20. Chace #3
I lifted my chin and an eyebrow, silently questioning the added help in the pub.
“Oh yeah.” He glanced over the customer situation. “Earl ran an errand a while ago and has yet to return. Since business has been busier than usual, Camilla and the kids are helping until he gets back.”
“Good to have help.” I rolled Raven’s letter up and slipped it into my pocket.
“Yep.” Aoes dropped into one of the seats and lifted his legs, stretching them to the nearest empty chair. “Feels good to get off my feet for a few moments. I can grant you a couple of minutes. So, what’s up, Ace?”
“Winter,” I said, deciding to cut straight to the point.
Aoes dropped his head back and gazed at the ceiling. “Haven’t seen him in something like a week. Ever since Raven moved up to the palace, he’s been a flaky friend.”
Ever since… I gritted my teeth.
Ever since Raven moved under the same roof as Winter, that prick has been too distracted or busy for his friends?
Not what I wanted to hear. Not at all.
I fisted my hands, pressing until my knuckles turned white, then swallowed hard. “Is his magic dangerous?”
Aoes blew invisible bubbles toward the ceiling, his lips popping and bopping. “He doesn’t have access to much anymore, so no.”
“But let’s say…”—I dragged my fingertip over the table’s surface in small circles—“hypothetically speaking, that he could access his full pool of magic…”
Aoes sat straight, his full attention snapping to me.
“Would he be dangerous?”
“What have you heard?” Aoes dropped his feet to the ground and leaned onto the table. “Did he get his magic back? If so, how?”
Likely drawn by Aoes’s excitement, the young twins drifted closer.
Sighing, I flattened my hand on the table’s surface. “I don’t know, to both of your questions. And I haven’t necessarily heard anything. This is all speculation.”
Aoes’s gaze narrowed, scrutinizing me thoroughly. “Mm-hmm.”
The twins bellied up to the edge of the table, and I eyed them wearily, even as Aoes shot the girls a conspirator’s grin.
“With or without his magic, Winter has never been a cruel or dangerous person. At least, not on purpose. He was much like his brother, all about the parties and fun times.” Aoes winked.
Bloody winked! What the ever-loving reap?
My chest tightened. I really didn’t like the sound of that. What kind of individual was Raven trapped in the palace with?
Aoes ruffled the hair on the top of the afflicted twin’s head. “Winter’s like your daddy, isn’t he? Easygoing and fun.”
Both the twins nodded in response.
“Oh.” Aoes’s gaze dropped to the collection of drawings held in the unafflicted twin’s hands. “Whatcha got there?”
She spread the pictures out on the table. Each one was of a raven-haired woman wearing something different. “We’re helping Mom design dresses for Raven so that she can look pretty at the birthday ball.”
“That’s great,” Aoes said with a grin. “Tell your mom I need her to make me look just as splendid for the event.”
The girl brightened and wiggled, then she jolted across the pub, tugging her afflicted twin behind her, and hollering, “Mom, mom!”
“Birthday ball?” I asked, a new desire blooming to see Raven dressed to kill on a completely different level.
“The prince’s birthday.” Aoes folded his arms across the table.
“Older prince, that is. Even though he’s missing, the Crown throws him a massive birthday ball every year.
Everyone inside the citadel walls is invited.
And everyone is dressed to impress. Masks are expected but not required.
So…easier to hide your identity, if you know what I mean. ”
He jabbed my bicep with his fist, then he pulled back and shook his hand, pretending to be hurt by the light punch. I eyed the location where he’d touched me and frowned.
“Anyway, like I was saying,” he continued.
“The palace is decorated to the nines. Everyone is dressed their best. The food and drink are overflowing. The entertainment is top notch. There will be ladies, liquor, and dancing. More if you know where to look.” He waggled his eyebrows. “And…everyone is invited.”
“And it’s in the palace?” I clarified.
An open-invitation, masked event at the royal residence sounded too good to be true. If I were to use the event as cover to get inside the otherwise secure walls, there were several things I needed to consider.
One, the Killian supposedly couldn’t enter the palace.
That was a plus. Two, I was far from welcome at the palace no matter what the birthday ball invitation read.
An obstacle, albeit slight. Three, Raven and Winter were in the palace…
but especially Raven, and I… I wanted to see her again, and soon.
But four was the most pressing. The palace was the most likely location of my siblings, and I needed to find them. A draw I couldn’t ignore.
“Where do I procure proper attire for such an event?” I allowed what I hoped was a comfortable smile to grace my mouth.
“I have just the thing. Hold on.” Aoes jumped to his feet and spun toward the meager crowd in the pub. “Camilla!”