Page 5
"Rhyven." Then those golden eyes finally lift. They land on Caelen first. Then me. He simply looks at me. Once. Briefly. Then takes a drink. "This is my sister."
"I figured." His voice is lower than I expected. Rough. Lazy. Caelen waits. Rhyven waits back. Apparently this is a battle neither intends to lose.
Finally, I save us all. "Eirea."
His gaze returns to me. "Rhyven."
"Yes. We established that."
Dax coughs into his glass. Caelen closes his eyes. Rhyven's mouth twitches. Barely.
"Good. You're listening."
Oh. I see. He's an asshole. "Nice to meet you." I smile sweetly.
"Why?" He asks. I blink.
Caelen groans. "For fuck's sake Rhyven.''
Rhyven looks genuinely confused "What?" He asks.
"Could you behave like a person for thirty seconds?" Caelen says.
"I am behaving like a person."
"A socially functional person."
"Different request." Rhyven answers.
I bite the inside of my cheek. Don't laugh. Absolutely do not encourage him. Unfortunately, Soren has no such discipline. He's nearly choking. Rhyven looks back at me.
"Your brother hasn't said anything nice about me."
"That's because there isn't anything nice to say," Caelen replies.
"See?" Rhyven lifts his glass toward him. "Honest man."
I glance between them. Best friends. Obviously. Only people who love each other deeply can insult each other with that much efficiency.
"Well," I say, "this has been incredibly informative."
Rhyven inclines his head. "Happy to disappoint."
"I wouldn't say disappointed."
"No?" He asks.
"I didn't have expectations." I answer.
Dax makes a sound suspiciously close to a laugh. For the first time, Rhyven actually looks at me. Not through me. At me. His golden eyes narrow slightly. Then a short laugh escapes him. Barely there. But real. Then his gaze drifts over me. Slowly. Assessing.
"You're funnier than your brother." He finally says. Caelen looks offended.
"Fuck you."
Rhyven raises his glass. "See?"
The blood pledge begins at midnight. The music stops. The floating chandeliers dim. Six flames remain burning above the ballroom.
