Page 108 of Pretense

“No, but that is what we plan to prevent.” Weylind gestured at the train behind them, as if everything had already been decided. Perhaps it had.

Essie shared a look with Farrendel and said loud enough for Weylind to hear, “Your brother is being cryptic again.”

Weylind huffed. “I will explain on the train. There is no need to stand around here talking.”

Farrendel raised his eyebrows at Essie. “He does have a point.”

“You’re just hoping you will no longer be the center of attention once we get back on the train. I see how it is.”

“Can I come?” Ryfon’s eager tone drew Essie’s focus back to the others. Ryfon was facing Weylind, coming as close as an elf prince ever did to bouncing up and down in excitement. “Please? I never get to see Uncle Farrendel actually do amazing stuff with his magic. I just hear about it afterwards. It is not the same.”

Weylind scowled, opening his mouth as if to refuse by habit.

Before he could, Brina joined Ryfon, her eyes big and brown and full-on puppy-dog pleading. She even had her hands clasped. “Please. You keep promising that I will be able to visit Escarland. All the assassins have been caught. It is safe now. Please.”

Rheva rested a hand first on Ryfon’s shoulder, then on Brina’s, before she met Weylind’s gaze with that soft but unbudging look of hers. “The anniversary of the treaty is next week. After everything that has happened, it would be good for us to show support for the treaty and for Elspetha and Farrendel by joining in the festivities on that side of the border.”

Weylind blew out a breath that was so frustrated it even had a hint of a growl to it. “Fine, fine. A joint goodwill appearance with King Averett, King Rharreth, and myself would not be amiss, I suppose.”

Rheva gave a small, satisfied smile. Essie had to hand it to her. Her sister-in-law did not gainsay Weylind often, but when she did, she made it count.

Jalissa stepped forward, opening her mouth to speak.

Before she could get out a single word, Weylind turned on her. “No. Absolutely not. We will already have the entire royal family of Tarenhiel and Kostaria on a single train. We need at least one heir to stay behind in case there is still one angry Escarlish, Tarenhieli, Mongavarian, or Kostarian citizen who decides to go on a rampage and blow up the train. Which is not out of the realm of possibility, given the events of the past year. Granted, Farrendel can likely shield the train from such an explosion in that event, but you still need to remain here. No scurrying off this time, understood?”

Jalissa made something of a strangled noise in the back of her throat, starting to speak.

Weylind kept barreling right over her, as if he had weeks of pent-up scolding just waiting to be unleashed. “Besides, you just want to go along to stare across into Mongavaria with a lovestruck melancholy that I do not want to witness. He will not even be there or meet us at the border, so you might as well do your lovestruck staring while safe here in Estyra.”

Wait, was that he referring to her brother Edmund? Essie glanced between Jalissa and Weylind. Was Edmund in Mongavaria? What was he doing there? Just what had gone down here in Estyra? All Weylind’s message had said was that the spies had been caught and it was safe to return.

But Weylind continued his rant without giving Essie a chance to interrupt to ask. “You can keep your machasheni company, since she will not be coming either.” At that last part, he turned his glare from Jalissa onto Leyleira.

“Of course not. Jalissa and I are due for a tea and a good long talk. Now are you quite finished, sasonsheni?” Leyleira’s tone and eyebrow lift made it quite clear that Weylind was, indeed, finished, whether he wanted to be or not.

“Yes, machasheni.” Weylind didn’t exactly squirm beneath his grandmother’s stare, but the suggestion of squirming was there in his voice.

Essie tried to keep a straight face. Even an elf king listened to his grandmother when she used that tone of voice.

For a moment, everyone just stood there in an awkward silence. Then Rheva stepped forward and rested a light hand on Weylind’s arm. “My dear, worry is making you grumpy again.”

Weylind reached to take her hand. It was such a rare, sweet moment to see between them, that Essie nearly turned away rather than interrupt.

But an awkward weight remained after Weylind’s words, and someone needed to dispel it.

She dragged Farrendel forward. “I think Weylind needs a hug.”

That had both Weylind and Farrendel stiffening. But before either of them could make a run for it, Essie gave Weylind a side hug, keeping a grip on Farrendel’s hand so that he was somewhat dragged into the hug as well.

As the others gaped at her, Essie motioned. “Come on. Group hug.”

Weylind made a kind of squawking sound at that, holding his arms out as if he wasn’t sure what to do with them. Essie couldn’t see his face, but she was pretty sure he was giving Farrendel one of those Please call off your human looks.

Rheva’s smile widened, and she wrapped her arms around Weylind’s waist in a tentative human-style hug. “I think a hug is an excellent idea.”

Then, Ryfon grinned, sharing a look with Brina, before the two of them piled in, hugging Weylind, Rheva, and anyone else they could get their arms around. That had Melantha laughing before she joined in, squishing Farrendel between her and Essie. Jalissa shook her head, but hugged Rheva and Weylind. Even Leyleira delicately hugged Ryfon and Brina.

Weylind heaved a sigh and pointed to Rharreth, the only one who hadn’t joined the group hug. “If I have to endure this, then you do too.”

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