Chapter 70
Yvette
The great hall was filled to bursting with celebrants all gathered to wish the newlyweds their best, and to gorge themselves on the ample wedding feast. Though there was barely a quiet corner to be found, Yvette had found as unassuming a spot as possible amongst the crowd.
Ordinarily, she did not care much for drink, but tonight she was finishing her third glass of wine.
It had been an extraordinarily long and terrible day.
She’d seen neither hide nor hair of Victor or Priscilla since the royal guard had escorted them away, but she could practically feel Victor’s fuming from where she sat.
The sensation of his hands gripping her arms, his fist tight in her hair, lingered with her still.
At times she ran her fingers over her skin as if to remind herself that they were truly gone.
Among the festive gathering, she was very much a pariah.
Actively ignored by all but a few sour glances.
It would be a lie to say it didn’t sting, but at least it offered her time to think, to process everything that had happened.
Her circumstances had changed so much in only a matter of days, and she’d barely had a moment to allow it all to sink in.
In all the commotion of the last days, it was jarring to find herself with nothing but time ahead of her.
Now that Keira was safe, her penitent mission complete, what was to become of her?
Yvette was so deep within her thoughts, it was startling when another joined her company for the first time all evening, and the bride no less.
“I wanted to thank you,” Keira said without preamble.
Yvette blinked up at her, not entirely sure that this wasn’t a mirage conjured by the alcohol.
“You didn’t have to go so far to save me.
I still don’t understand why you were with Victor, but I think I can see how…
” Keira shook her head, stopping herself.
“What I’m trying to say is that I understand a little better now why you did what you did, and I can respect everything you risked to bring me back. ”
“Did Florian-” The idea of him telling her what he’d seen earlier that day, of anyone knowing- Shame curled in her gut.
“He didn’t have to share much,” Keira explained, sensing her discomfort.
“But he trusts you, and I trust him. I don’t know if he told you, but Florian was my first friend in the Blades.
He was the first one to really welcome me, and…
He has a way of seeing people, of understanding them.
” Her green eyes continued to search her as if she were a puzzle to be decoded.
“You’re not like other mages I’ve met,” Yvette changed the subject.
Keira smirked. “I can imagine. Do you know many others?”
Yvette shook her head. “Not personally. Do you?”
“I did once,” she admitted. “My guardian had the gift.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“He’s on another path now,” Keira sighed the familiar addage.
Yvette nodded. “You said that he was your guardian…”
“My parents left me in his care when I was very young,” Keira explained, a glimmer of pain lingering in the old wound. “They didn’t understand the magic, couldn’t help me control it.”
“But your guardian taught you?”
“Yes, for years he did, until I was ready to study at the Arcanum. I never completed my coursework, though.”
“Could you-” Yvette tried to summon the courage to ask, the desire burning within her. “Could you teach me?”
Keira’s brows raised, and for a fearful moment she was sure she would refuse her, curse her for asking for anything after what she’d done.
“Did no one- Of course.” Her tone was suddenly almost maternal in tone, soft and reassuring. “I can come by Grimlocke and tutor you, after the honeymoon that is.” Her eyes scanned the crowd briefly, looking for her new husband, no doubt.
Yvette paused. Would the Blades take her back with them to Grimlocke? Now that Keira was safe and they no longer needed her, likely not. Loneliness and dread came to pool uncertainly inside her, but she made herself nod anyhow.
“There you are,” Caspian’s voice found them.
Keira turned to him with a beaming smile. “Enjoy the party. We’ll meet again soon,” she promised before wrapping her arm in Caspian’s.
Yvette watched them as they returned to the party. “You know,” Keira said, turning over her shoulder. “Feel free to start working through my library. Alistair’s Arcane Practicum is a great place to start and-”
“Keira,” Caspian chided her softly.
“Right, sorry.” Her voice carried a laugh as she finally surrendered herself to the dance floor.
Yvette sat alone once more. “Thank you,” she returned quietly.
“You’re very welcome,” Florian startled her as he came to her side. He held two glasses of spiced wine, offering the second to her. “Been making friends?”
Yvette took just a small sip to be polite. The world had enough of a slant to indicate she’d reached her limit. “I understand why you two are close.”
He nodded. “Caspian’s a lucky man,” Florian said, watching them dance.
“Were you in love with her? Before I mean- When you thought that Caspian was gone?”
Florian nearly spit his wine, sending himself into a fit of coughing.
“What?” he wheezed and then cleared his throat.
“No, it was never like that between us. I mean, once we… spent a wonderful evening together. But it was never more than friendship for us. A man can tell when a woman is in love with someone else, even when they think that person is gone for good.”
Yvette nodded. She didn’t understand him, how he could casually admit to sleeping with a friend, how it seemed evident he’d left a trail of lovers behind him never looking back.
She’d only ever been with Victor. Even the idea of being so flagrant with her affairs made her heart beat faster. She took a nervous sip of wine.
“I’ve actually been sent to talk to you,” Florian said, his tone shifting to something more casual. “Party business.”
Yvette lifted a brow.
“There’s been a vote,” he continued, “and I am here to offer you a place in the Blades of Fate.”
“To join?” Yvette puzzled. “What would I do? Keira’s so much more skilled than I am- and I’m no good in a fight-”
“I beg to disagree,” Florian opposed lightly, “and Keira has already announced to Rhea that she will no longer be an official member. I suppose she’ll be in and out, a friend always of course, but we are now without a resident mage.”
