Alabaster Cities (Kings and Thieves Book #2)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

For his part, Ari had no idea why everyone had made such a fuss.

So, he and Aveline had killed the earl. And? It wasn't as if they'd blown up the palace. People were so sensitive.

To her credit, Lyla had gotten over it fairly quickly. And when he'd asked Jamie about further, she had laughed.
"Ari, I've long since stopped trying to understand why you do things. You're a mystery better left unsolved."
So, at least she wasn't upset, either.

Though Lyla had raised concerns about them attending Camille's ball the next night (it seemed disrespectful, somehow, she'd said, as if it made any difference). But the princess had invited them personally, so Ari couldn't miss it, as much as he'd wanted to. Not that sitting in a loud room surrounded by irritating courtiers and stifling lavender perfume sounded like the ideal evening to him, but they were supposed to be keeping an eye out for, "the d-word", as Lyla had put it.

(Ari had laughed aloud at that last bit, and then Jamie had hit him).

Anyway, even if the Verignes citizens were taking drugs, Ari highly doubted they'd be circulating at a palace ball. It just didn't make sense.

Something about the whole thing didn't make sense, at least to Ari. It wasn't adding up- what with the substances in Peter's system piling up just before he was poisoned.

The mysteriously threatening notes had stopped appearing under their doors, so that was to some relief. Ari took that as a sign that their efforts to investigate more discreetly had succeeded.

The witches hadn't said much else, other than they didn't recognize whatever drug Peter had been taking, which was baffling in itself. Perhaps Verignes was pumping out new narcotics.

But even if that was the case, it wasn't as if poor villagers could afford anything close to a new fancy drug, Ari mused to himself now. Currently he sat on the beach with Lyla, watching Inez and Aveline spar. Aveline was winning, of course, but her form was all off; she was bouncing around too much.

Aveline had seemed distracted lately. Quieter. Ari made a mental note to ask her about it later. It probably had something to do with Eli, that boy was always messing everything up-

"Ari?" Jamie didn't seem to notice or care that her heavy lilac skirts were dragging along in the shoreline as she walked towards them, and her hair was falling out of its braid. Ari suppressed a smile. "You were supposed to teach me how to waltz for the ball tomorrow. You know I'm horrid at it."

"That I did." With a groan, Ari climbed to his feet, brushing globules of sand off his hands. "And yes, you are. Your footwork is atrocious; you look like a newborn deer."

"Yes, thank you." He was rewarded with a slap on his arm. Ouch.

"Avie?" Ari stopped by Inez and Aveline, who were laughing at a joke Lyla had made. "We're off to practice for Camille's ball, otherwise known as the bane of my existence."

"Perfect." Aveline blew a sticky piece of hair out of her eyes, and her forehead shone slightly with sweat.

"Also, you need to lower your fists a bit more."

"Noted." She rolled her eyes. "If you see Eli, tell him not I won't dance with him if he wears his guard's uniform to the ball. I know it gives him an inflated sense of masculinity, but he looks horrible in purple."

Jamie giggled, and Ari pursed his lips, trying to maintain a serious expression. "Noted."

Maids scattered the palace today; dusting chandeliers, arranging chairs, and stringing scented flowerpetals around the ballroom. Camille's balls were always a bit over the top, but what had Ari had expected from Verignes?