Page 12 of Wings of Ice and Steel

‘Next time, tell me when they start,’ Melixanthe admonished her.

Ariadnne would have rolled her eyes if she’d been less tired. As it was, she merely nodded. They had a meal to get ready for.

*

Dressed in a deep blue sleeveless leather tunic with a silver belt, Ariadnne followed Melixanthe to join Lord D’avant’s table for their evening meal. Fortunately, that night it was to be a much simpler affair, and platters of meats and vegetables were already on the tables for people to help themselves.

Ariadnne greeted the High Lord with a controlled smile. Next to her, Lucius was already working through a small mountain of food. his hair falling into his eyes and his tanned skin dusty from the yard.

‘You look nice tonight, Ari,’ he grunted.

She raised her brows.

‘What? You do,’ he said. Then he snorted and went back to his plate. Ariadnne took the opportunity to survey the hall, her eyes landing on Nieve.

She was seated with her company, laughing and joking. Ariadnne stared, a warm sensation in her chest destroying her resolve to keep Nieve from her thoughts. As if feeling Ariadnne’s eyes boring into her, Nieve glanced up. The edge of her lip tilted as she subtly raised a hand in greeting. Ariadnne swallowed the thud-ump of her treasonous pulse before dragging her attention back to D’avant’s conversation.

The High Lord was sharing his plans for the hunter’s moon with Melixanthe, who listened politely. Ariadnne tried to emulate her, her foot tapping rapidly beneath the table and earning a sharp glance from her handler. Lord D’avant didn’t seem to have noticed Ariadnne’s disinterest in the topic, distracted as he was by his own vision.

‘Imagine a dance set in the forest of Eldraeth, with woodland nymphs as our servers.’

Melixanthe furrowed her brow. ‘My Lord, I’m having some misgivings as to the wisdom of our attendance. If we were to leave tomorrow instead, we could set up and be ready in plenty of time.’

Lord D’avant’s eyes hardened. ‘There’s no point leaving too soon, General. We’ll just put more strain on the keep’s resources.’

‘I don’t think tomorrow is too soon…’ Melixanthe tried to reply, but Lord D’avant continued.

‘We’ll leave the day after, if you feel we must. Monmouth Keep is an hour’s travel by wing, if that, so we have ample time to make camp and play at being hardened warriors.’

Melixanthe’s stiff shoulders told Ariadnne what she thought about his words.

‘If we are to fight, it may not be wise to let the soldiers indulge in frivolity, sir,’ Melixanthe said carefully.

‘It is the very reason they should indulge! I’m looking forward to that dance, Ariadnne.’

Ariadnne tried not to grimace. ‘As I said before, I’m not much of a dancer...’

‘Nonsense. Anyone who can move like you in the sparring ring can dance.’

Before Ariadnne could say anything, Melixanthe bowed her head. ‘If this is truly what you will, my Lord, we will of course attend.’

The look she shot Ariadnne firmly told her to keep her mouth closed on the topic.

Ariadnne fumed to herself as her company left the great hall. His arrogant dismissal angered her. Who was he to dictate the best course of action for their company?

He was the ruler of the Lithielian province, and High Lord of Eradiata, she reminded herself.

Melixanthe muttered her concerns to Josef, and the knights in front of Ariadnne exchanged glances. Rook drew his dark brows together and glowered as only he could. Finnick looked strained as he ran a hand through his hair. The only knight to crack a smile was Kayla, who genuinely seemed excited at the prospect of a ball. Melixanthe’s lips tightened as she dismissed the company for the evening.

Before they left, everyone was given a firm warning of what behaviour she expected tomorrow, leaving them with the threat that anyone caught overindulging would lose their place in the company.

As the corridor emptied, Melixanthe gazed ahead at where Rook had just disappeared around a corner.

‘I know what you’re going to say,’ she said in a low, even voice. ‘But don’t. I can’t change it. I tried.’

Ariadnne swallowed the angry words that had been bubbling in her throat.

‘You know my thoughts.’ She forced out some of her tension in a release of breath. ‘Let’s just get through the next day.’ She turned to leave, with Melixanthe trailing in her wake.