Enzo busied himself fussing with the wine. It drew Tiberius’s attention, a twinge of old paranoia that made him uncomfortably aware of his own breathing, of his pulse. No one with access to this room could have known he’d be here tonight.
And anyone wanting to poison Pavus had had the opportunity to do so on any number of nights past.
“I wish I’d been ordered to stay.” By higher powers than the head of his House – or at least warned. Or asked. Still, that anyone was strong enough to put a barrier around the whole country, especially without lengthy preparation … It was hard to believe, impossible to predict. Probably also treason to look too hard at, considering how heavily the Archon was credited with the act. He lifted his hand to his shoulder, briefly running his thumb along the skin of Enzo’s wrist. Watched him depart for just a moment, more fussing with drinks.
It was so very much like him, an echo of decades past. Though new glasses were slightly more dangerous. Tiberius took the flute of champagne, lips twitching into a smile at the question. He clinked his glass against Enzo’s and took a sip.
“Oh, there’s been fewer than you’d think. I’m not sure they know what to do with me anymore.” A chance encounter with the Archon or the Black Divine might fix that, setting the tone for House Umbra to be in or out of favor. Lacking that, time would do the trick eventually. For now, he needed to get his sea legs back, so to speak. Gather information as quickly as he could while ruffling few feathers.
“I invited myself over to the Tilani heir’s manor to congratulate her lovely wife. It was … Odd.” He’d left mostly with the impression that he’d been repeatedly lied to over some very fine tea, which was not terribly strange on its own. But the way Novella had chosen to defy his assumptions confused him, asking more questions than she had answered.
What to ask in return, here and now? He did not think the fall of House Pavus would be welcome conversation, though the thought of it did bring certain things to mind.
“Apparently Grandfather’s dead. We’re not ready to tell anyone, so do keep it quiet.”
And anyone wanting to poison Pavus had had the opportunity to do so on any number of nights past.
“I wish I’d been ordered to stay.” By higher powers than the head of his House – or at least warned. Or asked. Still, that anyone was strong enough to put a barrier around the whole country, especially without lengthy preparation … It was hard to believe, impossible to predict. Probably also treason to look too hard at, considering how heavily the Archon was credited with the act. He lifted his hand to his shoulder, briefly running his thumb along the skin of Enzo’s wrist. Watched him depart for just a moment, more fussing with drinks.
It was so very much like him, an echo of decades past. Though new glasses were slightly more dangerous. Tiberius took the flute of champagne, lips twitching into a smile at the question. He clinked his glass against Enzo’s and took a sip.
“Oh, there’s been fewer than you’d think. I’m not sure they know what to do with me anymore.” A chance encounter with the Archon or the Black Divine might fix that, setting the tone for House Umbra to be in or out of favor. Lacking that, time would do the trick eventually. For now, he needed to get his sea legs back, so to speak. Gather information as quickly as he could while ruffling few feathers.
“I invited myself over to the Tilani heir’s manor to congratulate her lovely wife. It was … Odd.” He’d left mostly with the impression that he’d been repeatedly lied to over some very fine tea, which was not terribly strange on its own. But the way Novella had chosen to defy his assumptions confused him, asking more questions than she had answered.
What to ask in return, here and now? He did not think the fall of House Pavus would be welcome conversation, though the thought of it did bring certain things to mind.
“Apparently Grandfather’s dead. We’re not ready to tell anyone, so do keep it quiet.”
05-10-2024, 04:23 PM
