“She could have decided that for herself! I could have talked to her, explained things, reached an agreement. You had no right to step in.”
“I did it for her!” Lilith snapped. “I don’t know what that girl has going on, but I can tell she is not okay. The last thing she needed was you sweet talking her into-”
Florian recoiled, affronted. “You think I’d coerce her-”
“Florian,” Rhea’s voice drew both of their attention. A pained crease remained between her brows as she spoke. “She’s right. You’re casual with your partners and expect them to feel the same even at times where it is clear they do not. And right now, Yvette needs to find out who she is on her own. Her path is unclear to her, and she is struggling. That’s why I voted her into the party, to give her a place to discover herself, to heal from whatever mess her life has been.”
“I just want to help her-”
“Then give her the space she needs,” Lilith stressed. “Let her be her own person for four minutes! Didn’t she just say yesterday she was in love with that ogre turd, Victor? Do you seriously want to just replace him?”
Of course not. Florian’s jaw set. He wasn’t a callous person, and it stung to think that they might be right. Was Knox unhappy? Florian knew he could get jealous, but surely if he was unsatisfied with their arrangment he would have said something… He’d never kept secrets from Knox. He’d always assumed that extended both ways.
As for Yvette… He knew she was struggling. More than anything, he wanted to help her. Yet he’d never considered for a moment that it might mean leaving her alone.
Florian was pulled from his thoughts as a round of applause spread through the hall. Rhea groaned at the sound, resting her head in her hands. His eyes were drawn to where Keira and Caspian were descending the grand staircase. Keira was blushing deeply, though it did not dampen the wide smile stretching over her cheeks. A similar grin shone on Caspian’sface. It was the face of someone who was truly happy, and who had likely spent most of the night fucking.
The newlyweds were immediately set upon by wellwishers. They waded through them graciously before Keira settled beside him.
“I’ll get us some food?” Caspian offered.
Keira thanked him with a smile and a kiss before he was off.
“Good to see you’re still standing,” Lilith greeted her with a smirk.
Keira only smiled wider. “Not without a few battle scars,” she joked. “But what about you all? Did you enjoy the feast?”
“Of course,” Florian offered.
“Some of us too much.” Lilith looked to Rhea, who arched a brow.
“You’re only on your feet because you’re still drunk,” she pointed.
“You have to ease yourself out of it,” Lilith explained, taking another sip from her flask.
Florian shared in a laugh at her antics, even if his heart was only half in it.
“So do you want my help getting home?” Keira offered. “Yvette and I-” She looked around the hall. “Where is she?”
“Probably just sleeping it off.” Lilith shrugged casually.
“I’m not taking another portal,” Gareth asserted.
Rhea nodded in agreement.
“Besides, I heard talk last night that there’s a boar a couple hours south of here with two heads!” Lilith said. “It’s supposed to be massive.”
Florian rubbed his brow tiredly at the thought of tromping through the woods after some possibly fictional beast.
“Safe travels then,” Keira said, shaking her head in amusement.
Caspian returned with two plates of food. “Have you heard what that bard is playing?” he asked as he sat on her other side.
They turned to the far corner of the room, right beside the long serving table. There was a bard there, strumming a lute in an animated tale. Florian heard a few others singing along as he returned to the chorus.
“For not can stand against love’s true call,
Not gleaming serpents forged of gold,
