Page 95 of Knightfall
* * *
“—well, it will be the first Evaness ball I’ve—” a man’s voice cut off.
I glanced up. I was still curled up on the dance floor; Quinn was beside me, rubbing my spine. I’d been staring silently at nothing for over an hour.
Avia and Mateo had come into the room, hands linked.
As soon as Avia spotted me, she dropped Mateo’s hand and rushed forward.
“Bloss, what’s wrong?”
I shook my head and laughed. I had to fight to keep the laugh from turning into a cry. My voice croaked as I answered, “Connor just pointed out what an ass I am.”
“Should I punch him for you?” Avia stroked my arm.
“No. I feel like I should let everyone line up and take shots at me.”
“If we all did that, there’d be nothing of you left.”
“I might be alright with that,” I sighed, rubbing my face.
“Quinn, can you and Mateo give us a minute?” Avia asked.
Quinn stood, stretching. He nodded at Mateo and they moved a few feet away.
“So … tell me.”
“He just said what you said last night, essentially. Don’t run.”
“See. I’m right.”
I sighed. “You’re right. I can’t run. But … at this point, I don’t know what I can do to convince any of them to trust me on that front.”
Avia smiled with a glint in her eye. “I might have an idea.” She turned to Mateo. “M, can you please show Quinn that demonstration of the wild orangutan your brother ran into in Lored?”
Mateo instantly turned red. “Um … I, that’s not really something I—”
“It’s for a very good cause,” Avia cut him off and turned to Quinn. “And you, sir. Don’t you dare listen or I’ll put cinnamon into every dish you eat from now on! I know you hate it. That’s right. The chef told me your weakness.”
Quinn put a hand on his chest in an exaggeration of innocence.
Avia just shook a warning finger at him. Then she turned to Mateo. “Alright. Go ahead.”
And that’s when the Macedonian ambassador’s son stooped, swung his hands over his head, and started screeching.
I turned to Avia in fascination. “You have him wrapped around your finger.”
She winked. “I’ll help you do the same.” She leaned in. “Now, here’s the plan.”
My eyes widened as she whispered. And I couldn’t help that my heart thumped faster from nerves. “Are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“It’s the best way to prove you’re serious.”
“But what if they won’t—”
Avia rolled her eyes. “Ask Quinn.”
I turned to look at Quinn, who was completely ignoring Mateo as the other man bounded around the room, hooting and hollering. Quinn’s eyes were firmly fixed on mine and a small smile stretched across his lips.
