Chapter 96 — An Unexpected Offer

Ria let her gaze travel around, looking for the Vesali cousins as Phaelys led her back to their chaperones and Ranger.

She had half expected the haughty pair of cousins to dance with each other, but Ophesia and Nielle had found dance partners from among the guests. Ria didn’t recognize Ophesia’s partner even with his eye-catching outfit in Greater House Mendan’s colors, but Nielle’s partner was enough to make Ria’s eyebrow twitch. For some reason the abrasive Vesali cousin was with the third-year Sorrel boy encountered in the Office of Student Affairs’ waiting room.

The purple-haired pair rejoined, and the intimidating group of four were soon headed Ria’s direction. When their progress was obstructed by a certain robed procession led by a perpetually amused High Priest Loric, Ria wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or worried.

Ophesia and Nielle weren’t the only debutants accosted by guests during the debutant greeting part of the event, Ria had her own curious guests and well-wishers approaching, as did all the others, even Arthur and Aeri and the other commoners—though her intimidating manner and aura did seem to be discouraging any of them from being the first to actually try greeting her.

Ranger welcomed her back via the bond and came to preen beside her just as her first two groups of well-wishers parted the less courageous. Orlisi leaned over her shoulder from behind to whisper a “You’re doing great. I’ve got your back.” in her ear.

Whether that was a good thing or not, Ria assumed she would soon find out.

“A Spring Moon greetings, Lieutenant—soon to be Soulkeeper—Ria,” a certain smug resource for Soulkeeper tomes and licenses greeted. “Or will it be Saintess Ria? With the young lady’s attire, sudden divine aura, and the rather prestigious priestly guests, this humble Soulkeeper all but assumed an announcement was forthcoming.”

“Dad!” an older teen beside a tall woman clad in a sleek black dress and Ria’s spirit magic mentor, Lestina, gasped in a fierce whisper. An important middle-aged man, woman, and teen boy accompanying the stodgy Soulkeeper’s group seemed amused.

Ria ignored the man’s continuing attempts to off-balance her. “Greeting Soulkeeper Renard. I’m glad you were able to attend to celebrate the occasion with me. Her Holiness, High Priestess Elora has been graciously providing the incense recommended for my soul-strengthening, so it is only natural and polite that I would send an invitation. It is a welcome and auspicious surprise for a personage of such importance to personally witness my public debut.”

“No doubt,” Soulkeeper Renard observed wryly.

Already doubting the wisdom of her invitation choices, Ria resisted the urge to huff or concentrate aura in her eyes, instead turning and greeting the important man accompanying Soulkeeper Renard and his family, “A blessed Spring Moon to you and your family, City Administrator Torecci.”

“May our plantings be blessed by Selune’s light, Lieutenant,” the City Administrator of Safety and Sanitation returned the blessing, calculating eyes evaluating her before turning to her escort and chaperones. “Greetings, Sir Mage Phaelys and Master Mage Janacythe of the Vesali. Sir Mage Orlisi of the Yurren.”

“Greetings, City Administrator,” Phealys responded.

“Blessed moon, Lord Torecci.”

“May Selune nurture the magic within us and our lands,” Orlisi offered.

“Let it be so,” the tall woman agreed, giving the elf girl an appreciative nod.

Lord Torecci bent down a bit to be closer to Ranger’s eye-level. “A wardog familiar is an interesting choice for a young mage. Does the young lieutenant enjoy hunts?”

“As a C-ranked adventurer, I have done a bit of hunting, but I imagine that is different from what Lord Torecci is thinking of,” Ria replied with a light chuckle, using her hand to politely hide her mouth. “Bonding with Ranger was a matter of happenstance and expediency, but I could hardly find a more loyal and steadfast companion, and thanks to his tireless effort and Researcher Shadwich’s innovations, Ranger has yet to reach a limit to the growth in strength and capability. I am quite pleased to have him by my side.”

Lord Torecci smiled as he straightened. “He is an excellent magic beast. I can see why the lieutenant would be pleased.”

Ranger preened proudly at the praise and attention—even though he still disliked being called a beast and sent his determination to reach spirit ascension through the bond. Ria smiled down at him and rewarded him with a pair of encouraging pats and a rub.

“The Soulkeepers often do work for the City’s Ministry of Safety and Sanitation, so it is always my pleasure to introduce future talents to the good city administrator,” Soulkeeper Renard offered with a smirk.

City Administrator Torecci inclined his head toward the soulkeeper in acknowledgement. “Indeed. We are always looking to recruit future talent and make useful connections, and I do hear the young lady already has a substantial list of accomplishments.”

