"She's very pleasing to the eye," my father commented.
"Yes, she is. I danced with her at the ball."
"Is she a contender?"
I glanced at him, finding him staring at the women. "She is."
"Hmm," he hummed, his expression unchanged.
"What's that mean?"
He waved his hand. "Nothing. I'm just watching. That's what a good king does, Torin. He knows everything that goes on not only with his family but with everyone who has the slightest connection to him. Information is gold in our position. More valuable than the sharpest forged steel blades or the number of men in your army to wield them. It's what you know, not what you have. Any man can obtain material possessions. Land, castles, armies... But it's the man who holds the secrets that is the most powerful. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Ciar's boisterous laugh filled the room, and I watched him twirl one of the women, her own laughter joining with his.
"Who is Ciar spinning around? Do you know her name?"
I searched my brain for the answer but came up short. Her short black hair was pushed back with a crystal band, and then it poofed out around her head, tight curls everywhere. Aside from a few cuts on her arms, her black skin was flawless. The smile on her face was perfect. She looked like she was enjoying herself.
"Tiona," my father answered his own question. "Her name is Tiona."
"That's right. I couldn't remember."
"You need to make every effort to remember, Torin. Names are important, and when greeting people, knowing their names gives you power. It gives the other person the idea that you have a connection with them. That you care enough to learn the simplest of things about them. Their name."
I nodded. "I'll do better."
Evander was now talking to Isla. She seemed to be explaining something to him, animatedly using her hands to emphasize whatever point she was trying to make. Riv stood beside Isla, looking at her friend more than my brother.
"She'd be a nice addition to the Volos family, don't you think?"
I knew he was talking about Isla. "She's soft-spoken and polite."
"Is that a problem?" He lifted a brow.
"No, it kind of makes her a perfect addition."
Father smiled. "My thoughts exactly. For your brother. Not for you."
"Agreed."
My skin prickled, and I felt the weight of someone's stare on me. I hunted the line for the person and slowly smiled when I met Belinda's eyes. She was beautiful, possibly the most beautiful woman of the group, and I knew she had a good heart based on our conversation at the ball.
"Belinda is one I'm considering," I admitted. "We had the chance to speak at the ball, and she certainly has the strength required of a queen."
"You mean because she has provided for her family since her father's death?"
I snapped my head to my father. "How did you know that?"
He smiled coyly. "I know everything, son. That's what I'm trying to teach you." He met my eye and nodded. "I do think she would be a good fit."
I couldn't resist anymore. My focus shifted to Dair. He stood in front of Evie, and she was looking up at him, listening attentively. Suddenly, her chin dipped, and she stared at the ground, her hands fisted at her side. What was he saying to her? My eyes widened as he slipped his finger beneath her chin and tilted her face back up to look at him. When I saw them at the ball together, I saw something between them. A spark. I could see it again in their exchange now, the tension in her hands releasing and her fists uncurling. The lights danced upon the glow of her face as she looked at my best friend, and that damned emotion, the one I’d been feeling all too much lately when it came to Dair, flared up.Envy. I wanted her to look at me like she looked at him.
"Have you spoken to Alasdair regarding the curse?"
I swallowed and ground my molars together. "Yes."
"And what did he say?"
