Page 4 of Oracle's Reign
The man who had proclaimed he had no worth apart from making art.
Her feet slowed, but it was too late. He spotted her. The women facing him noticed his shift in attention and turned.
“Ah, and our final two visitors are here.” Though there was nothing but excitement in her tone, Pianti’s smile when sheturned it on Yslie held a touch of censure. The oracles were supposed to have arrived in a group.
“I apologize for the delay.” Yslie directed a shallow bow toward Pianti, then a much deeper one at the man who had to be the prince. “A thousand pardons,dyela, if we kept you waiting.”
While she spoke, Sophenie made her way to the cushion next to Odela, leaving Yslie with the one next to Triese. Wonderful. Not only had she already made herself out to be a fool by not recognizing the prince and asking a stupid question, but now she would be directly contrasted with Triese throughout the entire conversation.
“No apologies necessary,” the prince told her, though he frowned as he said it.
Pianti stretched out her hand in a graceful movement that managed to take in both Yslie and Sophenie without cutting across the women who sat closer. “Dyela, allow me to introduce Yslie, who comes from the same village as Triese, and Sophenie from Opiesa. Ladies, His Imperial Highness, Prince Peroen.”
