CHAPTER SIXTEEN #2
Still standing, he reached for a glass, waiting for his staff to fill it with wine.
Once filled, he raised it high in the air.
“Welcome! A toast. To a profitable evening. I look forward to talking with each and every one of you. May our daughters rise again!” He finished with a common Kothian blessing.
I rushed to raise my glass, joining in the toast. The hooded man at the back of the room made no move to participate.
Rogam pulled out his chair, taking a seat as everyone ceremoniously sipped their drinks.
Rather than shrink away from his presence, I forced myself to emulate the casual indifference of the other guests.
Nobody else seemed the slightest bit concerned.
Either they didn’t realize they were sitting across from a dangerous man, or they didn’t care.
I took another bite of food, suddenly aware of Rogam’s eyes boring into me.
I looked up, plastering what I hoped was a bland smile onto my face.
His eyes dipped to my chest. “Your necklace is quite striking. And your gorgeous green eyes. Green is the rarest eye color—did you know? At least, for those of us who aren’t channeling our ancestors.
” He chuckled to himself, referencing the banshee warrior’s glowing green eyes.
I wilted under the weight of his shameless inspection.
He pursed his lips in a thin line, picking up on my discomfort.
“Forgive my impudence. I find I simply must comment when beautiful, rare things are in my presence. It’s a compulsion.
Not all bad, of course.” He waved a hand lazily around the room as if to say that very predilection was the driving force behind his substantial wealth.
“Of course. No harm done. You flatter me.” I played with my hair, pretending to enjoy the attention. Even if there was something a little too calculated, a little too shrewd, in his gaze for me to actually feel at ease conversing with him.
A protective arm came to rest around my shoulder.
Rogam’s eyes flicked to Corvin, then back to me. “You make a lovely couple. Married?”
“Soon to be engaged,” I said, infusing my voice with a hefty dose of excitement.
“Congratulations to you both.” Rogam scrutinized us again. “Where are you from?”
“We traveled from Tardide,” I answered. A vague response, but also a true one.
“Here for a ring perhaps?” he asked, staring intently at my bare finger.
I flexed my right hand anxiously against my thigh, glad it was concealed under the table. I didn’t want Rogam’s scrutiny to land on the flame ring around my thumb, scared he might recognize it for what it was and the powers it contained.
“She’ll be given my grandmother’s ring,” Corvin interjected smoothly. “I dare say if we were only after a ring, we’d be at a jeweler’s right now instead of guests at your dinner table. We’re hoping you can offer us something of even greater value.”
A roguish smile took up residence on Rogam’s face.
“There are artifacts in this manor more valuable than you can even fathom.” He drained the rest of his goblet.
“But I must beg your pardon once more. Enough talk of business. We shall resume our conversation in my study after dinner. Allow me to make a recommendation while you remain in Kincardine. You must make time to visit the Kalypise Gardens. Have you been before? The perfect activity for a young couple in love.”
Corvin casually deflected the question. “We haven’t been making much time for sightseeing.” Rogam chuckled appreciatively. I frowned, mulling over his words. Was this some sort of test? “The Kalypise Gardens aren’t located in Kincardine.”
They were a large enough attraction even I had read about them.
I studied Rogam’s face but there was no change in his expression. “Hmm? Oh yes, of course. Slip of the tongue. The Kirbrook Gardens. Easy to get confused when you travel as often as I do. I would highly recommend visiting either destination.”
An innocent mistake? Or an ill-intentioned trap? No way to tell for sure, but I would need to stay alert or I risked accidentally revealing to our host that we didn’t live in Kothia ourselves. “We’ll certainly keep that in mind. Thank you for the thoughtful suggestion.”
His interest in us apparently fading, Rogam angled his body toward the elegant couple across the table, greeting them with a charismatic smile. “Lady Rosemund, looking as lovely as ever tonight. Here to add another piece to your jewelry collection?”
The conversation took a turn I couldn’t follow as they gossiped congenially about various noble families and places in Kincardine I didn’t know. Quietly, I resumed eating, hoping my silence wouldn’t be considered remarkable.
