Post by Cam Pyetr on Dec 15, 2023 16:50:20 GMT -5
Cam could hardly contain his happiness at Gunne’s words and actions. Every movement was perfect, every word ideal to stab at the presumptuous courtier. That she had presented herself with the new name made something warm bloom in his chest . . . was it pride in his own work? Perhaps even—dare he think it—affection for this vixen-turned-lamb? He gave her arm the lightest squeeze of approval as the dark-skinned lady fled.
He didn’t have time to consider his triumph further before being approached by a man he recognized from afar but didn't know—Lord Ibrahim Bashar . His face stayed pleasant, but at the man’s introduction his smile froze. A distant relative? Cam’s eyes flickered to the younger man—a bodyguard? Hired muscle? But there was a resemblance between the two, and the younger man’s dress was too fine to belong to a servant. Son? Was this
“Relative?,” Cam said. “It’s wonderful to meet the lady’s blood family.”
Was it, though? Was this the same side of the family that was involved in the rumblings of treason? Surely not, if this man was standing here unafraid in the home of a family that proudly served the crown. Cam had told his mother not to invite any of the Morrigans—she’d agreed easily when he told her they were out of favor with the court due to some recent scandals too unseemly to detail, a rumor he hoped she’d continue to spread as she gossiped with guests—but he hadn’t thought to extend that blocklist beyond the immediate family. He hadn't done his research sufficiently, too distracted by his high-profile guests at the Beldam. Cam’s fingers tightened on Edith.
“She and I have spent quite a bit of time together during her treatment,” he continued, a hint of a challenge in his eyes. “We like to say at the Beldam that it is the family a woman chooses that truly defines her.”
On the other side of the room, Camilla Pyetr was indeed talking about the Morrigans, probing a small group of guests in a subtle way to see if any of them knew more about the family’s scandals. She had been circulating the room, making sure every influential guest knew how wonderful the entertainment her son had brought would be. It would soon be time to call the crowd into the dining hall for supper, but before that she hoped to get some juicy details to sustain her love of intrigue.
He didn’t have time to consider his triumph further before being approached by a man he recognized from afar but didn't know—Lord Ibrahim Bashar . His face stayed pleasant, but at the man’s introduction his smile froze. A distant relative? Cam’s eyes flickered to the younger man—a bodyguard? Hired muscle? But there was a resemblance between the two, and the younger man’s dress was too fine to belong to a servant. Son? Was this
“Relative?,” Cam said. “It’s wonderful to meet the lady’s blood family.”
Was it, though? Was this the same side of the family that was involved in the rumblings of treason? Surely not, if this man was standing here unafraid in the home of a family that proudly served the crown. Cam had told his mother not to invite any of the Morrigans—she’d agreed easily when he told her they were out of favor with the court due to some recent scandals too unseemly to detail, a rumor he hoped she’d continue to spread as she gossiped with guests—but he hadn’t thought to extend that blocklist beyond the immediate family. He hadn't done his research sufficiently, too distracted by his high-profile guests at the Beldam. Cam’s fingers tightened on Edith.
“She and I have spent quite a bit of time together during her treatment,” he continued, a hint of a challenge in his eyes. “We like to say at the Beldam that it is the family a woman chooses that truly defines her.”
On the other side of the room, Camilla Pyetr was indeed talking about the Morrigans, probing a small group of guests in a subtle way to see if any of them knew more about the family’s scandals. She had been circulating the room, making sure every influential guest knew how wonderful the entertainment her son had brought would be. It would soon be time to call the crowd into the dining hall for supper, but before that she hoped to get some juicy details to sustain her love of intrigue.