofa in my room by the time I made it back; her black eyes narrowed on me. Ignoring her, I moved to the bathing room to start a bath.
“Don’t think we aren’t talking about the shit you pulled tonight,” my sister snapped from the other room.
I kicked the door shut with my boot and began removing my clothes. Had my pants not been black, the bottoms would have been noticeably stained red from the vomited wine. The door flew open just as I threw my shirt on the floor. “Hey—get out of here!”
“I can’t think of a single thing more sickening than watching you bathe.” Amalee turned and faced the door leading to her adjoining room. “But you can’t avoid me. You’re going to explain yourself.”
I finished undressing and climbed into the tub. The hot water was exactly what I needed to release the tension of the evening.
Shifting on her feet, she crossed her arms and prepared to lecture me just as she had since we were children. Withmannerisms so similar to my mother, it was like she herself was about to reprimand me instead of my sister.
“What do you have to say for yourself?” Amalee used my mother’s opening line to reel me into the conversation.
Water splashed over the side of the tub and onto the floor as I rolled my shoulders back and sank deep inside. It didn’t matter if I was the one who held the title of king; Amalee had little regard for the position in private.
“Why couldn’t you keep yourself out of their business?” She huffed. “I should be home and in bed with Sky, yet you only continue to antagonize Ryder.”
There was no need to see her look of dismay when I could hear it in her voice. This was the ‘I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed’ speech I received enough times to last a lifetime. My father’s speeches were always filled with fury, but my mother and Amalee knew exactly what to say.
She sighed before continuing, “What’s going to happen in the meeting tomorrow?”
“I’m not going to the meeting.”
Amalee nearly turned as frustration rippled through her, but she remained fixated on the door. “What do you mean you’re not going?”
“We aren’t leaving until it’s safe for Audryn to travel.”
34
GRAVE
I’d feigned illness in order to delay the meeting while Amalee attended dinner in my absence. She’d said that the meal itself was mundane, though Ryder continued to say a swarm of witches commandeered one of Rivale’s ships. I had no way of confirming the lie, but I’d known it was one the minute it left his lips.
The clock ticked five minutes past our scheduled meeting time as I sat at the far end of the table. If Ryder’s intent was to piss me off before our next round of negotiations, he was doing a damned good job at it.
“Stop tapping your foot,” Amalee hissed. “It’s annoying, and it’s going to give away your impatience.”
I gave her a smile and joined my other foot in the tapping rhythm; it was enough to beckon a grunt from under her breath. With two forefingers, I drummed a beat along the mahogany table trying to see how far I might push her. Her onyx eyes darted at my digits, and for a moment I thought she might turn them to dust; annoying her would still be worth it if she had.
The door opened, and I froze.
Ryder strode into the room as if he were the main event. Perhaps he hoped we’d all fall to our knees and thank him for gracing us with his presence. Maybe he thought I should run to the other side of the long table to pull out his chair. We were merely peasants to the prince who believed he held the continent in his hands.
Leanna and three men in military uniforms filed into the room after the prince. His sister sat in the chair to the right of his still-empty seat, while the others filled in around her. Ryder remained standing with his eyes set on me, then shifted them to my sister. It would do him well to be careful of his words; Amalee was in quite the mood.
“I hope you’re feeling better, Grave. I’m sure you’re eager to leave, just as we all are.” Ryder cocked his head.
I remained quiet and smirked.
