Alira #4
His brow quirks. “Do they say the Blood Knight is ignorant?” he retorts, then takes my hand once more, guiding me to our table.
I smile and shake my head. “They say you are cruel. Which is a form of ignorance in many cases.”
Kalel’s eyes flicker with amusement as he pulls my chair out for me and dips his head. “I will keep that in mind, little godling.” He presses a kiss to my forehead before addressing Tessa and Nikolai. “Did we keep you long?”
Tessa waves us off dismissively. “Gods, no, only about thirty minutes. It’s not like we already had two cups of tea and biscuits in that time,” she says sarcastically, drawing her fingertip over the rim of her mug.
She has a more relaxed air about her this morning, probably because she’s been stuck with her comrade and unlikely friend Nikolai.
I swear, he is impossible not to get along with.
He’s the most positive and happy person I’ve ever met.
“Right. No tea, then. Shall we order?” Kalel ignores her comment and smiles widely as he lifts his hand for the waiter.
Nikolai leans against his palm, arm propped up against the table, and chuckles. “You can try my tea if you’d like, Alira. I figured Tessa would rush you guys once you got here.”
Tessa shoots him a dirty look, but he doesn’t seem to mind. It’s amusing how much like arguing siblings they can be.
“Thank you,” I chirp, happily taking a sip from his tea. The bitterness is wrapped in a tart citrusy flavor, smoothed over by the honey that’s been added. My eyes light up. “Oh my gosh, this is amazing. There are so many flavors.”
Nikolai nods. “I knew you’d love it.”
The waiter stops by and takes all of our orders. Tessa lightens up more, and the table talk shifts into how I’m adjusting to life here, and then to the festival that’s being put on next month.
“It’s hardly the time for a festival,” Tessa grumbles, crossing her arms, having already finished her fish platter.
She seems on edge talking about it, and as she looks away nervously, I catch movement from below out of the corner of my eye and see the same knights again.
They are looking around, as if searching for us. My brows knit and my stomach churns.
“It’s the perfect time for one. A time of union and happiness in the dead of winter is never a bad thing.” Nikolai sounds annoyed with her negativity. I wonder if he’s been worried in the same way that Kalel has been.
I ignore the anxious feelings and try to refocus on the topic.
“Will there be a ball? Like there was on our wedding night?” Excitement starts to rise in my chest. That night was magical.
A perfect introduction to Devicit. It was inspiring to see all the demons adorned in their finest dresses, uniforms, and suits.
Kalel stands, offering me his hand, and I happily take it. “It’s more of a summer night dance. Everyone still dresses up, but the dance is less formal and held outdoors,” Kalel says with a grin.
It sounds like the perfect evening. Now the month will drag on because I’m excited for the festival. I’m already thinking about what to wear.
Kalel pays the bill at the front, and then we say our goodbyes just outside the front door.
I let out a relieved breath after Tessa and Nikolai are out of view. This lunch went much better than I thought it would. No demons were staring at me, and no one interrupted our meal to chat with Kalel. The knights I was worried about are no longer here either, so that’s a relief.
“Now, where should we go first, little godling?” Kalel sounds excited to spend the rest of the day together.
My mood instantly lifts at the thought of the day we have ahead of us.
Shopping, walking around the historic square gardens, and stopping at the cathedral to see the Krinsle.
Apparently, it’s customary for newlywed dukes to have their marriage re-blessed shortly after the union for better chances of a fruitful life together.
But there is one place I’ve been dying to go to with him. “We should go to the cake shop on the edge of—”
Horse hooves clack on the cobblestones, making every hair on the back of my neck rise. At least five knights on horseback come to a halt before Kalel; two of them are the ones who were following us. The blood leaves my face.
“Commander Lornhelm, King Achill requests your presence at once.” The knight shouting abruptly stops speaking the moment he sees me standing next to Kalel.
My husband goes deathly still at my side. “I’m not available today. You know that,” Kalel says in his authoritative voice. His jaw feathers with rage, and the air thickens between the knights and us.
The knight dips his head respectfully but goes on: “I’m afraid it’s urgent.”
Kalel is quiet for a few long seconds. At first I think he will tell him to go find Tessa in his place, but he resigns and says with reluctance, “Okay. Tell him I will be there shortly.”
I watch him leave after saying our goodbyes, and a terrible feeling crawls up my spine. A whisper caught on the wind that barely reaches me.
You don’t belong here half-god.