Eat. Casteel’s voice drifted through thenotam, his stare fixed on Malik. “Andyoudo realize that I’m the King, right?”
Tawny’s eyes darted back to Malik as she drank her wine.
“Last I checked, being King doesn’t mean you can give orders without any explanation.”
Tawny’s gaze shot back to Casteel. It was almost as if she were watching some sort of match—one she was engrossed in.
“Actually,” Casteel drawled, leaning back in his chair, “I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what a King can do.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kieran pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Sure. If said King has no aspirations of being a good one.”
Naill’s lips pursed.
“I don’t think he has any interest in being a good King,” Reaver said around a mouthful of food. “Unless it involves his Queen.”
Kieran’s eyes closed.
“While your comment was completely unnecessary,” Casteel said to Reaver, “I never had any interest in being a King, let alone a good one.”
Malik’s mouth opened.
“Really?” Tawny said.
“Really.” He also tapped his glass with a finger. “Unless it has to do with my Queen.”
I resisted the urge to argue. Cas wasn’t giving himself enough credit. Hedidcare.
“Huh,” murmured Tawny.
“Why do you have such a problem with me going?” Malik pressed. “Our father is missing, Cas.”
The cucumber and onion soured in my stomach.
“I know.” Casteel took a drink. “But I don’t believe for a second that is what fueled this offer.”
“What do you think did?” Malik challenged. “Me planning to try to join up with Kolis?”
Reaver stopped with a forkful of mashed potatoes halfway to his mouth. “Is that what you plan to do?”
Malik’s golden eyes shot to the draken, narrowing slightly as his lips thinned.
“It’s a valid question,” Reaver stated flatly and then shoved the potatoes into his mouth. “Since you brought it up.”
I worried Tawny might pull an eye muscle, glancing between the three of them as she finished her second glass of wine. Or was it her third?
“I don’t think that’s why you want to go,” Casteel replied, thank the gods.
Emil lifted the wine bottle and tipped it in Tawny’s direction. She nodded eagerly.
“Care to elaborate?” Malik asked.
“Not particularly,” Casteel responded.
Malik’s finger stopped tapping, and the mask of insolence he wore began to crack.
I figured it was time for me to speak. “I’ll go.”
