Chapter 17
Seventeen
Avalon
Hayle won the Hunt, to nobody’s surprise. Though Emery Abaster put up a good fight, Hayle had been raised in the woods, in the minds of the creatures he was tracking. Even without his abilities, his knowledge was invaluable.
He also made good on his word. As they declared him the winner of the Hunt, he dragged me into the ring and kissed me until I saw stars, bending me backwards until my hair brushed the sand.
Everything about Hayle Taeme was consuming: his scent, his taste, the way he loved.
But even as I was wrapped in the adoration of Hayle, there was something missing.
I missed Vox. There wasn’t enough space or enough people to truly hide what we were, so I spent my whole time casting longing looks in his direction, but never getting close. I was hoping that at tonight’s banquet, I could steal a moment with him.
The Hunt was the longest competition of the tournament.
Tomorrow, they’d have the remaining three, which would be eliminations by points, rather than head-to-head battles like the Hunt.
There’d be a knockout competition of Flint, a quick-paced table game where the players moved their pieces around the board, eliminating the other Lines until their Baron emerged victorious.
Then in the afternoon, there would be an archery competition, and finally, hand-to-hand combat.
A winner would be declared, and then there would be a huge party in the middle of the Eaglehoth for everyone, Heirs and citizens alike.
The following morning, we’d all be shipped back to Boellium.
Tonight’s banquet was political. Barons and Heirs would attend, rubbing shoulders with each other, with alliances to be forged or bolstered.
I wasn’t looking forward to it. I’d avoided these kinds of events for years, something my father was happy to allow.
Mostly because he’d painted me as some kind of monster, as Zier had suggested.
But a dress had appeared on my bunk this morning, and as I slipped it on, I just knew it had come from Vox.
How he’d managed it, I didn’t know, but it was beautiful.
A deep blue fabric, but dusted with what looked like threads of moonlight.
Or perhaps frost settling in those moments before dawn.
It was ethereal, and I felt like an imposter wearing it.
Straightening my spine, I smoothed my hands over my hips.
The back dipped low, not ending until the curve of my lower back, and was criss-crossed with fine ribbon, until it looked like a puritanical spider had tried in vain to keep my dress together.
It’d been a nightmare to put on, but I had to admit, it was dramatic.
Someone whistled behind me, and I turned to see Acacia. She was wearing a traditional Twelfth Line dress in a deep purple, the drop waist hugging her hips but the skirt full and swirling. It was intricately embroidered along the edges of the hem and over the bodice.
“Your dress is a work of art,” I told her, and she smiled.
“You are a work of art. Good Goddess, Avalon, you look hot. If you were interested in women, I’d steal you from those knuckle-draggers in an instant.”
I laughed. “Thanks, Cace.”
She eyed me critically. “Let me do your hair.” Pushing me into the chair beside me, she went to work, muttering about doing the dress justice. “When I’m done, they’ll swallow their tongues.”
Braxus huffed a noise, and I hoped it meant he approved of my outfit.
Hayle had said he’d escort me to the banquet, which was ridiculous considering it was literally a five-minute walk from the boarding house where we were staying, but he’d gotten me when I was dick-dazed from his kiss, so I waited.
Acacia was brushing Braxus, cooing at him like he was a lapdog and not a killer.
I got it—he was a cuddler when he was off duty, but it was funny to think that my Twelfth Line friends had been terrified of him a few months ago.
They were still a little wary of Alucius, but Braxus was basically spoiled every time we went to their dorm level back at Boellium.
“So handsome,” Acacia crooned, and I rolled my eyes as he soaked up the attention.
Hearing a soft knock on the door, I stood, rubbing my sweaty palms on my arms. Why was I nervous? Hayle had seen me naked more times than any other person in the world. He’d seen me impaled on two dicks and sweaty. He’d seen me haggard and sleep-deprived. This was nothing.
Still, I wanted him to think I was worthy of him. This was the first non-Boellium event we’d attended as a couple. His father would be there, as well as other Barons and Heirs. This was a declaration. What if everyone thought he was slumming it with me?
Elbowing me, Acacia growled, “You are a fucking badass bitch, Avalon Halhed. He’s lucky to have you.” Then she flung open the door.
