Chapter 6
It did notsurprise Velario that the first time he spotted Lady Reyn, she was laughing at something Enzi had said. Those two would get along.
When he realized he was glaring at them instead of showing the world—or at least the Sablons—that he had no worries weighing on him, he pivoted and went into a different room. There, he spotted his friend Danten.
“What has you looking so gloomy?” Danten greeted him.
“Have you met Selona’s friend from Moial?”
“Of course I’ve met Lady Reyn, but that hardly answers my question. She is the opposite of a reason to look dour.”
Great, even Danten was under the spell of Reyn’s pretty face. Selona, he could understand—she was impulsive enough to fall for Lady Reyn’s form of charisma. But Lisca and Fideo also seemed to hold the Moialan lady in high esteem. He refused to believe Danten could be so easily blinded.
Velario pointed to the room he had come from. “She’s out there flirting with Enzi.”
“Ah,” Danten gave Velario a knowing look. “Jealous, are we?”
“What? No.” He crossed his arms. “I’m not jealous. I’m pointing out why she is the type of person to make me dour, as you put it. She is an empty-headed, social-climbing debutante, and I risk running into her not only when I go out in the evening, but any time I need to visit my uncle’s house.”
“I wouldn’t say she’s as bad as all that, Velario. She’s maybe a bit carefree, but then, so are many people you like.”
“She can’t be all that smart; she’s flirting with Enzi, Danten. Enzi.”
“Who is the heir of the Family hosting tonight’s festivities. I wouldn’t call it stupid for someone new to Tryn to butter him up at his own house. Besides, I’m certain Selona made sure her friend knows what to expect from Enzi.” Danten snickered. “In fact, I wouldn’t put it past Selona to have put Lady Reyn up to flirting with him as the first step in one of her plans.”
Velario groaned. The last thing he needed was Selona getting distracted by one of her elaborate schemes at this juncture. “I wish she’d grow out of that. One day she is going to go too far, and the Family name will not be enough to protect her.”
“Your cousin’s a grown woman, Vel. I think if she were going to ‘grow out of that,’ she’d have done so already. At this point, I think it is safe to say it is a facet of her personality, not a phase.”
Velario narrowed his eyes at his friend. “Why are you noticing that my cousin is a grown woman, Danten?”
Danten blinked. Then he spoke slowly, as though picking each simple word with infinite care. “Because she is?”
“You aren’t falling for her, are you?”
“Selona is fun. I enjoy her company, but no, I’m not secretly in love with her. She’s not the type for something serious.”
“Danten.”
“Five hells. I meant . . . You know what? I’m going to stop talking.”
After pressing his lips together in an exaggerated manner, Danten spun around and left the room without another word.
Velario chuckled. He knew Danten and Selona had enjoyed a brief fling about two years ago. Neither of them had told him, apparently under the impression that he would object. He took great pleasure in making them squirm over it whenever he got the chance. He wondered how long it would be before one of them confessed.
The laughter didn’t last long. Though he had gotten a moment’s amusement out of it, Velario wished he hadn’t chased Danten off. Now he had to find someone else to talk to, and he couldn’t let them notice his mood. He surveyed the room. Alenna Somera would do.
“Miss Alenna, what are you doing all by yourself this evening?”
She held out a hand, and Velario raised it to his lips. “I am waiting for my friend to arrive, Lord Velario. You know how the Dachsis are.”
“That I do, but surely there are other men and women who ought to keep you company in the meantime?”
“I hardly feel abandoned at present.”
“Would you care to dance while you wait, Miss Alenna?”
Alenna was far from a wallflower, but she was not in the main ballroom for a reason. Velario figured she would decline the invitation. He would still keep her company for a little while, but she would blame any moodiness on the fact that he had hoped to dance rather than sit and talk.
