Page 112 of Onyx Cage: Volume II

Lochlannians, however, seemed to have a pervasive compulsion toward awkward and intrusive moments.

It was almost worth having twelve sets of eyes on us for what should have been a private moment to see Rowan’s genuine infatuation with her ring, though. Neither did I have to fake my reaction to the lethal-looking black sabers she gifted me in return.

Even if she did inscribe Lord Aalio on both of them.

Kirill, at least, would be amused. And Taras would be horrified, which would, in turn, amuse Kirill further.

So it wasn’t without benefits.

I pushed thoughts of my men out of my mind as Rowan and I made our way down the hall, a bottle of vodka in tow. Though my time in Lochlann had offered a rare reprieve from my obligations to my clan, I hadn’t been foolish enough to think it would come without a steep price, even before my cousin’s most recent missive. Thinking of my estate only made me moreanxious to return to Socair, complete my marriage with Rowan, and get a start on sorting out the reactions of…well, my entire kingdom.

But those thoughts were not for tonight. It was the night before our wedding, and my lemmikki was clearly excited about wherever we were headed.

She stopped us after a short trek to the family wing, pushing open the door without knocking—which was apparently just the Lochlannian way.

The sitting room was smaller than Rowan’s, or perhaps it only felt that way because it was already occupied by her sister and all three cousins. They were seated at a round table carved from dark wood and lined with deep blue velvet.

A vast liquor cabinet lined the entirety of one wall, so I would have suspected the room belonged to Davin even before he was the one who spread his arms in welcome.

Avani’s eyes darted toward the vodka in excitement.

“Is that?” She gasped.

“It is,” Rowan answered before she finished her question.

“Good man.” Avani smiled at me in approval.

They had obviously been expecting us, judging by the two empty seats Davin gestured toward and the general lack of surprise at our entrance.

I poured hefty servings of vodka for everyone besides Gwyn, who nodded her thanks, picking up her mug of tea. While Gallagher dealt the cards, I turned my attention to the remaining three occupants, taking a sip of my drink while I considered them.

I had suspicions about the other two, but I wondered if Davin was as adept at hiding his fae skillset as he was his predilection toward spying. He picked up his cards, explaining the rules of the game and interrupting my line of thought.

It was simple enough, almost identical to the Socairan game ofSerdtsas, though he referred to it asCailleach.

“It meansOld Hag,” Avani explained.

Of course, it did. Did they have a card game aside from War that wasn’t named offensively?

Once play began and we settled into a routine, I decided to ask Davin outright. After all, I only had a few days left to live my life the Lochlannian way.

“So,” I turned to face him, “if Rowan has weather, and Gallagher has healing, what’s your affinity?”

He let out an arrogant scoff, placing a dramatic hand on his heart. “The ladies.”

“Honestly, Dav.” Gwyn’s fist connected with his arm.

“Ow,” he muttered, rubbing the spot. In a more serious tone, he added, “It comes through Aunt Charlie and Uncle Finn, so I don’t have the woo woo powers.”

He gestured toward his ears, and I furrowed my brow, wondering what that had to do with anything.

I looked across the table. Gwyn’s hair was braided back tightly, as it always was, and Gallagher’s was cropped short enough that I could see their identical ears. Both came to subtle points at the tip.

Avani’s half-updo did a better job of concealing hers, but her waves were far more subdued than Rowan’s spiral curls. I could just barely make out the point of a pale ear.

I turned to Rowan, whose mass of hair was spilling over her shoulders and obscuring her own ears, just as it always did. Had I ever seen them? Even when her hair was half up, she had so much left that it easily concealed her ears.

Except for when I brushed it aside for the purposes of dragging my teeth along them, but I wasn’t really focused on their shape by then.