Page 253 of Ashen Torment

Nathaniel does not move, his fingers remain around the cup, only the line of his shoulders stiffening.

“That does not concern you.”

Elijah’s eyes go wide.

I myself am surprised by the tone of animosity in Nathaniel’s voice. He is never rude to anyone unless something provokes him, and even then, he tries to restrain himself.

What could have unsettled him?

Immediately after, Elijah recomposes himself, smoothing his expression into something more suited to a drawing room than a surprise. Without asking further, he seizes a chair, dragging it with a slight screech across the marble, and settles at our table as comfortably as if he had always been expected. With a languid wave of his hand, he summons Lavinia and Julian.

A waiter intervenes quickly, moving a small table near ours, Lavinia and Julian take their places alongside. He crosses his hands on the marble top, satisfied.

“What a pleasure to see you again.”

I give a brief nod, then turn to Lavinia. “What were you noting down with such focus?”

She opens the notebook without hesitation, the pages are thick with rapid marks, small musical phrases traced out. “Ce qui me vient à l’esprit.”

Elijah’s arms cross slowly over his chest. “Recording what the mind is ready to betray.”

Lavinia closes the notebook.

“If I had known you were coming, Evander, we would have invited René as well.”

Elijah curls his lip slightly. “I doubt he would have accepted.”

Julian laughs softly, a brief, self-satisfied sound. “And why is that?”

“It seems solitude is dearer to him than company.”

Julian turns toward me.

“The Viscount enjoys it as well,” he says, pointing to me, “and yet, here he is.”

“Solitude is far better than certain company.”

Today, I don’t have the patience required not to react to provocation.

“René considers himself above us,” Elijah replies.

“He has never stated as much,” I counter.

“It needs not be said.”

Then he gives a distracted nod to the waiter, who approaches.

Lavinia shoots him a reproachful look.

“You are unjust, Elijah.”

He dismisses the remark with a vague gesture and immediately after fixes his eyes on Nathaniel, who until that moment has not opened his mouth.

Julian breaks the silence. “Tell me, Viscount, have you read the article concerning our friend?” He indicates Elijah with an oblique smile.

Lavinia bursts out laughing. “Julian, you were pitiless. How could you distribute that rag to everyone?”

He shrugs and looks at Elijah. “He was not troubled by it. He does not care at all for the opinions of others.”