Corvin’s lips brushed my ear. “You should try some of that dish.” He pointed to a blue serving platter.
He watched my face, grinning, as I served myself some of the roasted meat he’d recommended, served on a bed of mashed potatoes.
“Good, right?” My first bite went down in an explosion of savory flavor. I grinned back at him, nodding. “Good.”
Rogam’s next question was directed to the man dressed in royal colors.
“Enjoying the meal, Kharum? It’s an honor to have a member of the Royal Library here tonight.
” The man, wearing a librarian’s smock, inclined his head in polite acknowledgment.
He was the only guest whose hair was white from old age.
“The book you found is worth the trip. The historical significance of Hulen’s The Downfall of Astaria to Queen Elasha can’t be overstated. ”
I perked up at the change in topic. Something I can contribute toward. I knew history. And I knew books. I knew that book too. A copy resided in my library on the island. Tentatively, I chimed into their conversation. “Personally, I found it to be a fascinating take on the Battle of Tryadatva.”
My words didn’t have the intended effect.
A tense silence followed in their wake.
Kharum’s face flushed—an unpleasant, mottled red coloration spreading across his cheeks.
“What is the meaning of this, Rogam? Perhaps you can elaborate on why this girl has read a text you’ve claimed to be the last remaining copy in existence?
A text Queen Elasha is prepared to pay handsomely to obtain? ”
I would have bristled at the librarian’s dismissal if my blood hadn’t run cold watching Rogam’s smile slip for the first time since entering the dining room.
For a fleeting moment, anger crossed his face, twisting his handsome features into a menacing countenance.
He was angry. Or…maybe not. His smile quickly returned in full force.
Did anybody else notice? My unease amplified.
Nothing good ever came of that expression on a powerful man’s face.
When he spoke, his voice was calm and placating.
“There is no denying The Downfall of Astaria is a rare book. I don’t need to tell you that.
This is simply a misunderstanding, I’m sure.
The Battle of Tryadatva has been mentioned in several other seminal works.
Are you surprised my guests are well read, Kharum?
” Rogam laughed good-naturedly, attempting to lighten the mood.
Corvin joined in the laughter. “My fiancée does love to read. Always has her nose buried in a book.”
I shot him a grateful look. “I must apologize. Indeed, I seem to have confused the book title. Please forgive my mistake.”
The arrival of the serving staff spared me from any further embarrassment.
In a polished routine, they began to clear the dinner plates from the table, hastily replacing them with platters of pastries and cakes for the dessert course of the meal.
It was at that point that Rogam rose from his seat.
“Please, everyone, enjoy the desserts. I recommend the chocolate pudding myself. Lady Rosemund, would you like to be the first to join me in my study to discuss business?” The young couple followed him out of the room.
I watched as they entered the study across the hallway.
Only this time, Rogam shut the doors behind himself.
The chocolate pudding was superb, but my nerves were starting to intensify, and I could barely appreciate its taste, my tongue dry and heavy in my mouth. Does Rogam suspect us? I ate another spoonful of pudding, enjoying it even less than my first bite.
I looked up when the study doors opened again.
Lady Rosemund exited the study first. An ornate diamond necklace now adorned her neck, dazzling even brighter than the crystal chandelier above me.
Rather than return to the dining room, the young couple waltzed happily back down the hallway toward the manor’s entrance.
Rogam, presumably, all the richer for their purchase.
He assisted Lady Farnwick’s maid next, sending her with a few servants to help carry the casket of wine he conjured.
Rogam’s neighbor left as soon as he finished his dessert. True to his word—here for the meal and nothing more. The man at the back of the room stood up next, never once removing the hood of his cloak. At the staff’s signal, he walked out of the dining room, entering the study.
I kept my eyes glued to the study doors. If I were interested in knowing what any of the other guests sought at Rogam’s manor, it was him. I was met only with disappointment, however, when the man re-emerged; whatever he was leaving with, he wasn’t openly advertising its identity.
Kharum was summoned next.
Rogam saved us for last. Perhaps because he didn’t yet know what we wanted.
Our desires were still a mystery to him.