Ria could easily imagine how the Soulkeepers would be as useful as the Inquisitors when it came to interrogations and investigations. It might be her fiction-fueled imaginations that envisioned the need to track down criminal and subversive organizations in the city sewers though… There was probably plenty of investigating done above ground, as well.

She desperately wanted to ask but was sure she’d only embarrass herself with such a question. Ria smiled at the City Administrator. “I am honored to be considered so highly, and will of course keep the city administrator’s ministry in mind while seeking my future within the republic. But, that aside, your family?”

“Of course, of course. This is my wife, Lady Ludmila of House Moroci-”

“Don’t mind my husband, young Lieutenant,” the middle-aged woman in a shiny and ploofy dress beside the city administrator cheerfully interjected. “While my husband’s ministry does important and often thankless work for our city, a girl just debuting should reach for her dreams while she can.”

Dreams, huh? Feeling a bit emboldened after her success with the dance, Ria playfully replied, “There is this certain young Vesali I have been eyeing, but I am not sure if he is interested.”

Phaelys shifted to raise an eyebrow in her direction, and Lady Janacythe coughed. An impish glance back at Orlisi, who was engaged in quiet conversation with an elf boy, received an encouraging toothy grin, wink, and thumbs up, which set the elf boy to snorting and forced him to turn away to hide his laughter.

Ria’s effort at humor earned an amused laugh from Lady Ludmila, and polite chuckles came from some of the other gathered guests listening in while enjoying refreshments and awaiting their turn—maybe some grinding of teeth too?

Coloring a bit from her boldness, Ria mentally berated herself as she realized her choice of words probably just encouraged the rumors that she was a goldseeker.

Lord Torecci stepped up to the challenge though and presented his thin and dark-haired boy. “If efforts to interest Sir Mage come to naught, I am sure my son, Toben, here would be happy to receive your interest. He is attending the Astacio School for Governance and Planning and is guaranteed a placement with the Ministry of Safety and Sanitation if he continues to do well.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Young Lord Toben.” Ria curtsied to the boy. He seemed intimidated by her and mostly mumbled his reply. She motioned in the direction where Arthur and Aeri were receiving greetings from a mix of older scholars and similar-aged but not quite as expensively attired teens. “Have you met my friend Aeri from Vorshan’s Hills? She is also attending the Astacio School for Governance and Planning. Her escort is the grandson of Master Enchanter Rigure of Vesali City. I am currently working with him on a project for the Order of the Golden Dawn.”

“I haven’t, Lieutenant Ria,” the boy quietly admitted.

“Connections are important, Young Lord Toben,” Phaelys advised. “One never knows when a chance encounter will turn into an important resource later.”

Toben’s eyes widened at being directly addressed by Phaelys. “Thank you for your advice, Sir Mage. I will go introduce myself.”

Phaelys nodded encouragement to the boy.

The city administrator seemed satisfied with the interaction as his wife and son excused themselves.

“Wasn’t that exciting,” Ria overheard Lady Ludmila saying to her son, who cringed as his mom gave him an encouraging side-hug.

Though Ria could sense some magical talent in the boy, with House Moroci being aligned with House Astacio, it made sense he was attending the Astacio’s school.

Ria turned her attention back to Soulkeeper Renard and his family.

“Are you going to make us do it ourselves, Renard? Introduce us already,” the tall woman waiting patiently beside the muscular and cleft-chinned soulkeeper pouted.

Lord Torecci laughed and gave the similar-aged soulkeeper a smug look.

Soulkeeper Renard coughed into his hand and motioned to Lestina, who was wearing an airy pastel, lacy affair. “You have already met my niece.”

Niece? How had she missed that? It explained why Renard trusted Lestina with Ria’s secrets. Ria smiled and nodded at her third-year friend. “Soulkeeper Lestina has been of great help to me in my pursuits of self-improvement. Soulkeeper Renard has my gratitude for recommending such a skilled tutor.”

Lestina returned the smile and gave her a discreet thumbs-up. “It has been my privilege to mentor such a talented student.”

Continuing, Renard motioned to his daughter and the tall woman. “This is my eldest daughter, Soulkeeper Nevia and my wife, Soulkeeper Yovana.”

“Selune’s blessings,” Ria greeted and the traditional response was offered back.

The women’s eyes went to Phaelys after they were introduced, and Phaelys indulged them with an “It’s a pleasure to meet such accomplished ladies.”

Renard looked annoyed as both teen girls were holding back squeals, and the mom was blushing behind her fan. Eye-rolling though the reaction was, it did put into perspective Phaelys’ popularity, and Ria felt her pride heighten at having landed the boy for her escort. Plus anything that annoyed her soulkeeper nemesis was a win in her scorebook.