The most handsome man I’d ever seen in my life stood there. Hayle was wearing a tuxedo that hugged his body perfectly, in a deep brown that complimented his hair and his eyes and his shoulders and his thighs…
“Pick your jaws up off the floor, both of you,” Acacia teased. “Goddess, you’re going to be late, and I have a date with a very attractive stable boy, so hurry it along.”
Hayle walked in and kissed me softly, not ruining my makeup. “You look like a dream,” he whispered. “Like a goddess.”
I flushed, my eyes dropping to his tie. “Thank you. You look very handsome too.”
Acacia sighed. “Yes, yes, you’re both disgustingly good looking. Let’s go.” She strode out the door, her hair bouncing down her back and her full skirts trailing behind her.
Laughing softly, Hayle offered me his elbow. “Will you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to the banquet?”
“Nothing would make me happier.”
We stepped out into the hall of the boarding house, which I noticed was mostly empty.
The town square was filled with vendors again, and most of the Boellium conscripts were using the time to stock up on items that were hard to obtain on the island.
I almost wanted to be out there with them, where I was comfortable.
Not under the scrutiny of Barons and Heirs.
I waved to Acacia. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I called out to her.
She grinned over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow at Hayle. “I’m not sure that leaves much?”
I wondered if I could steal her back and take her to the banquet with me—I could use her ball-busting bravado—but she was already gone, swallowed by the crowd.
Walking up to the manor house, I noted the guards that were positioned around the outside. Were they there to keep people out, or protect against threats?
Hayle smiled at the doorman. “Hayle Taeme, Heir to the Third Line, and Avalon Halhed, Heir to the Ninth Line,” he informed the man, who was dressed in the colors of the Eighth.
He led us into the house, and given that I’d snuck in last time, I was excited to look around.
As we entered the ballroom, I appreciated the simple elegance of it.
The chandelier wasn’t expensive, but rather carefully carved to resemble a treetop, different woodland birds and animals perched on its boughs.
A large open fireplace was smoldering gently, and the whole place just seemed… cozy.
There was a band playing in the corner, and already, there were a few couples dancing. I spotted Bach and Kyler Tarrin out there on the floor. Bach couldn’t dance; it had never been part of their training up in Rewill, but Kyler was doing an admirable job of leading without making it obvious.
I noted Vox in the back of the room, looking stoic and untouchable. But I knew him well enough now to know that he also looked lonely. “Let’s go speak to Vox?” I murmured to Hayle quietly, and he squeezed me close to his side.
“Of course.” He grabbed us two drinks from the long trestle table on the way past, handing one to me. I wasn’t a big drinker; alcohol had destroyed what remained of my father. But perhaps I could nurse this one cup, and no one would look at me for the rest of the night.
When we made it to Vox, his expression was so full of heat, I was surprised my dress didn’t cremate instantly. “Dirt scrabbler,” he said softly, and the way he said it, the insult almost could have been dirty talk. “You look lovely.”
I gave him a secret smile. “Thank you. You don’t look too bad either.”
“High praise.” He reached out and plucked the glass from my hand, looking over at Hayle. “She doesn’t like to drink. You should fetch her something else.”
Hayle raised an eyebrow. “I’m not your errand boy, Vox Vylan,” he grumbled, before leaning over to kiss my cheek. “I’m always your errand boy, though, love.” He moved through the crowd easily, back toward the drinks table.
I wanted to step into Vox’s arms, hold him tightly and kiss the everloving shit out of him. “Are you doing okay?” I asked quietly instead. “I miss you.” My voice was barely a whisper, but I knew Vox would have created a sphere of silence around us.
“It’s been torture, watching Hayle get to kiss you and hold you, while I’m stuck over here with my hands in my pockets and the memory of your taste fading from my mind.
” He said it all with complete neutrality.
If you couldn’t hear us, we probably looked as if we were talking about the weather, or something equally as inane.
“We’ll be back at Boellium soon enough,” I promised him. “And then I’m not letting you out of my dorm room for days. We’ll see if Lierick really is as powerful as he says and can make a specter of us attending all our classes, so people don’t get suspicious.”
He laughed softly. “I can’t wait.”
Hayle reappeared, and his arm went back around my waist as he handed me what looked like some kind of punch. “Here we go. Also, I just saw Kian—he’s on his way over.”