They weren’t allowing anyone to leave. Ilaria stared at the gatehouse, chin raised, thinking incendiary thoughts. Andoral wanted their way, an explosion of destructive magic that the both of them might well survive – but not without losing much that she had built. She turned around and walked back into the palace, murmuring an excuse to the empty air. Ilaria Obsidian wasn’t trapped, she’d merely forgotten something inside …
By the time she’d made it back to the ballroom, the Archon had gathered a small group of guests. The woman from House Tilani was talking, an oddly breathless stream of questions. Poor thing, baby, angel. You would think that Arvina had misplaced a child.
Ilaria was relatively certain he’d done no such thing – that he had no living issue unless hiding bastards was the exclusive mission of the Eyes. It finally occurred to her that they were talking about those loose felines that had been underfoot all evening. It was very odd. If he cared about the animals, why hadn’t he kept them away from the guests? A very confident Archon might believe none of the Houses would act against him at his own party – but that hardly accounted for all the foreigners about. Enemies, all. Tevinter stood alone.
“I’ve never known a cat to come running at its name. The dinner bell, maybe. But perhaps yours are of a superior sort, Lord Archon.” If nothing else, perhaps this would be an educational opportunity to see how Arvina responded to stress.
By the time she’d made it back to the ballroom, the Archon had gathered a small group of guests. The woman from House Tilani was talking, an oddly breathless stream of questions. Poor thing, baby, angel. You would think that Arvina had misplaced a child.
Ilaria was relatively certain he’d done no such thing – that he had no living issue unless hiding bastards was the exclusive mission of the Eyes. It finally occurred to her that they were talking about those loose felines that had been underfoot all evening. It was very odd. If he cared about the animals, why hadn’t he kept them away from the guests? A very confident Archon might believe none of the Houses would act against him at his own party – but that hardly accounted for all the foreigners about. Enemies, all. Tevinter stood alone.
“I’ve never known a cat to come running at its name. The dinner bell, maybe. But perhaps yours are of a superior sort, Lord Archon.” If nothing else, perhaps this would be an educational opportunity to see how Arvina responded to stress.
05-18-2024, 03:59 PM
