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I looked away. The cloudy barrier rippled. Then a courtesan popped her head into our booth.
"High Prince Ya?—"
"Say your peace or I'll have you hanged."
Instantly, her smile disappeared.
"I said I was not to be disturbed. One?—"
"A message for you comes from King Izakaya!"
The courtesan thrusted an astroproge into the center of the booth. An image surfaced from the oval device of cloud and smoke displaying the king in his private chambers. The image had perfect detail, as if we were in his chambers with him.
King Rhòdhaire only had eyes for me.
"Yakobba Izayi Rhòdhaire, I swear it! Your head will be on a pike once these rotting El'Tide festivities are done. I told you to be here for the arrival of the princess. You deliberately disobeyed me!"
King Izakaya was fuming. Everyone in the booth was looking everywhere but at me.
"May the first part of your punishment begin. You're to accompany part of her retinue on that accursed ship back to Azizi. This will ensure your arrival and your presence. If you dare to disgrace my crown by being absent during El'Tide, Yakobba, I swear." The king heaved, trying, and failing, to calm himself. I twitched in my seat, terrified he'd jump out of the astroproge and beat me where I sat. "If I have to unleash every Sky Watcher in all of Avari to hunt you down and return you to me, I will. And I promise you, when I am through, you will have wished for a lifetime in the dungeons with only a pot to piss in."
Jabari whistled low, his ears twitching.
"Are you done threatening my soè?" Queen Rekani asked in a husky voice. "Leave him be, Iza. He will be there. He has to be." Her voice held a knowing. "Now end this. You've given enough attention to everyone else. It's my turn."
Then the astroproge winked out.
Nyala's sour face could curdle milk.
"If we bring sea angels, and they find out?—"
"They won't." I drank a goblet of skywine in one go. "After all, it's Mistwind." I winked at her. "Accidents happen all the time."
Engèli chuckled darkly. Jabari smiled, a similar glint in his eyes. Nyala shrugged, waving her fork as if to call us idiots.
"Now." I rubbed my hands. "Ready to begin?"
Chapter 14
Caught in the Middle
RAESHELLE
"Raeshelle, this is so dumb."
Kianga trailed me through the corridors of the Cloud Castle. Scooting along, hot irritation tensed my shoulders. I was completely out of my element here. I had to walk when I wanted to swim. Breathe through my nose instead of my neck. Everywhere I went, sky angels stared. It was all I could do to keep from going mad.
"If it's so dumb, go back to the Seaveillers. I didn't ask you to come."
"You can cop an attitude, but that won't change the fact that this is dumb," Kianga snapped back.
I ignored her, turning a corner and stomping down another long, insufferable hall. These Rhòdhaires were good at showing off. Every detail of this castle screamed wealth. None of it impressed me.
I focused on my feet, praying I wouldn't trip. Again. Every hallway we walked was covered in carpet. I was sick of it. Why couldn't this rubbish castle have marbled floors throughout? I lost my sense of balance on the carpet and my knees buckled. I caught myself just in time before I fell.
"Bloody carpets," I mumbled, brushing the length of my skirts before marching on.
"Raeshelle," Kianga snapped, again. "We will get caught."
