Page 87 of The Flame and the Forsaken

“Rude? How?”

“Hehasn’t stopped staringat me since we arrived here yesterday.”

Destin sputtered a laugh. “You really are oblivious.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean he’s coming over here to take my place.” Destin peeled back with a cheeky grin. “I should refresh my juice anyway.”

“Destin, don’t you dare—” Mariel plastered a polite smile when the tall man stepped in front of her. “Oh, ah, hello.”

“I half expected to wait all night for a chance to dance with you,” he said, brazenly taking her hand in his without asking.

Mariel was too taken aback to do anything but let it happen. She was still trying to figure out how she’d ended up dancing. “Evander, right?”

“I never much liked my name until I heard you say it.” Evander grinned and spun them. When he snapped her close, she floundered her footing. “Say it again?”

“What? Your name? Why?”

Evander leaned in, and his lips brushed her ear. “Because nothing has ever sounded so lovely.”

“He has some feckin’audacity,” Erran muttered, slamming his mug onto a passing tray. Evander. Erran remembered why he’d never liked the scoundrel, even though he’d only known him by reputation. “And no decency. What kind of man holds another man’s wife so close? In front of all to see?”

“Few men would make such a bold choice, and certainly no gentleman,” Hestia agreed.

“Ishould be dancing with her.”

“You should.”

“But she’s upset, and I’d only embarrass her.”

“Equally embarrassing for others to see her husband hasn’t even approached her, wouldn’t you say?” Hestia leaned close. “But if you storm over like a jealous lover, you will only make it worse.”

Mariel could pina note to a tree with an arrow from a hundred yards, but she had no inkling of how to get rid of Evander. She caught Erran glaring, which was infuriating when he hadn’t even asked her to dance. He didn’t want her, but no one else could either? Was that it?

“Quiet for my sister!” Khallum boomed.

Mariel used the interruption to make a smooth escape from Evander.

The music died down. Everyone dancing dispersed. “I’m certain ye all remember Yesenia, and if you donnae, I ken ye at least remember her daggers. I know the Garricks certainly do.”

Everyone laughed, a few whistling.

“Maybeyoushould give the speech,” Yesenia said with a hard side-eye.

Khallum bowed and backed away, leaving her alone at the front of the room.

“All right, that didnae work,” she said.

More laughter.

“So I ken I’m giving a speech.”

“Speech!” someone cried and others joined in, including Destin.

Mariel gawped at him.

“It’s tradition to feast when a Warwick lassie joins the family. I ken the last time ye all ate this good was when I was born, and my father was much more frugal than my brother.” She paused for the chuckles, then turned behind her and grabbed something from someone. A candle. “I accept the noble charge bestowed upon me by my brother and Gwyn.” She smiled down at the infant in the festooned cradle. “Esmerelda, as your mother-in-honor, I am sworn to love and protect you as your mother would, and will, if one day she cannot. Aye, where’s Erran then?”

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