Chapter 3
Reyn wasn’t surewhat had come over her, but it felt good. In fact, it felt right to challenge Lord Velario. She had been polite and charming when she met him, and he had responded with condescension. Then he mocked her without provocation today, and she stopped caring about charming him.
She had to admit it was fun to push him. She hadn’t set out to antagonize anyone since she helped Merine topple Lady Celedra from her social throne in Daalj. She missed the freedom of saying exactly what she was thinking. She missed challenging someone with a look, instead of acting coy.
Then Reyn saw Lisca transfer Marseo into Khiran’s arms and step away from them both. She had forgotten that the baby would pick up emotions through his mother, even if his power wasn’t strong enough to channel them himself. Reyn wasn’t sure if her own emotions were the ones Lisca was protecting her son from—she didn’t think they were that negative, though there was certainly some anger in the mix. But it didn’t matter. Even if Lord Velario was the one at fault, she should not bait him and make it worse.
Though it pained her to let him win in any sense, Reyn looked away first. And because she couldn’t resist, she made it obvious why she had done so. She turned to the empath. “I’m sorry, Lisca. I know you were trying to get away from negative emotions today for Marseo’s sake.”
Velario glowered, and Reyn felt guilty for a moment—she had just decided not to bait him, hadn’t she? Meanwhile, Lisca pursed her lips and hummed noncommittally.
Velario’s attention shifted away from Reyn, his intent stare now focused on Lisca. “What does that mean?”
She shrugged. “You know I don’t tattle on emotions, Velario.”
“You can’t make a sound like that and then refuse to say anything else. It’souremotions.”
“Plural, which means I’d still be betraying each of you to everyone else here,” Lisca said calmly. “I can’t even say with certainty whose emotions are whose.”
Reyn watched Velario stifle his urge to demand more answers. He breathed in deeply, let it out slowly, and nodded.
“I need to return to the bank.” Velario turned to the third man in the room. He had the look of the Velor royal family, like Khiran. Considering Reyn was standing in a room in Delerat BeVelor’s house, she assumed that this man was Del, Selona and Merine’s cousin and Khiran’s brother. Velario’s voice lost its edge when he spoke to Del. “Thank you for answering my questions earlier. I’ll see you soon.”
He directed his final comment at everyone but Reyn. He didn’t even look at her again before walking out of the room.
Lisca raised an eyebrow at her. “I take it you’ve met Velario before?”
“Not officially. He showed up to yell at Selona for spending all her time shopping the day we had tea. I walked in and took the blame, and he stormed out.”
Khiran laughed.
Reyn was glad to see she wasn’t the only one looking at him in confusion.
“Care to share what’s so funny?” his brother asked.
“Now I understand the mood Velario was in when he stopped by the house the other day. I thought he was upset about Selona shirking her responsibilities, but that wasn’t it at all. Lady Reyn, I congratulate you. I have never seen anyone rile him up so easily.”
Lisca walked back toward Khiran and held out her hands. “Give me Marseo before you drop him.”
Reyn watched the child settle into Lisca’s arms with a happy smile. “My emotions aren’t causing a problem, then?”
Lisca’s lips twitched mischievously. “They never did.”
“So the negative emotions were Lord Velario’s?”
Lisca’s smile grew wider. “I wouldn’t say negative, not completely. Just strong. And, no, I won’t say anything else.”
Khiran moved behind Lisca and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You are such a tease.”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “You love it.”
“I do.”
They kissed, and Reyn had to look away. It wasn’t that she disapproved or felt uncomfortable. At least, not the kind of uncomfortable the matrons back in Moial would feel. But the easy intimacy between Lisca and Khiran brought to the surface emotions Reyn did not want to focus on.
She didn’t think she was jealous. She wasn’t looking for love and rather enjoyed her life now that she had gotten out of Moial. Nevertheless, there was a twinge of disappointment. There had been a moment a few months back when she thought she was developing that type of connection with a man, only to discover she had vastly misinterpreted his attention. Maybe embarrassment was a better label for what she felt; looking at Lisca and Khiran, she wondered how she ever could have mistaken Pedon’s attentions for tenderness.
Del cleared his throat.
