The voice was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time and Lannahi stopped, suddenly filled with apprehension. She turned around and saw a golden-eyed man with a straight nose and curls surrounding his oblong face.
“Turral,” she greeted King Allil’s youngest son, forcing her tone to be calm and her smile polite.
The man smiled charmingly. “I’m glad you remember me, Lannahi. I was worried that the landshapers had consumed all your attention.” His gaze shifted to Lizaar, and his satisfaction took on a tinge of derision. “How is yourlittleslave?”
Lizaar snapped, “I would say little is your brain, but I’m not sure you have any if you think you can insult me with impunity.”
Lannahi felt like screaming. She’d warned Lizaar that someone would try to provoke her. She’d agreed to keep quiet and let Lannahi handle the matter. Why didn’t this woman listen to good advice? After so many hours of being the center of attention, Lannahi perfectly understood her frustration and felt like ending the conversation herself, but, Fate, Turral’s words were the cheapest possible insult.
The man narrowed his eyes, but before he could demand that Lannahi punish Lizaar, Lannahi said to her in a sharp tone, “I didn’t say you could speak,” she said. When the woman sent her a furious look, Lannahi deliberately moved her gaze over her collar in a silent warning before she said with emphasis, “Apologize tomyinterlocutor.”
Lizaar clenched her fists. She could refuse. She could even knock them unconscious…
But that wouldn’t change the fact that she was a slave.
“I apologize,” she said through gritted teeth.
Lannahi looked at Turral, unsure if this display would satisfy him, but fortunately, the man only arched his eyebrow and sent her an amused look.
“I think I can guess the reason for your absence from the previous Sabbath. You must have been very busy.” He moved his gaze over her body. “But here you are.” He looked her in the eye. “You surprised the entire Central Faeries, Lannahi. Surprised and inspired.”
A cold shiver went through her. Turral’s words came as no surprise to her, though she’d hoped she wouldn’t hear them. Inspiring others to conquer had never been her intention.
Lannahi was about to reply when Ashared appeared, walking toward them in the company of Mahhir and Kazurr. The answer she had on the tip of her tongue was lost in the flurry of thoughts swirling in her head like leaves carried away by a gust of wind.
Turral noticed her distraction and turned slightly to look over his shoulder. When he realized who had drawn her attention, he smiled, but in his eyes appeared a contemptuous glint. “Your actions have aroused surprise, Lannahi,” he said, continuing the previous topic. “But your tastes turned out to be no less astonishing. I don’t know if there is anyone who expected that the delicate singer who entered the arena with such pride would be so eager to wallow in the snow with the wolves.”
Lannahi felt the blood in her veins turn to ice. Suddenly, she was flooded with information that she had ignored until now. Turral had followed her. He wouldn’t have been able to come here so quickly from where enchanters from Central Faeries usually met, so he must have been in this part of the building for a long time. He’d been waiting for her. He might even have been watching her. She’d been sitting in the last row so he hadn’t even had to go to the stands. The glass in the Main Hall provided a fairly good view. That was the only explanation for the fact that he knew about her acquaintance with Ashared… unless he’d heard some rumors. Unless he’d deliberately sought them out. Some landshapers knew they were lovers, some only guessed. There would probably be even more rumors after today. There was a chance Turral was only guessing at her relationship with Ashared, but, more importantly, why did he care?
Only one answer came to mind. Turral was looking for a weakness.
It was possible that he truly felt inspired to conquer.
It was also possible that Goldfrost was first on his list.
Lannahi smiled. “I don’t wallow in the snow with wolves…”
A wolf wasn’t the same as a werewolf.
“…but maybe I should start. Sometimes I feel the instinct to bite.”
Amusement flashed in Turral’s eyes, but when he regarded her carefully, the smile faded from his face. “You are an interesting woman, Lannahi,” he said. “I’m looking forward to our next meeting.”
Lannahi nodded politely but didn’t reply.
An expression that was a mixture of annoyance and amusement flashed across the enchanter’s face, but it quickly solidified into a mask of indifference. He inclined his head slightly and walked away, ignoring the men who came upon them.
“Is everything—” Mahhir began but fell silent seeing the women’s expressions.
“Please don’t prolong your farewell to Lizaar,” Lannahi said. “I’ll fetch my coat and call the Guide. We will be ready to leave in ten minutes.”
With these words, she headed toward the rented room with her eyes fixed on Turral, who gradually receded in the blackness of the corridor. She needed to warn her father. He had a viper on his doorstep.
A few minutes later, this thought took on an ironic meaning. Lannahi was fastening her cloak when she heard Lizaar’s raised voice through the wall.
“You were supposed to get information out of her, not—”
“Lizaar!”