That all four of the family members were soulkeepers though…?

“Is it usual for an entire family to be soulkeepers?” Ria asked with honest curiosity.

Passionate opinion on the subject glinted in Nevia’s eyes, and the teen spoke up first, “Mostly, it’s due to Father and Mother’s expectations and teaching. As those of House Benathi often lament, spirit affinity is more often connected to the strength of one’s soul than one’s parentage—however much they may wish it to be otherwise.”

“It is indeed so,” City Administrator Torecci agreed. “A problem further exasperated by the Hall of Inquiry and Bindings snapping up anyone with potential that they find.”

“Is there a reason House Benathi would be particularly interested in inheritable spirit affinity?” Ria asked.

At the grimaces that met her question, Ria knew right away that she had blundered. Thankfully, Phaelys stepped in to rescue her, “House Benathi believes in human purity and seeks out saint and human-only mage bloodlines. Even though spirit and astral affinities are thought to be more related to each individual soul rather than bloodline—as Lady Nevia was explaining—the Benathi collect youths with such in the hopes of increasing the chances that future descendants will have those affinities. I suspect with the impression that your talent is of divine origin, Ria, a Benathi representative will seek us out before the night is through.”

“Expertly explained, young Sir Mage,” City Administrator Torecci concurred.

Renard added, “There is interesting research into the difference between true bloodlines versus soul affinities that has been performed to explore the issue. From what we have been able to discover, strong souls with natural affinities can mirror those affinities in the body, but often such soul affinities aren’t inheritable and the properties won’t present in the ‘body’ gate—only their ‘soul’ gate.”

“Looks like our time is up, my friend,” the city administrator whispered to Soulkeeper Renard as he finished his explanation, indicating with a tilt of his head the robed procession parting the gathered girls hoping for a chance to use Ria to get introduced to Phaelys.

“Ah, so it is. How about we bother the mind-mage branded one next,” Soulkeeper Renard suggested, drawing another beratement from his daughter.

City Administrator Torecci was chuckling and shaking his head as he led the soulkeeper family in Faris and Iselyn’s direction.

“Luck’s blessings to you, young Ria of Shadewood and young Phaelys of the Vesali, and to your diligent chaperones,” High Priest Loric greeted as he glided into the space left by the others’ departure, amusement in his voice. “I have been looking forward to meeting the young nexus of fate that has drawn the attention of the divine of Luck and Adventure.”

Ria’s heart pounded with a nervousness only partially restrained by her mantle of pride—a nervousness that grew into a pit of dread as divine magic wove around them to make the other guests seem somehow distant though physically present.

Ohgram’s high priest wasn’t far behind, and she timed her deep curtsy to include both high priests. “It is my honor to be greeted by Your Holinesses on this day.”

Beside her Phaelys bowed and offered his own response. Orlisi and Lady Janacythe deeply curtsied and did likewise.

“May the shadows keep you and bring peace to your journey’s end. It was Loric’s idea to visit the promising young pair of Vesali first,” Ohgrem’s high priest informed as his gaze took them all in to settle on Ria. “While interesting and full of potential, neither is who I came to see today.”

“Yes, upon seeing young Ria’s amusing deception, how could I not offer aid?” Xander’s High Priest admitted, sounding pleased with himself.

Ohgram’s priest rolled his eyes. “Normally, I would not bother to be party to such subterfuge, but while in the end all things return to oblivion, the paths we travel toward that end are important—maybe the most important thing.”

Nothing they were saying was encouraging, and Ria’s anxiety was still growing. “Um, Your Holinesses? I think I can guess why I have attracted the interest of the divinity of Luck and Adventure-”

“Indeed you have,” High Priest Loric happily interjected, chuckling at something only he knew.

Ria felt Phaelys’ hand tap hers where she was holding onto his arm, and noting his curious gaze, she leaned on the boy’s calm and comforting presence beside her to regather her thoughts and the tatters of her courage and continued, “-but I am not aware of how I might have attracted the interest of the Divinity of Shadows and Oblivion…”

“Nothing you should worry about, young Ria,” Ohgrem’s high priest reassured her and smiled a grandfatherly smile. “It is only natural that when Lady Asara requested a large quantity of Xernium from our temple, I would be curious, and the answers I received only served to make me more curious. With all the secrecy, it is a surprise Mythra does not have a representative here tonight,” the old man joked.

Ria struggled to not grimace at the thought of drawing the interest of the Divinity of Knowledge and Secrets. Thankfully, she had apparently told enough people her secrets to keep them from falling under the goddess’ purview. Maybe.

