Resonant

Chapter 29

Fen

"What if they don't get along?" I asked Zale, and winced when I accidentally tore a cuticle. I was too stressed and was picking at my fingers to cope.

Zale gently took my hand in his. "They will. They're soulmates," he said.

"But we didn't get along great at first," I had to point out.

He laughed. "Well, let's hope neither of them is as disagreeable as I am."

I didn't think his joke was very funny. I looked around to make sure none of our guests had arrived yet and leaned in close to whisper, "I don't know, Castiel seems pretty intense."

Zale laughed harder. How was he not freaking out about this?

Zale had explained the deal he made with his father. He had a month – just under a month, now – to get Kyra to agree to marry a Huronese prince. Zale had arranged to have Castiel, Benny, and Kyra over to stay in his palace for the weekend. At first, Kyra had been sure her father wouldn't release her from her duties to visit Zale, but we knew better. Of course he agreed, because he knew that Zale was acting in his interests.

Blech.

Castiel and Benny's attendance wasn't as much in question. I didn't really understand what had happened between Kyra and Castiel when they shared that dance the night they met, but it was obvious she had captured at least a spark of his interest. They agreed to come within an hour of the invitation being sent.

Zale's mother had looked intrigued when he told her about the guests he had coming, but hadn't pried. "I think I'll take this opportunity to catch up with some of my friends. You can have the dining room" was all she had said.

The large, solid wood doors to the dining hall opened. Benny and Castiel walked in, closely followed by a guard dressed in Rellian regalia. "Castiel and Benicio Huron," the guard announced, as if it wasn't only the five of us in the room and as if Zale and I weren't already walking toward them.

"Thank you," Zale said dismissively, and the guard left.

Castiel looked around the room appraisingly and Benny smiled broadly at us. "I wasn't sure we'd see you two again so soon," he said.

I had to smile back. "We said we would," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but people say a lot of things," Benny answered.

Castiel's eyes finished sweeping the room and he looked to Zale. "Where's the rest of our party?" he asked. Since the invitation had specifically said Kyra would be here, he could only mean her.

Zale checked his watch and his eyebrows shot up. "It's later than I realized," he muttered, and showed me the time. It was five minutes later than when I was supposed to pick up Kyra.

"I'll be right back," I said. I waved awkwardly and was about to disappear when Zale's hands came around my waist and he pulled me in for a quick but thorough kiss.

"See you soon," he said, as though this wouldn't take less than a minute. I teleported away as soon as his hands released me before smiling widely.

"Fen, there you are!" Kyra said, sounding relieved. She was sitting on her bed with a large tote bag next to her. She hefted it up and I reached out to take it from her when it was clear she struggled under the weight. "Thanks," she said.

"No problem. Sorry I'm late, we lost track of the time."

I held out a hand for Kyra to take, but she bit her lip instead. "Zale mentioned the brothers from Huron would be there?"