“Are you going to introduce me to yourfriend?” Father asked.
He was definitely annoyed by Blaze’s presence. Determined not to let his father’s poor manners affect his own, Durae held his chin higher and his back straighter. “Of course. Father, this is Blaze Levimist. Blaze, this is my father, Lord Perro Navisora.”
“A pleasure,” Father said without a hint of joy. He had a malevolent spark in his eyes as he continued. “Have you been enjoying the company of my eldest?”
His tone was clearly meant to remind Blaze that he was beneath Durae and should consider himself lucky to be anywhere near him. Blaze’s dancing had been proof that he wasn’t of noble birth, but his wide-eyed reaction to Father’s statement was an indication that he wasn’t accustomed to the social games they played, either. Durae drank in a deep breath to make a joke to ease the growing tension, but he realized Blaze had hurt in his eyes.
I lied about my name last night!Durae froze. They’d had sex three times and talked for hours afterward, and he hadcompletely forgotten to correct the little lie he’d told in the tavern.
And of course, Blaze would know the Navisora name. How could he not? He’d attended the university in Dun Steorra and learned foundational cosmomancy enchantments that Durae’s great-grandfather had crafted! The Navisora theories that were instrumental in how the gondolas that traveled from mountain to mountain worked. Blaze had likely studied them, if not outright used several, in the creation of his airship.
“I have, my lord,” Blaze said woodenly. He finished his drink and stood. “Forgive me, I must go.”
“Wait,” Durae began. How was he going to explain why he’d lied with his father sitting right there? If Father learned he’d aided Blaze in figuring out the Aulage enchantments in public without any recompense, he’d be furious.What’s the worst he could do to me? Convince Mama not to let me back in the tower?Disownment was a frightening thing, but certainly his father wouldn’t insist on such a severe punishment. “Blaze, I?—”
“I really have to go,” Blaze insisted. “Enjoy the party, my lords.”
As Blaze hurried into the throngs of elves at the party, Durae tried to stand, but an invisible pressure landed on his shoulders and kept him in his seat. The same pressure clamped over his mouth until Blaze was out of sight.
All the stars in the sky did not have the magnitude to compare with the bright anger burning fiercely in Durae’s heart. Never had he known such rage. He whirled toward his father.
But before he could speak, Father said under his breath, “It is one thing to bring a commoner into our midst in the middle of a celebration of all elfkind. It is another to chase one through the crowd like a fool. I willnotpermit you to sully our family name at the beginning of your time at the marriage mart.”
“I need to talk to him,” Durae said.
“You don’t.”
“I—”
Father sighed and rubbed his brow. “Durae, honestly, I am not going to allow you to throw away your prospects because you found a pretty boy to sleep with.”
Durae grasped the edge of the chaise with both hands in order to resist the temptation to scream at the top of his lungs. “He isn’t a pretty boy. He’s a brilliant man. You should see what he’s building for the Innovation Awards.”
“Building? Gods above, have we sheltered you so much you lack all sense?” Father gave Durae a piteous look. “Durae, any credible inventor would have finished their creation weeks, if not months, ago! The last thing anyone would want is to show up to the Innovation Awards competition with an untested prototype.” With another sigh, Father put his hand on Durae’s arm. “Your mama and papa and I are truly to blame for this. Not everyone on the continent has pure intentions, particularly commoners who seek the attention of nobles. Some want fame. Others desire our riches, especially when they know how much more we possess than they do.”
“He didn’t ask for money.”
“The clever ones never do. Confidence artists ingratiate themselves so that you believe handing over your coin is not only your idea but the good and right thing for you to do,” Father replied. He gently squeezed Durae’s arm. “We should have had more of these types of talks before bringing you to market. You’re the heir, Durae. It is important that you distinguish between scoundrels and worthy connections.”
“Blaze isn’t like that,” Durae insisted, but even to himself, his voice sounded weak.
“We are all enraptured with beauty at some point or another, son. Don’t punish yourself for believing the best in others. Butkeep a more skeptical eye in the future. Now, enough of this sort of talk. I see someone I wanted to introduce to you last night.”
Confusion muddled Durae’s thoughts faster than the mists could gather around the tower at home. While his father stood and motioned at a well-dressed elf, Durae attempted to regain his composure so he could pretend he cared about meeting a potential suitor.
But had he misjudged his encounter with Blaze? Father didn’t know that Durae had been the one to approach Blaze—and if one learned complicated cosmomancy to write from memory for the sake of conning people, what was the difference between hard work and manipulation? Why would Blaze run away upon learning Durae’s true last name if he wanted to fleece his pockets? Wouldn’t staying have made more sense?
Blaze isn’t a liar. He shows his emotions too much to disguise anything.Or would a good con artist be able to fake embarrassment? Had he run because he realized Durae’s father had figured out what he was up to?No. He’s not like that.
“Durae,” Father said impatiently.
Durae blinked and looked up. He managed to smile at Father and the elf who had joined them. Though the stranger was handsome, he was a little too sharply dressed for Durae’s tastes. While many of the nobles wore clothes of fine materials, their attire was less formal than what the stranger was wearing. This was a casual afternoon, not a rigid formal affair.
“This is Lord Gustus Stelen of Manabelt in Gearwick,” Father said. An overbright cheer in his voice gave his smile a falsely strained quality, as if his own enthusiasm could force Durae to embrace the newcomer. “Gustus, this is my son, Durae.”
“Perro spoke of your beauty, but I see his compliments failed to capture how breathtaking you are,” Gustus said smoothly.
“I’m afraid I can’t remember if my father spoke of you at all,” Durae said.