“I suppose that makes me the next best thing,” Yvette relented.
Florian turned away from the music and revelry, facing her eye to eye. “I think that Fate often works in marvelous and mysterious ways, but every now and again, you just feel it, don’t you?”
She could think of nothing to say to that. Though these last days did seem to be a particular bend in her path. Perhaps her fate was leading her somewhere new. “They really want me?” Yvette asked finally.
“It was utterly unanimous.”
“Even Knox?” She couldn’t picture him agreeing to be in the same room with her, let alone allowing her to live, and fight, alongside him.
“I can be very persuasive,” Florian said with a crooked smile. “He came around easily. It’s the obvious choice.”
Yvette nodded.
“So, will you?”
Where else was she supposed to go? That was her first thought, but it was more than that too.
She wanted to move into Grimlocke House.
She wanted to learn more magic from Keira…
But most of all, the idea of belonging somewhere, even if it was such a peculiar, ragtag version of a family, was not something she could resist.
“Yes.” Yvette nodded, taking another tiny sip. “But you’ll have to take down that awful wallpaper.”
Florian let out a bawdy laugh, his sea green eyes twinkling.
It was utterly infectious. She couldn’t help but smile back.
“I think we need to make a toast.”
The others had congregated by the drinks table.
Where they did toast to her membership. Yvette finished her glass of wine.
She watched games of dice and listened to their jokes and loud, outlandish stories.
Together they danced until her cheeks were stretched from smiling.
When the frenzy ebbed, Yvette followed Lilith to the outskirts of the ballroom.
Yvette’s eyes filtered through the crowd until they settled on Florian’s unmistakable shape.
He was dancing with a girl, smiling that irresistible grin he seemed to be able to conjure on demand.
The girl was blushing heavily. Yvette could hardly blame her.
It wasn’t everyday someone smiled at you like that.
“Don’t take it personally,” Lilith commented beside her. “There is nothing shiny enough in this realm to keep Florian’s attention for long.”
A blush crept onto her own cheeks. Had she felt a touch of jealousy? Of course, but only because-
Her thought was interrupted as Knox bumped into her from behind, letting out a snort as he stalked off.
“Knox!” Lilith protested, but then he was lost to the crowd. Her hand came up to rub her brow.
Yvette’s mind worked, trying to figure out what she’d said to upset him now. Perhaps it was simply the moon, his condition… “Is it safe,” Yvette asked, tone hushed, “having him here so close-”
Lilith shook her head to stop her, clearly understanding her meaning. “He’ll be fine, just on edge.” She huffed. “Florian could try not to be so-” she shook her head angrily and took a drink.
Her eyes widened, coming to a conclusion with newfound clarity. How had she not seen it? “He’s- They’re-”
“You didn’t know?” Lilith’s eyes rounded.
“It would explain why he…”
“Why he’s such an irrational arse around you?
” Lilith finished, but then her expression softened.
“Listen, it’s not about you personally. That melodrama has been going on…
probably longer than even I know. Florian has never lied about the way he is, but he also does not understand what this is to my brother.
” She sighed. “And Knox tries to make himself okay with how Florian wanders, but on a fundamental level, he just can’t.
It isn’t in his nature.” Lilith took a sip of wine before leveling her with a pointed look.
“He would have saved himself a lot of heartache if he had just accepted who Florian is from the off.”
Yvette glanced back at the dance floor, where Florian was now gone. Probably off… wandering. “I should turn in,” she said slowly
Lilith elbowed her affectionately. “Hey, I am glad you’re coming back with us.”
She gave a small smile. “Me too.”
Yvette swam through the crowd, making her way to the massive wooden staircase.
She’d been given a room there. It was small and sparsely furnished, likely meant for a lady’s maid, but at least it was something.
The keep was full to bursting with guests, and she couldn’t have brought herself to sleep in Victor’s rooms.
“Yvette!” Florian’s voice carried to her as her hand touched the bannister. She considered whether to keep going, but her hesitation was enough for him to catch up to her. “You aren’t turning in already, are you?”
She faced him. “I was feeling tired.” Not entirely a lie.
“Just one more drink, or a dance, anything,” he offered, flashing that smile.
Yvette shook her head.
He sighed in defeat. “Let me at least walk you up.”
“I’ll be fine on my own,” she said, taking a step back on the stairs. Unfortunately, the wine had gone too far to her head, and she tripped on her skirts.
Florian’s hand darted out, catching her arm to keep her from falling against the steps. His brow furrowed as he held her. “Are you alright? I know today was…”
Yvette pulled out of his grip. “I want- I need to be alone, Florian,” she said firmly, catching him by surprise. Something bitter and hurt stirred within her. “But I think that Knox was looking for you,” she added.
His eyes widened. “Yvette, I-”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone to keep you company.” She turned before he could argue, before she could change her mind.
An all too familiar loneliness clung possessively to her the moment he was out of sight.
Of course, she didn’t want to spend the night alone.
It would have been so easy to fall into his arms and let him take care of her…
just as she had done with Victor. But Lilith’s warning echoed in her ears.
She had to be more careful this time. Her heart was already in pieces; it wouldn’t survive being broken again by Florian’s games.