The Bond and Other Curses || Book Two

CHAPTER 8 - ORION

"Do you want anything?" Vialla asked hesitantly, looking doubtful.

I scanned the tables. "Is there anything that doesn't have raw meat in it, or isn't swimming in blood?"

"Umm...toast?"

I couldn't hold back a laugh. "Is that it?"

She grinned. "This is a FengDohrn party. Carnivorous is basically all we are. And cooking meat too long takes away its sweet flavor."

"There is that weird meat pie thing Tritteon seems to like," Aeryn said, taking the seat across from Vialla. "The meat in it is cooked. It's ghastly, but I suppose that's his human side coming out."

Vialla shivered like the idea was just as abhorrent to her. "I'll grab you a plate," she said.

"No, I can get it," I said, moving to stand.

Vialla pulled me back down, her gaze fixed on the door Tritteon and Cozmin had disappeared through. "No. That's alright. I don't mind."

"Really. You don't need—"

But she ignored me and hurried off.

"So. Your fighting skills still up to par?" Aeryn asked, taking a sip of his drink.

I looked back at him. There was something about the way he said it that hinted at more than just casual conversation. "Uh, adequate, why?"

Gauwin took the seat beside me. "Cozmin and Carson really don't like you," she said behind her hand, looking amused, juices dripping from the pale cube of meat speared at the end of her pinky claw. "I don't think Tritteon realized bringing you would require a circumvention before any fun could be had."

Carson still stood beside Afnon, his gaze fixed on the door. "Are they related, or..."

"No, neither. Just friends. It was Daniel Cozmin was close with. Even if we were the ones who had to deal with the bastard, this entire situation has been harder on her than any of us."

I hadn't seen Carson approach the table. "She doesn't need to be told every damn detail of our lives, Nam."

Gauwin's eyes darkened, but I spoke before anything could happen. "Do I really look that untrustworthy?"

"Weaponized Zourr are rare and exclusively made in Delmare," Carson said darkly. "How you come to be the way you are is a closely guarded trade secret. Especially when we all trusted Daniel as much as we did, and it is now public record that his abilities came from Corvek himself."

"Well, now the questions beg to be asked," Clade said, taking the seat beside Aeryn. "Where do you come from and how did you come by your heightened abilities?"

Gauwin and Aeryn exchanged subtle, knowing glances. They and Vialla had been there when we'd gone to save Rilyin. They knew perfectly well I was a Directive. That I was Corvek's Directive.

"Mind your own business, Clade," Vialla snapped from the table she was preparing a plate for me.

"Tell them you are not at liberty to say. Dugana's orders," Tritteon's voice buzzed into my ear on a Veehm as he and Cozmin stepped back into the room.

I caught his eye from across the room and glared, half irritated, half relieved to have an excuse to avoid sharing.

"Unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to discuss it."

Clade rolled his eyes. "They all say that."

"I would not be surprised if it was something coded into you that prevented you from sharing," Carson said, taking the seat beside Clade, swirling blue liquid around in his glass. His eyes narrowed as he cocked his head, scanning every inch of what he could see of me above the table. "Do you have any strange marks that might hint at—"