It only took a moment for Verity to locate their brother. He was being helped back onto his feet. Red in the face with a sheepish grin, he could barely stand on his own––whether it was from a punch or his drink, she couldn’t tell.
“It doesn’t matter. We’re not going to be permitted to stay after this,” she muttered with a scowl. “You get one dance, girls, and then we’re leaving.”
“Already?”
“We don’t want to upset anyone,” Elowen murmured. She nodded to a nearby server who took the drinks from her. “It’s probably for the best.”
They separated. Leaving her sisters behind, Verity managed to make her way through the crowd. It hadn’t been more than fifteen minutes but there was Lucien making a mess of everything. He’d banged his head in a fall, some sort of bet that his friends weren’t willing to explain.
“He didn’t even win,” one of them teased Lucien.
“I could do it again, I just need a minute,” he groused.
Verity slipped her hands around one arm to keep him grounded. “That is hardly a good idea.”
“Why? Do you want to dance with me?”
She narrowed her eyes at his slurred speech. “Lucien, how hard did you hit your head? We’re leaving now. And I’m calling a physician.”
“You don’t even live with us.”
“And yet I remain your sister.”
“Baby sister.”
“Hardly. Make way,” she told his friends who were still having a grand old time. “And I’d suggest you all scatter. Lady Pentaghast is on her way over.”
Muffled groans and gasps overlapped. “Not Pentaghast!”
“She smells like dirt.”
“If she tells my mother I was a part of this…”
“Let’s go!”
“Wait,” Lucien called trying to follow after them. It wasn’t hard to give him a quick tug and lead him back in her desired direction. “Where are they going? I need to get back to them. We were going to go gambling.”
Shaking her head, Verity reached the exit. Her sisters were dancing. Although she hadn’t actually expected them to followher suggestion, she couldn’t fault them. Especially Elowen, who often hid against the walls instead of accepting suitors.
They’ll have a moment while our carriage comes around. I can give them that much.
“Verity? Are you coming home with us?” Lucien asked her.
There wasn’t anyone watching them take an early leave for the evening. Why should they? She had hardly talked to anyone. All she had done was listen, and she hadn’t even heard that much. Trying not to scowl at how the evening had fallen apart, she tried to focus on the conversation at hand.
“I don’t have a choice. We all rode together, remember?” She pointed out.
He waved his hands in the air, knocking one of her pins loose in the motion. “You’re so grumpy. Grumpy little Verity. I didn’t do anything this time.”
“You’ve hit your head,” she pointed out. “If you die, I’m going to be very upset with you.”
“Me? Never,” he said with a smirk. “I’m immortal. I can’t die.”
“We can all die. We can all…” As a lump formed in her throat, she shook her head. “Just quiet down and take your hat. I want to get you home and then get back to my home.”
Lucien grumbled all the way home about her moodiness. She let him, and then gave instructions for a physician to be called just in case his big head had taken a real injury. Although her sisters weren’t thrilled about staying up with him after the evening’s plans were cancelled, they were willing to take care of their elder brother.
“I wish Cassian would help,” Octavia muttered under her breath.
