Page 121 of The Concubine King
Poyut cleared her throat.“I did not think it appropriate for the King’s Guard to partake in the same meal as him.”
“Did you hear that, Ithen?”Verusias turned to the man casually eating a bite of roast meat.“She thinks you’re inappropriate.”
“No—I—!I did not say that,” Poyut said hurriedly.
“Barbaric, she called you.”
Poyut looked horrified.Ithen looked disinterestedly at Verusias, not stopping his chewing.
“He’s quite upset,” Verusias told Poyut.“I think you ought to eat something to fix this offense.”
She looked at Ethyr, bewildered.He pouted at her.“Please, Poyut?You must be starving.Eat whatever you want, you know I don’t care.”
She sighed, pressing her lips together.Then she pulled a few things to her plate and started eating.Verusias grinned.
“Please don’t antagonize my guard,” Ethyr said.
“Why not?You should try it sometime, there’s nothing more fun.”He leaned into Ithen, batting his eyes up at him.Ithen continued eating.
Ethyr gestured to the garden.“Do you like plants?”
“Hm?”Verusias straightened, glancing that way.“Oh, no, that was here when I arrived, along with the people who take care of it.”
“When you arrived?”Ethyr questioned.“Is this not your estate?”
“It is now.”Verusias speared a vegetable and twirled his fork lazily.“This was King Pollus’s estate, but he died a few years ago, so I took it.This place basically runs itself, makes its own wine and mead to sell, so my money can go to important things.Like good food and collecting books.”
“You have books?”Ethyr asked.“Here?”
“Of course.What kind of home would it be if it didn’t have books?”
“Do you have any books about the gods?”
“Oh, sure.”
“Can you show me?”
Verusias beamed.
“Now, my collection isn’t as good as the palace or temple, so don’t get excited,” Verusias said as the four walked down the hall.
“I’ll try,” Ethyr said.
Poyut and Ithen both stayed by the door, backs straight, occasionally eying the other.
The room was not at all like the palace library.Like the sun room, it had light washing down from open sky, except in place of air there was glass.The walls were covered in either tapestries, paper drawings, or bookshelves.Most of the shelves, however, were empty; only two bookcases were full.Verusias sauntered up to one and brushed his fingers gently across the bindings.
“Any in particular?”
“Is there… anything about the Gods’ War?”
“Hm.”Verusias crouched and walked his fingers a few books down the row before pulling one out.“This one mentions it briefly.I don’t have many history books, though.”
“It doesn’t have to be historical, necessarily…”
“Oh!Well then.”He stood and moved to the other bookcase, tugging out a book and handing it to him.“This is Greyith of Mahyria’s full translation of Hanyl of Anderth’s transcription of the classical saga.”
Ethyr blinked at him.
