Chapter Six #2
He met Tristan’s eyes. The merman had finally dragged them from his half-exposed arms, but after a moment, Austin realised Tristan wasn’t looking at his eyes at all. He was studying his pinned hair.
Austin sipped his wine.
Tristan watched his mouth, then his throat as he swallowed.
Austin watched him watching.
The old man cleared his throat and stood.
“I’m Char, the secretary and head of staff.
This is Captain Inx, head of the Troop.” Char gestured to the unkempt man, who raised a hand shielded in exoskeleton in greeting.
He studied Austin with an unabashedly curious look.
Char continued, “And Lady Eloise is a cousin visiting from Asar.”
Austin made a hm sound in reply.
Char waited an awkward second and gestured to the walls.
Staff came forward, efficiently presenting them all with worryingly hearty dishes of succulent red meat, baked cheese, unfamiliar vegetables and something starchy akin to potatoes.
Austin put great effort into not scrunching his nose.
Tristan seemed to sense his disapproval regardless and tensed subtly in turn.
Nobody spoke or reached for cutlery even after the staff retreated.
Unsubtle eyes flicked between Tristan and Austin, waiting for someone to make some sort of move.
Austin had a sinking feeling they were waiting on a cue from him before they started eating.
He heated, sensing he was misstepping but unaware of how or where.
Austin looked to Eloise. “Whose cousin?”
She startled and bloomed seashell pink. “Me? Char’s cousin. We’re from Asar; I’m visiting. Well, not exactly visiting. Requesting aid.”
An awkward beat passed as seashell pink turned crimson. A look akin to horror crossed the woman’s face, too close to humiliation for Austin to ignore comfortably.
“Asar’s where you’re from too?” Pretending not to notice her embarrassment, he looked to Tristan, who didn’t give the impression Austin’s attention would leave him cringing.
“I spent my early youth there.” Tristan’s attention jumped back to Austin’s wrist as he reached for his wine glass, tracking each of Austin’s fingers as they folded around the delicate stem.
“And you’ve decided to spend the rest of your days staring at me?”
Tristan twitched. Captain Inx snorted. Char cut Inx a scathing look. Eloise looked downright terrified.
“Forgive me.” Tristan finally took notice of everybody sitting in fear and, with a somewhat amused look, picked up a fork, giving everyone the cue to eat.
Austin cast a second doubtful look over the richly scented food.
Inx speared a hunk of red meat on his fork as Char and Eloise cut neat-sized bites.
“What did you say the numbers were?” Inx asked Eloise.
“Reports are hardly reliable when it comes to ghouls, but it’s thought there’s at least four that have progressed far enough to pass for human,” Eloise said.
Surprise stiffened Char and Inx, and Tristan’s eyes jumped to her.
“Four?” Char repeated. “Are you certain?”
“Surely Chancellor Desor sent word already? This can’t be the first you’ve heard of this.”
Char and Tristan exchanged a look. The merman sighed. “We thought he was exaggerating, as he usually does when trying to convince me to go north.”
“Your presence would be appreciated, I’m sure,” Eloise said. Her eyes flicked to Inx. “Or yours.”
Despite a troubled look, Inx smiled. “I’m managing quite the sizeable force. Rotas and district assignments don’t just write themselves, you know.”
“And who writes them?” Char asked pointedly.
Inx ignored the question.
“So you’re free,” Eloise pressed Inx.
“If there’s a ghoul problem, then the decision on whether to go and clear an entire nation will not fall to me.” Inx inclined his head toward Tristan.
“I’m not asking for the nation to be cleared; I need help with a very human problem that has come about because of the chaos.
I’m not that far north. With all the Asar soldiers called up, the roads have become rife with opportunists, and our family has just brought in the harvest. I need guards to get as far as the docks.
Once there, I’ll be fine, but getting there…
” Eloise shifted in her chair, a tired and displeased look flashing across her face.
“I didn’t take the long way on horse for the fun of it.
Sir, I would like to formally request three guards.
I’ll pay well and see that they have comfortable lodgings. ”
“I’ll consider it,” Tristan said.
Disappointment flashed in Eloise’s eyes. She cast her cousin Char a pleading look, but the man didn’t come to her rescue, nor did Inx seem moved.
“You can’t afford to send three men?” Austin asked.
The ensuing silence prickled. Meaningful looks darted his way and away, except for Tristan, whose gaze locked and stuck.
Staff ferried away the main dish, Austin’s untouched, and plates with little tarts that smelled ripe and sweet were set down.
Austin thought only of spoiled centres, of hidden rot.
“I find that hard to believe.” Austin looked to the staff waiting at the walls. The merman was mean, then. Unwilling to help others.
Something shifted in the air. “I did not say no,” Tristan pointed out.
“Didn’t you?”
A beat passed.
“Who hasn’t gone out in a while?” Tristan directed the question at Inx.
“Sir,” Char objected.
Eloise’s eyes shone as Inx rattled off a list of names.
Tristan turned back to her. “You have your choice of men, Eloise. Inx will bring you to meet them, so take your pick.”
Eloise took the dismissal at face value, standing quickly.
“Thank you,” she said to Tristan. She passed by Austin in a swirl of pale silk and with a murmured “Thank you.” Inx stood, exoskeleton disappearing as he tossed his blue-lapelled jacket over his arm.
He bowed his neatly trimmed brown head to Austin and grabbed his piping hot tart from the plate with his bare hand, blowing on the pastry as he strode out.
Char’s eyes narrowed at the pastry, but he swallowed whatever reprimand he clearly wanted to dole out.
Standing, he bowed his head respectfully to Austin and Tristan.
Tristan raised an amused brow at the bow.
The staff left with Char.
Tristan studied Austin’s untouched dessert. “I can have the kitchen prepare something more to your liking.”
Austin touched the edge of the plate. The sweet scent of sugar wafted from it, with an undercurrent of berries. “Fresh fruit. And water. Neither freezing nor boiling, if you can manage that.”
A muscle twitched in Tristan’s jaw. His eyes were bright as he inclined his head. “I’ll do my best,” he replied dryly.
Austin only just stopped himself from flashing his teeth in a snarl at his tone.
Austin held Tristan’s gaze. “Music?” The city of monsters had been filled with constant noise.
Buskers played in the market street, men and women singing to themselves as they went about their day.
Lyrics weren’t Austin’s favourite, but it was better than grating silence.