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“Aye, f—fine.” The poor man’s face was red, eyes watering, but he seemed to be well enough. “Meat went down the wr—” he coughed again— “wrong way. My apologies.”
Lucius grinned wider. “Indeed.”
Lysander signaled for yet another drink as Demos complimented Mari on her stables. Corneilus’ choking seemed to have put an end to the previous discussion, which I was glad of.
Talk of horses held the males in thrall, even Fadon, who mentioned the new gray mare Lysander had given me.
“Any idea what you’ll name her?” Fadon asked me.
I set my napkin on my lap. “Not yet, no. I’ll have to wait until she shows me.”
“Not following,” Fadon said, eying me.
Smiling, I thought of how to explain. “She’ll show me what her name is the more time I spend with her.
“Oh?” asked Lady Lordes, curious. “Is there a method in that?”
Nodding, I addressed the table as I saw I’d captured their attention. “Oh, definitely. All animals have personalities, as you have surely witnessed in horses.” Fadon and a few other men nodded. “I prefer to wait and see how the animal responds, get to know it better, until I sense a… an energy, a quality from it. Only then do I ‘hear’ its name.”
My cheeks filled with heat, realizing I probably sounded like a fantastical child talking about rainbows and goblins.
“I like that, my lady,” Lady Lordes said. “And I understand fully what you mean. It is true that all of us give off an energy, like you said.”
“Even nature’s bounty,” Zion, the one with the osnat, said. “The Ongahri used to be more in tune, so to speak, with all life, not just our animal brethren, but as well as bodies of water, the elements, and even the soil.” He smiled at me, his tattooed cheeks rising. “These younger ones have forgotten our ways, haven’t they Caziel and Lady Lordes?”
A few chuckles went around the table.
“I know for a fact,” Fadon said dryly, “our princess has a thing for lambskins.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. He smirked.
“Speaking of animals,” I said, addressing Cornelius on Lucius’ left, “I saw you arrive with a crow on your shoulder, my lord. Is she yours?” A servant took my plate, blocking my view of the man. Lysander leaned back and raised his empty glass. I was growing a little concerned at the amount of spirits he was consuming.
“He is indeed, my lady. Been in my company for many years,” Cornelius answered with a pompous tilt of his chin.
“Oh, my apologies,” I said, smiling. “And what is his name?”
Cornelius was a very attractive man, I noticed now. Hazel eyes, sculpted cheeks and jaw, lush mouth. His chestnut hair was short on the sides and back but longer in the front, where it swept across mid-brow, almost resting in feathery layers against his cheek.
Smiling mischievously, he said, “How about I introduce you to him after dinner, and you can use your talent to hear his true name?”
“I think not,” Lysander said, his words slurring just a bit. He’d barely spoken since talking about our nuptial tour.
I smiled tightly.
“I agree with the prince,” Lucius said, making room for the plate of dessert several servants were passing around the table. “That damn feathered beast caused us to be late for dinner with Her Highness.”
My eyes never left Cornelius. There was something about him that I was wary of. “Maybe tomorrow, my lord,” I said to him.
Cornelius inclined his head. “I believe he’d like that, Princess.”
“I am not a creature person,” the queen said beside me, addressing the table. “I prefer people to the furry and feathered.”
“Except that spoiled mare of yours,” Fadon said, pointing his spoon at her.
She laughed. “I’ll agree with you there, Brother. Demona is more than an animal, however.”
Fadon grunted. “I admit she did well on our trip here.”
