Page 43 of Obsidian Throne
“So, you’ve been more or less leading Bear since…”
“It got unmanageable around the time I turned seventeen.” His eyes churned. “The things he would order...and the soldiers had no choice. So I started to find ways to intercept him, and eventually, to replace him. He allows it, because even on his worst days, he seems to recall his pride.”
For six years, since before he was even really an adult, Evander had been playing these games. Successfully, at that.
I leaned up on my toes to kiss him. “You really are incredible.”
His eyes widened before his mask took over once more. “Just remember that at dinner tonight.”
On that ominous note, he ushered us out the door.
* * *
Evander’s warning was not in vain.
We sat at a table with only Ava and Aleksander, at the forefront of the vast dining hall. Mila shot me a sympathetic look from her spot next to Taras at a table that looked at least marginally more fun than ours.
Then again, wrestling a rabid mountain lion would have been more fun than sitting at our table.
Tonight was not one of the duke’s lucid nights.
“My dear,” he greeted as I approached the table.
He gestured to the chair next to him, then blinked in confusion when it was already occupied by Ava, who looked at me with nothing but hatred in her soulless eyes.
Aleksander shook his head, looking at Evander. “Konstantin. Have you met my new bride?”
Once again, he gestured toward me. Evander blinked once, then twice, looking between Ava and me.
“I have not,” he said at last, inclining his head to me.
I understood why he didn’t argue. The healers had told us with Grandmother Bridget that it was better, usually, to let their mind rest wherever it took them.
Taking Evander’s lead, I nodded back.
The duke sat down, ignoring me after that. For the first time, I was grateful for the Socairan outlook on women, as it allowed me to eat in silence. Though, it didn’t stop me from hearing Aleksander’s stream of increasingly vicious war plans.
Konstantin must have been the brother he had lost in the tunnels...the one my father had killed, if he was mistaking Evander for him.
“So you’ll lead the forces through the tunnel with the second wave, after I’ve taken care of the H’Rians. Mairi has told me the best way in through the gates.” He nodded at me, and my gaze went sharply to Ava.
She had a small, victorious smirk playing on her lips, like the memory amused her.
Evander pressed his leg against mine, and I carefully speared a piece of my beet salad with my knife, as Mila had shown me, forcing myself to ignore the conversation.
Then, thank the stars, the duke fell silent. His eyes went distant, and we made it all the way to the soup without further unpleasantries.
It was creamy, full of potatoes and mushrooms. I was actually doing a phenomenal job of losing myself in the first not-disgusting soup I had eaten in Socair, when Aleksander spoke again.
“I see you’ve brought the Lochlannian whore at last,” he said, eyeing me critically.
Your wife has been here all along,I very deliberately did not let myself say.
“I brought my new wife to dinner, as you requested.” Evander’s entire body was ostensibly at ease, his usual arrogant smirk gracing his lips.
But his jaw gave a telltale twitch, a single sign of his fury.
Aleksander sighed, like Evander was being a difficult child. “I was concerned when you practically begged me to keep her as your pet that you might develop an attachment to her.”