A small hand shot in the air and waved Alan over. He grasped Amaris’s arm and tried leading her the other way, but most of the seats were already taken. He released a sigh and headed toward the older woman.
She was a petite lady with icy-blue eyes and blonde curls on the verge of turning silver. She wiped her hands on her apron and pointed to empty seats near her. “Alan, introduce me to your friend.” The woman smirked. Her accent was different than the others, deeper and thicker.
“This is Miss Carter. She’s to be the new mystique,” he answered, but his tone was far from polite.
She raised an impressive brow at Amaris, and the corner of her lips turned up. “Been time since old mystique died. I’m Ms. Borstad, keeper of manor. Hope ready for position. Highly esteemed role.”
Alan inclined a brow at Amaris, but Ms. Borstad was too busy fussing with the centerpiece to notice.
“I am.” Amaris faked a grin for Alan to bear witness to her attempts at playing nice as he rounded the table and took the seat across from her. “Your accent is different. Are you from…err…here?” Amaris had already forgotten the name of the kingdom.
“Not from Godwin,” Ms. Borstad exclaimed. “Immigrated from Mosfelkov long before war. Don’t worry, not enemy traitor looking to stab heart in middle of night.”
Amaris let out a nervous laugh. At least not everyone knew she was being accused of murder or Ms. Borstadwouldstab her in her sleep.
Amaris gazed into the clay bowl. Chunks of meat, potatoes, and vegetables swam in a broth. It reminded her of Derek’s pot roast, as the scent of rosemary filled her senses, causing her tastebuds to salivate at the comfort. She sank deeper into her chair and took her first bite. It sure wasn’t beef floating around, but Amaris was no stranger to gamey meat. With another bite, she closed her eyes and savored the delicacy, not takingnotice as the seats around them filled.
“We’ll discuss that later.”
Amaris’s eyes snapped open to see Theodoric seated beside her. She should’ve known with his daunting presence. A battle raged within her to ask of his health or ignore him after he’d thrown her in that cell.
Her spoon dug into her palm, but she turned and sighed. “How are you feeling?”
The side glance and short raise of his brow was all she needed for her blood to boil. He took a sip from his drink and returned to his conversation.
“Esaias, do you plan to visit your father now that we’re home?”
Fuck him.
“Are you joking?” Esaias asked.
Amaris recognized him as one of her fellow kidnappers.
“You can’t avoid your family forever.”
“Watch me. My nieces and nephews will cling to every limb, begging me to stay. My father will have a line of curses to spew, and we won’t even speak of how my mother will react.”
Esaias’s hair was a match for Viv’s, too, and it made Amaris’s stomach churn again. His deep-red hue was neatly cut above his ears. His skin however was vastly different from a normal ginger’s. Where Viv was pale with freckles, Esaias had the same tan skin as Theodoric and not a single freckle marring it.
“Stupid boy,” mumbled Ms. Borstad so only Amaris could hear. “Give up life for women and swords.”
“Theo!” A scrawny boy with gangly legs, far from proportional to the rest of him, ran through the doors. Russet locks fell from their tie and flopped to his shoulders in a wavy mess. A bright smile flourished his cheeks, and his green eyes were wide with excitement.
Theodoric turned, and the child who couldn’t have been any older than nine or ten slammed into him and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Don’t ever leave me again!”
Theodoric let out a laugh, a real laugh, as he hugged him and pulled the child back to gaze at his face.
Another sibling?Amaris watched as Theodoric smiled at the boy. She didn’t think he was capable of such a thing.
“It’s good to see you, Jeremiah,” Theodoric said, ruffling his hair. “I haven’t had a chance to ask how your season in Oakheart was.”
Jeremiah rolled his eyes. “Warin is bossy, and all Kaz and Lina wanted to play wasAfgiga.” His nose scrunched up, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “When I asked for them to teach me, they laughed and said it wasn’t a game fordowmi.”
“If calling you a fish was the worst of their insults, I’d say be happy and swim on.” Esaias added with a smile, but Jeremiah stuck his tongue out at him. He returned the gesture.
Jeremiah slid into the seat beside Theodoric and dragged the bowl and utensils closer, immediately devouring the dish.
Esaias looked down the table, and his gaze landed on Amaris. He raised a seductive brow, causing his bright-green eyes to light up. They weren’t like Theodoric’s or Adelaide’s but were similar to fresh blades of grass. His smirk sent her stomach to further turn to boiling knots. He turned his attention back to Theodoric and Jeremiah, his heated gaze not registering with anyone else.
