Page 191 of A Queen's Game
Marietta excused herself, dodging Keyain’s hand as he went to stop her from moving. The nerve he had to grab at her. Slipping through the crowd, she made her way towards the grimacing Coryn.
“When I heard a noble lady was dancing at The Snapdragon, I thought there was no way it was Marietta,” he said, his expression softening to an easy grin. “Yet, here we are.”
“If anything, I can make my presence known.”
He laughed. “An understatement. I’ve known you but a brief time, yet whenever you step foot outside that palace, people know where you are.”
“Like the Exisotis,” she muttered, taking the spot next to him on the wall, looking out at the crowd.
Coryn raised a brow, looking down at her with his rich brown eyes. “I heard you found Grysella at The Flour Shop this evening.”
“You just know all the gossip, don’t you?”
One side of his mouth ticked up into a deeper smile, revealing a dimple. “Deania does, actually.” He nodded his head to the dance floor where the tiny cleric, clad in her blue tunic, danced with Amryth, the two red-faced and laughing. The sight brought a smile to Marietta’s face.
“Grysella had a lot to say. I have more friends in Satiros than I thought.”
“Come by the temple this week and we’ll talk about that.” He glanced at her, rubbing a hand over his stubbled chin. “We also heard the noble lady had quite the beautiful singing voice, bringing the soldiers to their knees with tears in their eyes.”
Marietta snorted, looking at the crowd in amusement. “That’s partially true, except I brought them to tears with myterrible singing. Can’t be both a goddess’s paladin and a skilled singer. I can only be so many things.”
Coryn shook his head, laughing. “I don’t know about that. You’re also quite the noble lady.”
“Yeah, right. I’m a business owner and a baker, not fit for positions of power,” she said, dragging her gaze back to Coryn. “Though my husband would never let me have any power.”
“He’s a fool if he doesn’t. Look around—you know how to rally people, how to win their hearts. The stories coming out of The Snapdragon were entertaining. ‘Lady Marietta makes Minister Keyain palatable,’was my favorite.” The light caught his gleaming eyes and his handsome face.
The music slowed, the sound melodic as the dancers took a reprieve from the fast-paced songs preceding. “That wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to dance,” she said, looking off to the dance floor wistfully.
Coryn held out his hand. “Then dance with me.”
“How do you think my husband would react to me dancing to a romantic tune with another man?” she asked, placing her hands over her heart.
Coryn shrugged, pushing off the wall. “Let’s find out.”
Marietta’s grin sharpened, placing her hand in his. “Good idea.”
They made their way to the dance floor, guards dancing with people not in uniforms. On the edge of the crowd stood Amryth and Deania, the cleric talking fast, using a lot of hand motions, and Amryth bent over with laughter.
“I don’t think I’ve seen Amryth smile this much.” Marietta nodded in their direction.
“She smiles like that anytime Deania’s around,” Coryn said, placing his hands on her hips, Marietta wrapping her arms around his neck. “They’d make a cute couple.”
She hadn’t considered such a pairing. Amryth’s wife died the same night as Tilan, but was she ready to move on? When did enough time pass? Marietta may have lost herself with Keyain, but at some point, her heart would heal enough to enjoy another’s company, or so she hoped.
Coryn moved her across the floor, Marietta smiling at his dancing skill. His footwork was smooth, graceful. She held his gaze, his skin shining with golden light, his brown eyes near glowing. An Iros, like her. They’d be working together in the future, whatever that may be. On instinct, Marietta reached to Therypon’s warmth in her chest, heat blossoming within her.
Coryn furrowed his brows. “Did you do that?”
“Do what?” she asked as a hand fell on her shoulder. Confusion washed from Coryn’s face, replaced with a smirk. Marietta already knew who it was.
“Mind if I cut in?” Keyain ground out.
“Not at all, thank you for letting me borrow your wife,” Coryn paused, “for this dance, of course.” He winked at Marietta as he walked off.
The insinuation would only add to Keyain’s anger, but what was one more thing? A fight from the evening’s antics loomed over her already.
Keyain placed both his hands on her hips, gripping her as his gaze followed Coryn.
