Page 91 of Knightfall
I decided to push again. Without sugar-coating. “Why did you come without your brothers? If you all seek Avia’s hand, why not all come at once?”
Abbas looked down at me. With the afternoon sun behind him, I couldn’t read his expression. “The country of Evaness is well connected. You have access to trade with Lored. You have a working treaty with Sedara that gives you access to the elven weapons created on the Isles of Peth. You even get along with your neighbor, Rasle, to the west. How is that?”
He hadn’t answered my question. I noted that fact but didn’t press. I had a feeling that the answer was not a happy one.
“My father, Knight Lewart, embraced negotiation. Lots of it. Eventually, Queen Gela agreed.”
“Negotiation. I’ve heard of this concept. I believe my father calls it losing.”
His sarcasm wrung an unwilling laugh out of me.
He looked pleased with himself, allowing his free hand to come and stroke my hand, where it was tucked into the crook of his arm.
Declan cleared his throat behind us, but Abbas didn’t seem to notice. Or else, didn’t seem to care. I was too interested in what Abbas might say to yank my hand away. A tiny concession to this prince, a tiny hand stroke to let him think he had me enthralled, was worth it to get him to open up regarding his intentions.
“What do you see as valuable enough to consider an alliance with me, Bloss?”
I noted Abbas’ informal use of my given name and it took everything within me not to stiffen. “Your brother’s magic. Your wishes. Your people have a wide range of gifts. The djinn are quite lucky.”
“Ah, yes. But, with magic comes arrogance. What happens to those who are not as gifted? Or not gifted at all?”
“We all do the best we can with what we are given.” I patted his hand and gave him a pitying look.
“I don’t speak of myself.”
“Don’t you?”
“Imagine being born with a certain gift and then one day you found, it was gone? What if gifts could be wished away?” Abbas’ tone was smooth, smiling, rich as chocolate. But his words were sharp enough to cut me to the bone.
I stopped and turned to face him. I studied his eyes, his perfectly pleasant expression. He gave me nothing, no clue as to his true intentions.
Shite. I wish Connor was here. Or Quinn had put a bead in Abbas’ hair, I thought.
Did the Prince of Cheryn just threaten me? Or offer to solve the problem of my power?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Once I escaped the uncomfortable tension of Abbas’ company, I went to check on Avia. I made Declan call Quinn and pull the next room over trick for the distance spell. I wanted to tend to my sister.
Avia turned toward me from where she lay nestled under the covers. She looked rather green. And her hair clung to her face.
“Oh no,” I shooed away her handmaid and grabbed the wet rag the woman had been using. I placed it on Avia’s forehead, dragging my fingers along her warm cheek.
“Squack, what happened?”
“Something I ate, I think.”
“Think you’ll be better for the ball tomorrow night?”
“I’d better be,” her lips drew into a thin, determined line. “It’s nearly my seventeenth birthday and I was going to pretend it was my celebration.”
I chuckled. “Goose, itisyour celebration.”
She shook her head. “No. It’s for Abbas. All this fanfare is because he’s part djinn.”
“Or because he’s seeking to marry you?”
Avia rolled her eyes. “If one of the non-magical princes of Rasle came here, would we show them this much care?”
