36 #2
I make the mistake of looking at Raylin to find that he’s glaring at me, seemingly not impressed by the present company. As expected.
Xander sits next to me and drapes a hand over my chair while staring directly at Raylin.
I know exactly what he’s doing. I kick Xander’s leg under the table, not hard enough to hurt but enough for him to get the point.
Xander turns and looks at me questioningly.
“You know what that was for.” I say quietly, the look in my eyes conveying what I can’t say aloud, stop baiting him.
I turn away before he can reply but still see Xander smirk from the corner of my eye.
He doesn’t remove his arm.
I direct my attention solely to the Buffett of food in front of us and ignore him.
That is another thing I miss about this place, the food is prepared so differently here, with a new variety of spices and more seafood based as opposed to land animals, it’s divine.
Before us, the table is dressed in candles and vines wrapping up and down the wood. The food trays all placed on top.
I look around the table, noting everyone here. Raylin and both of his brothers, King Castor and a few of his guards around the room, yet no one else is at the table.
“Where is Lillian?” I ask everyone suddenly, only now noticing Castor’s wife’s absence.
I don’t get an answer straight away, so I look up and see everyone’s faces are a mixture of tension and indifference. Like they’re hiding something. This includes the man sitting across from me, who for once is not meeting my eye.
Wait— she’s not dead, is she? I try to recall if I had heard anything recently but as far as I can remember, she was fine and still ruling alongside Castor.
“Queen Lillian is feeling a bit run down today, she did want to see you Maeve but unfortunately she just couldn’t make it this evening.” Castor replies.
“Oh.” I say much quieter, “that’s okay, tell her I hope she feels better soon.”
Castor nods and resumes eating, as do I. Lillian and I hadn’t had an amazing relationship but she was nice to me whenever I visited and understood when I left Raylin.
My gut twists as I pick at my food. Something is wrong here, I don’t believe that there isn’t more to her being sick and Xander’s glance at Cole suggests he feels the same.
Though on a better note, it seems I had not ruined tonight's atmosphere entirely, as the eldest and youngest princes have started chatting. With Cole surprisingly joining in.
The conversation between everyone is kept casual, with the princes talking about their current endeavours and hobbies.
Save for Resson occasionally displaying his levitating power by floating different drinks or trays of food towards him.
He always did that, ever so casually yet radiating so much arrogance.
If it wasn’t for Raylin and I’s current relationship stance, Resson would be my least favourite of the brothers.
Over the course of the night, it’s mainly myself and Cole that do the talking. Xander is just relaxing casually in his chair, arm still draped over my own chair and eating with just one hand.
“So, how did you end up with these guys in Erador?” Raylin suddenly asks. He hadn’t been contributing much to the conversations either.
I shrug and don’t offer him much information at all.
“They hired me.”
Raylin furrows his brows at me like he doesn’t quite buy my answer. I don’t much care what he believes.
“But you were conscripted?” He replies with a questioning tone.
“Yes well, I’m very good at hiding and fighting as you well know.” I bite back, staring at him pointedly, “I haven’t had trouble with Hidale's army since leaving.”
It’s not entirely a lie but not necessarily the truth either, the run ins I’ve had with Hidale’s men haven’t been because of me, until recently.
“Can we expect his men to show up here?” It’s Resson who chimes in.
“No.” Xander says firmly, “Hidale is unaware of where Maeve is and who she is working for, as far as they know, she just ran away.”
He’s lying. I know they know where I am and who I’m with as Xander had told me that Hidale’s men have been patrolling near Erador ever since Cole and I returned.
Since I brutalised one of his men and let him go as a message. But maybe King Castor wouldn’t be as inclined to help us, if he thought it would cause more trouble than it’s worth.
“Well, Maeve has always been hard to catch with her little tricks.” Raylin says looking over at me with disgust on his face. “Which is why I am surprised she stayed with the Agency for so long.”
I see red, I can’t tell if Raylin is trying to get back at me or just bait me but either way, he is close to crossing a line.
He doesn’t know about Abigail but he knows I had a reason to stay at the Agency. One of our biggest arguments was always about why I couldn’t tell him what kept me there. And why I wouldn’t accept his help to leave the Agency for good.
“You know I couldn’t just leave!” I yell at him, unable to keep my composure. He knew that though, just like he’s always known how to get a rise out of me.
“Hmm.” He murmurs, “I don’t think so, I think you just liked it too much.” Raylin says with a sneer, bracing his hands on the groaning wood as he leans across the table.
The candles flicker in response and flash a harsh orange light over his face.
“The power, the missions, the things they made you do, I think you liked it too much to leave.”
With anger clouding all other emotions, I jump out of my seat and slam my knife down in between his fingers. Hard enough for it to find its mark on the table and stay there as I move my hand away from the blade.
Raylin startles but doesn't retreat.
“You do not get to talk to me like that!” I seethe.
His eyes flare with anger but he doesn’t look down at the knife that’s resting just next to his index finger.
He opens his mouth to retort when he’s interrupted by someone else.
“She’s right son, calm down.” I hear King Castor say.
My brows knot as I whip my head towards him. Why is he defending me?
“I don’t want us to be enemies.” The King says as an explanation.
I just nod and retreat back into my chair to resume eating.
I steal Xander’s knife and leave my own in front of Raylin, who yanks it out of the wood without saying another word.
I look across to Xander and Cole and see them both staring at Raylin with a menacing look in their eyes. Xander’s jaw ticks a few times before he finally looks away and resumes eating with just his fork.
The mood at the table has become tense, no one moving too quickly or talking anymore, until Rafe breaks the silence.
“I have missed having you around Maeve, dinners are always much more exciting.”
He says looking at me with a smile. I smile back at him, thankful to him for bringing back some of the light heartedness.
Rafe turns to Cole and starts talking to him, asking him about his commander duties and Resson turns to his father to say something I don’t bother listening to.
Both conversations make the quietness in the room slightly less intense.
Everyone finishes dinner not long after and I bid goodnight to the princes and the King but make a point not to look at Raylin as I do.
I turn, clutching my shawl and follow Cole and Xander out of the dining hall.
“Are you okay?” Cole asks after we’ve left the room and the doors close behind us.
“I’m fine, he doesn’t bother me.”
“It looked like he struck a nerve to me.” Cole notes.
I let out a breath and hike my shawl up higher. “It doesn’t matter, it’s done and hopefully he can keep his mouth shut for the remainder of our visit so we can finish what we came here for.”
“Negotiations start tomorrow morning.” Xander says, “we’ll know more about what the King wants then.”
I nod my reply and we keep walking towards our rooms.
“Was he that much of a dick when you two were together?” Cole asks.
I shake my head. “Not unless he was upset or angry, he has quite a temper.”
I look across to Xander and see his gaze harden as he looks at Cole.
Gone is the playful, flirty Xander from before dinner.