“Easy,” he says near my ear. “Not everyone will appreciate your love of pottery.”
My legs tremble as I sink against the chair and let out a quick breath.
What is wrong with me? In that moment, I was willing to stab her.
Hector finds my hand and squeezes his fingers around mine, calming my fire.
Tersah moves to sit on the other side of Hero and falls into conversation with him. Every so often, she touches his arm and giggles.
I sigh and stare wordlessly at my wine. That woman knows what she’s doing to encourage jealousy.
Leah enters the room, approaches the main table, and glares at Tersah. “That’s my seat.”
Silk flounces around Tersah’s legs as she stands and pats her hair. “You can have it. I was just leaving.”
Some of the men watch her as she saunters away and sits at a nearby table.
Why did the Seer bring that woman here? She’s nothing but trouble.
An entertainer plays a lute in the corner of the room as we eat. The song talks about two lovers separated by time. Each summer, on one special day, they’re reunited.
Usually, I love the song. Tonight, it strums a chord of sadness against my heart.
I search for Everly and find her sitting nearby, but not with Cenric. He eats near his cousins. She sits at a table with Quinn and Mildred. The hall is packed, but curiously, there is an open seat next to Mildred. Several times I have seen her refuse to allow anyone to sit there.
My gaze lands on Wrenley next. Even sitting beside her husband, she doesn’t smile. She barely touches her food.
If only I could fix all the sadness in this place. My sadness. Everly’s sadness. Quinn’s sadness. Wrenley’s sadness.
* * *
The moon rises high in the night sky before everyone finishes and prepares to leave.
Tersah grabs Hector’s arm and leans close to whisper something in his ear. He smiles and follows me from the dining hall.
Red sears my vision as we walk to our bedchamber. She leaned into him when she spoke. He didn’t try to stop her. He even smiled at her.
Smiled at her.
How dare he!
I scrub my hands against my surcoat and trail him into our room. He shuts the door and moves to the table.
I follow him and block his path. “Who is Tersah to you?”
He raises his brow. “What?”
“You heard me, Hector. Answer my question.”
“No.” He removes his surcoat, folds it, and places it in the armoire, his movements infuriatingly slow.
When he tries to walk around me, I block him again. “Answer my question.”
“Why should I?”
“Because she kept looking at you. Smiling at you. And…” I wag my finger at him, “…she touched you.”
He rolls his eyes. “She touched my arm, Sol. That’s hardly a crime.”
