CHAPTER IV #4
think I spot Barnett not too far away, but my search is halted as the Prince comes to a stop in front of the table with Cal and the woman at his side.
“Alexis?” he smirks, extending the pipe in my direction.
While I would love nothing more than to wipe that smirk off his face, I sit back in my chair and feign disinterest.
“Not my thing.”
“A pity,” he grins, taking a seat at the table, “though I have a feeling you’re lying again.”
I nearly choke on my ale.
Cal gives a small chuckle, taking the pipe from the Prince’s outstretched hand to save me from replying. He sits back in his own chair as the pretty Discerni takes her usual seat on top of the Prince’s lap.
“We’re heading out,” Alanna walks over with Heizman. She says something else to the Prince that I’m too distracted to hear, my smile growing immediately when Barnett appears next to his friend and sends me a wink just before they leave.
“You’re fitting in nicely, Lady Alexis,” Keane nods, his eyes flicking to the back of Barnett’s head as we both watch him walk away.
I ignore the comment and finish my ale.
“I’m getting another drink. Anyone?”
Cal nods for another and continues to smoke his pipe with a lazy grin, the Prince and his Discerni girl asking for toddies as well. I make my way over to the black countertop and wait for Marybeth to finish her rounds, grateful to have a moment to myself as I take everything in.
So far, Gaumond is unlike anything I’ve experienced in the Court of Knowledge and even the southern portions of Warrior.
The roads at Brierman may come close, maybe even some parts of the Palisades and Dardar, but there’s no flamboyant swagger in those cities as there is here.
Everything in Knowledge is definitely more hidden as well, adhering to a Court etiquette that asks for any raucous and sensual behavior to be taken somewhere private.
But since I’ve been here, just in this tavern alone, I’ve seen all manners of sensual touches both above and below clothes that would make my home Court gossip behind judgmental eyes.
I smile at the people around me, to their bold, unabashed take on life that’s almost refreshing. The full of the room is just enjoying themselves in whatever manner they seem fit, and true to Cal’s comments, they’re extremely consensual about it.
“Another round?” Marybeth asks, drawing my attention back to the counter.
“Two ales and two toddies,” I nod to the Discerni woman as she starts pouring.
“You can hold the second toddy, Mary,” the Prince comes up from behind and leans his arm on the granite. His brown eyes spark with that hint of playfulness, his gaze catching mine as I turn to him with a sigh.
Ancients, he’s fucking handsome. Way too handsome for his own good.
The dim lighting of the room flicks against his tanned skin, his broad chest revealed under a cut down the middle of his regal black satin shirt.
There’s a thin black chain resting around his neck with hints of fluorite in it, the small green flecks catching the light and looking good on him before disappearing back under the shirt.
“Hold a toddy?” I ask, turning to our table to see Cal seated on his own.
“Camala had to leave,” he replies simply.
“Sorry, Keane, but I was already pouring the toddies when you came up,” Marybeth announces, placing the original four on the counter.
“Thank you, Mary,” the Prince smiles, “send me the total tomorrow.”
The Discerni woman nods in gratitude and continues with her rounds.
“Thank you,” I reply quietly, turning towards the drinks.
“Thank me by downing the extra toddy,” he grins in challenge.
I laugh, “you missed your chance earlier, Highness.”
“I did,” Keane grabs the amber liquid and holds it in front of me, “so perhaps you’ll do me the favor of replacing that vision I have of you with the real thing.”
My chest tightens at the words.
Does he know?
He has to know…
There’s no way he doesn’t know the effect his words have.
“Do you often enjoy teasing girls from outside your Court of Warriors, Highness?”
The Prince lifts the toddy higher and replies with a grin.
“First thing, Lady Alexis, is that you are no girl. That much has become apparent over the past few days. And second…”
His eyes lock on mine with a hint of playful mischief, “maybe I enjoy tantalizing you because I want to see what kind of woman you are.”
My own eyes narrow as I take a step forward. “I have nothing to prove to you.”
“True,” he nods in agreement, taking a step closer as well, “so don’t. This night isn’t about me…”
Keane’s hand reaches forward, the drink nearly touching my chest as he leans down to my ear.
“It’s all about you, Alexis. You brought us here on a whim, so it’s you who gets to enjoy the night as you want it. You don’t have to prove anything to me, but I can tell by the look in your eyes that you’d truly like nothing more than to down this toddy and smoke next to your man.”
