Page 97 of Harbinger

Bishop glowers back, and I shoot him a look. Sighing, he offers a grim, “You’re welcome.” Then he frowns. “Why are you all standing around? Are the chairs broken?”

Taliesin and Vessica exchange glances as they take their seats on the opposite side of the table.

I move for my chair at the same moment, but Kieren beats me to it. Bishop steps in from the other side, already reaching for the back of it, and the two knock hands.

“It’s fine,” Kieren says quickly, pulling it out himself. “I’ve got her.”

Bishop straightens, jaw flexing, and takes his place at the head of the table without another word. The air is already so thick with tension that I half expect the chandelier to snap from the additional weight and crush us all.

Lenora sweeps in with the main course, beaming like she’s hosting a royal feast instead of a standoff. Roasted rack of lamb and a sauce with a fragrance rich enough to make my stomach tense. Or maybe that’s just the atmosphere.

“I’ll be right back with the rest,” she announces as she places it on the table.

“Do you need help?” I ask her, already wanting an excuse to escape for a minute.

“I’m quite capable of serving dinner,” she scolds me. “Just enjoy your guest.”

She vanishes back into the kitchen, and Kieren reaches for the platter first. He hesitates before serving himself a modest portion.

Bishop waits until he’s finished before reaching for the dish. He selects a piece nearly twice the size and sets it on his plate, his eyes never leaving my best friend, who’s too busy cutting into his meal to notice.

But Taliesin catches on. He snorts, clearly delighted by the game, and helps himself to an even larger cut than either of them.

I curse under my breath.

“Save some for the rest of us,” Vessica mutters.

“Can someone pass me the wine?” I ask quickly, desperate to smooth the moment.

Bishop picks up the red.

“She prefers white,” Kieren says easily and picks up the other.

Bishop pours himself a drink instead, setting the bottle down with a heavy thump. “She drank red last night.”

Silence ripples around the table. Vessica stares at her plate like she regrets accepting Bishop’s dinner invitation, but Taliesin seems on the verge of applauding.

“Either is fine,” I cut in, leaning to grab the bottle from my best friend.

As long as there’s plenty of it.

Lenora arrives with bowls of vegetables and a basket of bread just as I’m sure things are about to come to blows.

I load up my plate, determined to act like this is fine. Like this is normal or that it will be someday—if we all survive this first dinner.

The table goes quiet as we start to eat, but the silence feels strained, like everyone is waiting for someone else to make the first mistake.

Taliesin breaks first, obviously incapable of keeping his mouth shut. He raises a glass in mock salute. “To new friends,” he says, “and the Stars that brought us together.”

Vessica rolls her eyes. Bishop sighs. None of us raise a glass.

Taliesin takes a drink anyway, undeterred from his fuckery. “So, Kieren, what did you do before this? Raise chickens with Arden?”

Kieren chews a bite of meat and swallows slowly. “There’s lots to do on a farm.”

“Kieren grew up with us,” I jump in. “When my brother became patron, Kieren accompanied him as his personal guard.”

Taliesin smiles the way people do when they’ve already decided they like someone—or intend to test them until they don’t. “You ever kill anyone?”