Evander’s got his fingers twisted around the stem of his claret glass, raised to his lips. But he inclines his head as the stewards retreat to the pantry.
“Smells divine,” Raine says.
“Please eat.” I pause with the spoon in my hand. “How did?—”
“Leopold put her on the second floor. But in our wanderings, we found her suitcases on the fourth floor, and she?—”
“She would like to be where the other staff are. It’s wonderful of you to invite me to this lovely meal. This soup is like nothing I’ve ever had... but it tastes familiar. I know that’s contradictory, but either way, it’s just the perfect thing for a day like this. You got caught in the rain, too?” Her pink lips lift in a wisp of a smile.
“Caught in the storm? Made the storm,” Evander says into his empty glass.
I may or may not have flown through a seed cloud, causing it to unload its water with a burst of fire.
Raine’s eyes flick from Evander to me. “In charge of this lovely castle and the weather? That’s a lot of responsibility.” She doesn’t ask what Evander means. She’s clever—she’s figured out what we are already.
Raine places her spoon at the four o’clock position of her plate, letting the steward behind her know she’s done. So she has manners. That doesn’t mean anything. Doesn’t mean she’s destined to become queen of Crest Wing.
“Yes, I suppose it is, but he enjoys it.” Evander motions for more wine.
I raise an eyebrow at him— he’s pushing it. But I do enjoy the rush I get from charge in the polarity before lightning forms.
The courses roll from one to the next. And unlike so many of the other candidates, Miss Fischer doesn’t seem to need to fill every minute with chatter about the weather, her makeup routine, or the best way to tell if an egg is fresh. Although I did learn a lot about cooking from the rejected candidate who was a chef. And I also invested in her restaurant in Zurich. She was one of a handful who figured out the real reason why she’d been invited to Cloud Rift.
Raine’s first appearance put me off—behind the curtain, in front of my office, and steps away from theThessari.It’s sacred to us, specifically to those of Crest Wing descent.
The steward appears with dessert, a marzipan and berry cake that’s a favorite of my sister’s. And next to it are three glasses of Dragon Ale, which isn’t ale at all but rather a potent whiskey-like substance produced by an Earth dragonin Scotland. A substance strong enough to get even a dragon drunk.
“Bravari,” Evander says.
“Bravari,” Raine repeats. Without an accent.
Evander catches my eye. There are a few staff members here not from Crest Wing, locals who have worked here for a good decade. They’ll attempt a phrase or two now and then, but it’s always barely recognizable.
Raine takes a sip of the drink and puts it down. She’s done that with a few things, eating enough to show respect, showing appreciation. The queen calls it three bites and mixes.
“Have you had Dragon Ale before?” Evander’s glass is empty.
“A few times in college. But I don’t drink much anymore. I’m a lightweight, and I want to get right to work in the morning. Will you have time to show me where the collection is, or will Leopold be showing me?”
“I can show you when we finish our drinks.”
Evander tips his drink back, draining it. “So, somehow Miss Fischer hasn’t signed the NDA yet.” He puts his glass down. He’s pushing at me. Seeing if he can get more reaction from me. It’s his job, after all. Being a thunder mate means he’s in my life forever. He’s one of two males I can count on to tell me the truth.
“And why is that?” We don’t normally even purchase transportation for candidates before they sign.
Evander shrugs. “No clue. But I double-checked, and we don’t have one. I have one waiting for her in the office, now.” He pushes back from the table and dismisses the steward ready to help Raine with her chair. He does it himself, and there’s a stirring inside me, one that I don’t recognize. Stepping out into the corridor, I turn back to see Evander guideher out of the room. My stomach twists, and I make a mental note to skip the cloud cake tomorrow.
I step forward to pull open the curtain, and the memory of this afternoon comes rushing back. I was worked up, knowing yet another one was coming today. Evander and I took a nice long flight. Coming down the stairs, I should have known the smell was going to be there. But Percy’s car wasn’t parked in the back livery, and there was no sign of his dog either.
I turn to her suddenly enough that she stops, standing in the middle of the dragon’s eye, under the arch in the middle of the foyer. The late summer light shining through the western upper-story window shimmers over her dark hair. “How did you get here?”
“I used a rideshare app.”
Evander and I both have no investment in her, but we both have the same reaction. “You got into a stranger’s car?” I hold back a growl.
“In a country you’ve never been to?” Evander adds.
“It’s a rideshare app. The drivers have background searches done on them. I hold my keys in my hand to punch them with if anything happens. New York City would shut down without them.”