My heart pounds in my chest.
“So do it, Lady Alexis. Let the night pass exactly as you want it. I would enjoy watching nothing less.”
Fucking Ancients. He’s good.
I give the Prince a casual smile, as if his presence and his words have no effect on me.
His eyes dance across my face as I take the toddy from his hand, saluting him before downing it in one gulp.
He laughs at the sight, a deep sound that’s laced with approval before he takes a heavy swig of his own drink.
I place the empty glass on the countertop and turn back to meet his gaze, my own lips tilting up towards his ear as I whisper in secret.
“I truly do want nothing more than to sit at the table with Cal and let the smoke fill my lungs…”
“But?” he nearly grins against my cheek.
“No but,” I shake my head with a coy smile.
The Prince leans so close that his chest brushes against mine. I feel his lips just barely stop before my ear, my heart kicking in my chest as he replies with a smirk.
“That’s your third lie today, Lady.”
“It is,” I pull away with an amused grin.
“So tell me the truth.”
“The truth?” I hold his gaze, “the truth is that there’s only one thing I’d want more than to join Cal and his smoke…”
“And that is?”
“You watching me do exactly that,” I dare. “You say you would enjoy watching nothing less? Then watch me tonight, Your Highness, and know that you’ll be seeing the real thing again, no vision needed.”
Keane’s thigh quickly pushes between my legs, his knee pressing forward and nearly brushing against my center.
I try to hide my gasp and the way my body heats from his presence against me, but there’s no use.
The man knows what he’s doing, and the best I can do is pretend that he doesn’t affect me even when his lips lean dangerously close to mine.
“You have no idea what game you’re playing, Lady Alexis,” he says quietly.
“I took the toddy,” I raise my brows and turn away from his lips, “now sit and watch us enjoy our night, Highness.”
“Gladly,” he smirks.
“My head is pounding,” I groan, hoisting myself off Millie.
I snake my hand into the bag at my hip and loosen Golem’s jar.
“No surprise there,” Cal dismounts with a chuckle, “you and the Prince looked like you were going at it the whole night.”
“Going at what?” I scoff, “I was with you for the majority of the night.”
“At it,” Cal chuckles, “it looked like you two were in some sort of secret pissing contest, though I’m not quite sure who won…”
My thoughts roam to last night and the Prince’s gaze on me the entire time. He watched me all night, through every drink, laugh and exhale of smoke I shared with Cal, never once wavering with those playful brown eyes.
“I’m not either,” I admit quietly and tie Millie to a tree.
“Good morning, Golem,” Cal greets the magical being walking towards us.
I turn around to the familiar brown robes and clay skin.
“Golem, I have a question for you.”
His face remains silent as I continue. “Since we’re no longer on the road, can I leave your home in my room at the castle? I’ll hide it, but I just want to make sure you’ll still be able to join me around the city?”
Golem nods.
Blessed Ancients, thank you.
It’s become a bit of a hassle to cart his jar everywhere.
“Okay,” I smile, “we’ll do that when I get back.”
Cal and I begin to stretch just as the hint of sunlight begins to push through the trees around us.
We had set off this morning well before dawn, probably not one of the finer decisions we’ve ever made, but one that had to be done so we could spend some time navigating the foreign castle.
I vaguely remember Prince Keane reciting directions for us last night before he dropped us off at our rooms, but neither Cal or I could remember them come morning and ended up getting lost in all the twists and turns of the Black Capitol.
It wasn’t until we stumbled into a maid when we were pointed in the right direction. The girl took one look at our clothes and laughed in understanding, showing us to the ground floor and how to get to the stables outside.
Once situated on our horses, we took a slow ride around the highest rise that encircled the castle.
The grounds were mostly filled with manicured grass and red rose gardens, though they did have a thin portion of woods that followed along the wall.
We navigated those trees until we found a large enough area to train in and let the woods shield us from the castle beyond.
“Last night wasn’t so bad,” I reflect quietly in my stretch, “I expected more promiscuity… and fighting.”
Cal nods in agreement and ties his long auburn hair to the back of his neck.
“I think that’ll come later tonight at court.”
“Was the Prince truly mad?” I ask, touching my toes, “when he found out we weren’t with you?”
“Livid,” Cal grimaces, “and not in the way you or I would get mad. He had a calm anger about him.”
I remember the Prince looking at me from the doorway and Alanna’s warning about that face not being one I wanted to see again.