Page 23 of Elysian

Not one twitch of an expression came with Cassiel’s words in my head. He had been providing me with simple quips as the conversation flowed around us.

Since Vaner had me standing beside him, I had nothing better to do than study the various foods strewn across the table. A thick turkey, a hog with an apple in its mouth, another mound of meat at the end. All of the food had been carved into. Sides consisted of various greens, potatoes cooked differently, and other dishes.

‘Lord Horveau was wed to the brunette beside him, but wanted the woman on his other side. So he keeps a mistress.’

And sometimes Cassiel dropped vital information I did not know about, just like that one.

Lord Horveau sat in the furthest corner, leaning over to speak to another council member. Many surrounding him seemed to be leaning close, riveted by the conversation. A quick sweep told me there were eleven council members present. All complicit in evil.

Lord Horveau’s son, Duke Rowek, had always spouted vitriol about redbloods. Now it was clear. He likely knew about all of this. Lord Dillon leaned forward, hand falling on my waist. Before I could stop myself, I leveled a glare at him, angling my hips away so he could no longer reach me. He burst into laughter.

“She is quite feisty,” he slurred, the sour smell of alcohol on his breath.

“I expect nothing less knowing who her father was,” Vaner added, leaning forward, elbows slamming on the edge of the table with a bang that rattled the plate before him. He knew my father?

My stomach dropped to the ground.

Many annums had passed since I had been with my parents. I had seen no more than nine annums when we were parted. My recollections from my time with them were nothing but flashes. Mother telling me to leave Piper at home. Moving to the countryside. Father explaining that Piper must be hidden and I must obey. Chasing my younger brother through the stable. Past that, all I could recall was the sound of screaming and the crunching of bones as Hollows devoured them.

“She is why Baron Ixchelca refused my offer to continue serving the Kingdom. She is why they disappeared to the countryside. I did not know it at the time.” Vaner tossed the drink back.

My father was one of the Elites? A Baron?

The title sat in the pit of my stomach like a stone.

With each realm there was one Marquess, Duke, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. All meant to serve with the officers assigned to their region and report back to the Kingdom. All meant to maintain order in the name of the Kingdom.

“Refill,” Vaner slurred, jabbing the glass toward me. I could not let myself falter now.

“Yes, my lord,” I mumbled and poured more alcohol into his glass.

“Then bring me more, stupid girl,” Lord Cedric shouted at Vera who held an empty pitcher.

Her lips moved around the words, ‘Yes, my lord.’ With the noisiness, I could not hear her through the merriment.

“I have you, Lord Cedric Tagon,” Vaner announced. “Go serve him,” he said to me loudly.

I did not hesitate, shuffling around the back of his seat. My attention snagged on Drusilla who was combing her fingers through the back of Cassiel’s hair. She behaved as if he were a child of a few annums.

‘I should have known Drusilla was my mother. She was always much too interested in my whereabouts. I had believed she was in love with me.’

There was a sardonic tone to his words.

It was rather odd. The man I heard in my head seemed softer than the Cassiel I was used to.

Lord Tagon kept watching me.

“Like what you see, Lord Tagon?” Lord Dillon jeered. “You courted Lady Ixchelca. Does the redblood look like her?”

Lord Tagon cleared his throat, shifting on his seat with visible discomfort. He continued studying me as I crossed to Lord Cedric’s side. Ida, who sat upon Lord Cedric’s lap, waved the glass up, her eyebrow twitching. I placed the lip of the pitcher near the glass and skillfully poured until it was a little more than halfway.

Lord Cedric leered at me from where he watched. “Refill my new bride’s glass,” he ordered.

“Here you go, my love,” Ida purred, holding the glass to his lips. He took a drink and Ida caught his mouth with a moan. I moved around him to his other side where Miriam sat, stoic. She caught my gaze, hers wide and searching.

Her new husband had another woman on his lap, while she watched with her face leeched of color but lacking surprise. Did she know of her father’s demise at the hands of Vaner’s orders?

Miriam held her glass closer to her lap, forcing me to bend lower to pour wine into it.