Page 38 of Raven Rebel (Sablewood #1)
Beside him, Cerne stood with Meara tucked against him. Brenna’s heart stuttered as her attention caught on the nearness between them, and the way Meara leaned into him.
“Brenna,” Meara said, her voice carrying. She snapped from her trance and jerked into motion, closing the distance with a giddy smile on her face.
“Enjoy your dance?” Cerne asked. She nodded .
Tayen said nothing. Brenna’s exuberance ebbed, guilt overtaking it. She would make it up to him somehow.
“Well, let’s retire and get some rest. We can ride home in the morning.”
“That soon?” she asked, frowning.
Antlers flashing in the candlelight, Cerne turned. “Considering the current political tension, yes, we should go home sooner rather than later.” Meara peered past him, her mouth a tight line.
Nodding, Brenna followed him out, hardly feeling the chill of the night as they descended stairs and strode down the stone road to the quarters designated for the Autumn Court.
Stars glittered overhead like shards of glass. Echoes of a sleeping city surrounded them, footfalls of other guests returning to their rooms, the guards on patrol.
Cerne pushed the door carved with leaves open with a heavy sigh. They filed into the opulent space, and Brenna felt her tension ebb.
“You certainly stayed later than I expected,” Ayala quipped from her position lounging across the ivory sofa. Her decadent gown was replaced with a slinky black slip. “Was there adequate debauchery for a court celebration?”
Cerne plopped into a plush armchair. “Almost none. The queen’s gathering was practically wholesome. You would have been thoroughly disappointed.”
“Glad I pursued entertainment elsewhere.”
Tayen tapped his sister’s foot until she bent her knees and made room for him on the sofa. “And was this entertainment fruitful?”
Brenna chewed on her lip, settling into a seat opposite Cerne. Meara perched on the arm of the chair.
“Not particularly,” Ayala grumbled. “What did you learn at the banquet?”
Tayen rubbed at his forehead, his eyes squeezed shut. “Everyone was concerned about the way Sigmis disrespected Argyro. It cannot be allowed to stand. But the king has few options when the Court of Darkness is so distant.”
“And independent,” Ayala added.
“Sigmis has always been an arrogant bastard,” Cerne said, tipping his head to rest on the back of the chair.
“Yet this was the first major problem he has caused for all courts,” Tayen mused.
“What about the humans?” Brenna asked. Meara nodded, her hands clasped against her thigh.
“I expect Argyro will send an assassin,” Ayala stated and four sets of eyes snapped to her.
She shrugged. “It’s what I would do. It would punish Sigmis and end the human’s motivation for bringing violence.
The treaty between the two kingdoms will dissolve, and Court Tara can bully them into peaceful compliance. ”
Meara scoffed. “You sound like a sadistic dictator.”
“Thank you,” Ayala said with a smirk.
“I’m not sure those are the terms of their treaty,” Tayen added. “It could still lead to war, or more likely, the two human kingdoms go to war with each other.”
“Neither of those outcomes are acceptable,” Meara snapped.
Ayala tilted her head back, highlighting her sharp jaw. “What would you prefer they do?”
“I’m wondering why he took her to begin with,” Brenna muttered. She clasped her hands together, rubbing the pad of her thumb over the tips of her fingers bitten by Emrys. There was no mark, but they tingled.
Tayen’s voice was tired. “It could be as simple as wanting to possess something beautiful that belongs to others.”
“Have we considered that Kyrell was honest and Elysia wanted to be taken?” Meara asked. Her silken hair darkened the shadows on her face as she leaned forward, chin resting on the heel of her hand.
“This is futile.” Ayala rose, stretching her arms above her head and causing the hem of her shift to rise up her thighs. “We should all sleep if we are going to leave before noon tomorrow.”
Brenna raised a hand to cover her mouth, her nose scrunching as a yawn forced her mouth open. “I’m tired too,” she said.
With a tilt of his head, Tayen caught her attention. “Would you stay and speak with me for a moment?”
Dread curled in her gut. He had never addressed her in such a serious manner. “Of course.”
Pausing, Meara looked between them, reluctant to leave her. Brenna waved her away, and she pressed her lips into a thin line before leaving Brenna alone with Tayen.
The lines in his face aged him. He rubbed at his jaw, his eyes pleading with her. “You danced with Emrys.”
Warmth fizzed through her veins. She swallowed. “Yes, it was just a dance.”
“Drawing his attention is unwise. Hopefully he will forget you,” Tayen said, causing Brenna to clench her jaw. “If he had gotten you alone and tasted your blood…” He trailed off.
She should tell him what happened, but she couldn’t. He would think the worst, and she was quickly deciding that Emrys was not a danger to her.
“He was a gentleman and I felt safe in the ballroom with you and Cerne nearby,” she protested weakly, her voice more apologetic than argumentative.
Tayen sighed. “You are too sweet and trusting, my dear. Let’s hope he doesn’t decide to attend Samhain.”
“Hopefully,” she echoed, lacking any conviction. Tayen seemed too tired to notice. He stood, straightening his clothing. Brenna nodded, pushing off the chair to stand. When he took the door to the left to his room, she turned right and slipped into the bedroom she shared with Meara.
Her sister stood by the dressing table with a hairbrush in hand. “What was that?”
“He was concerned about that faerie I danced with. I guess he is powerful and somewhat unsavory.”
Meara clicked her tongue. “Alright, no more dancing with villains. Next time I will have to approve all of your dance partners, and none of them will be good enough.” Brenna’s heart lightened with her teasing.
She hummed in pleasure as her sister undid her braids and brushed out her curls before twisting them into a loose bun for sleeping.
“Thank you,” Brenna murmured. Her movements grew clumsy as sleep threatened to overtake her. They helped each other with their dresses and then curled up under the covers together. She hardly remembered her head touching the pillow before she was lost to a heavy sleep.