“Thank you, Your Holiness, for generously allowing the use of the metal.” Ria curtsy-bowed again, a little deeper than needed. “Powdered Xernium was also suggested by my Soulkeeper tutor as a good medium to hold the enchantment for the spiritual-essence barrier used when I perform soul-strengthening meditations, but I haven’t had time to make the request yet.”

“Oh? That’s an interesting use,” the old man—Mors Restille—caught Ria’s eyes as she was straightening from the bow. “A spirit mage are you? But not with Zethym’s Order?”

Ria turned her head side to side to deny it, not breaking eye-contact. “I’m with the Sages of the Nine Circles. Spirit magic is a prerequisite for the shamanic-style magic used in my enchanting work. To such ends, I am thankful for Soulkeeper Renard’s assistance in my education.”

A quick look around starting from the direction the Soulkeeper had gone allowed her to catch sight of him introducing Lady Nevia and Lestina to one of the debutant pairs on the other side of the dance floor.

Mors Restille followed her gaze with interest. “Ah, yes. Renard I have met. An amusing man—thinks a little too highly of himself.”

A snort of surprised amusement slipped out of Ria before she could stop it, drawing a smile from the High Priest.

“The roles one plays.” His Holiness Loric chuckled, his eyes moving from Soulkeeper Renard to beyond where Ria noticed Hulle talking with Lord Jeveran’s butler, Albarth.

“Ah, so this is the one the divinity of Farming and Husbandry has sent us. I am disappointed that you haven’t come to visit me on your own, young Ria,” Hemse’s High Priest interjected as he and High Priestess Elora joined the other two High Priests gathered around her with their aides at a respectful distance. “Though your choice of a loyal farm dog for your familiar is encouraging—one should always remember one’s roots,”

“Woof,” Ranger agreed and nodded acknowledgement to the high priest.

High Priest Loric hummed. “Doesn’t seem there’s much of a farm dog left in him.”

The words caused Ranger to turn his head and raise his nose as if insulted.

Though Ria froze in worry at Ranger’s behavior, it drew booming laughter from Hemse’s high priest, and after chuckling, High Priestess Elora observed, “I see the Magmog fruit was useful in improving his constitution.”

Latching onto the compliment, Ria nodded and smiled in the High Priestess’ direction. “It was, and we are still getting use out of it. Researcher Shadwich was able to preserve the elemental and spiritual essence into treats for me to feed daily.”

“Hoh? He resolved how to slow the degradation of spiritual essences from processed ingredients to that extent?” the high priestess asked, eyebrows rising and eyes glimmering. “The Church of Ellnys would be very interested to learn more.”

High Priest Mors’ eyebrows also rose. “That does sound useful—extracting and preserving spiritual essence. We should arrange a consultation with this… Researcher Sandwich, was it?”

“Shadwich,” High Priestess Elora corrected. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

Ohgrem’s priest smiled slyly. “Maybe I did.”

Ria quickly looked around the hall, spotting the man in question talking animatedly with a frazzled looking man and a meticulous woman that were probably other researchers. “Researcher Shadwich is in attendance at this evening’s event… He’s the one with the wide face and Sages of the Nine Circles robe. I do not think he will mind discussing the process used.”

“Wide face,” the high priestess chuckled. “Ah, I see him. Ria, you’re a dear. Come, Mors, if what Ria says is true, this could aid the development of our priests and spiritual materials tremendously.”

“Lead on, I’m right behind you, Elora,” Ohgrem’s high priest assured as the pair hurried off, skirting around the dance floor where guests and debutants were dancing.

“Come, Vernon. We should go too. We are obstructing young Ria’s other important meetings with other guests. You’ve confirmed your new saint. Surely, she will come to visit with you on her own now.”

“Fine,” High Priest Vernon huffed and turned his bushy brows on Ria. “Don’t forget where you’ve come from, young Ria. Though the way may be difficult, Hemse always provides for his followers and I imagine even more so for his champions. The Church will await the day when it is time to announce you to the world.”

“Well, wasn’t that something,” Orlisi cheerfully chirped as the high priests withdrew and the space and sounds around them returned to normal.

“I had suspected many things, but did I hear right that Ria really is a Saint of Hemse?” Lady Janacythe muttered.

“Seems so,” Orlisi happily confirmed for the stunned woman, adding with a smirk, “Royalty too, if you didn’t already know.”

Ignoring the pair behind her, Ria sighed out and took a moment to refocus her shadow aura as relief washed over her at the high priests not being part of a plot or having any ill-intent.

“Finally,” Nielle’s voice cut through the whispering gossip picking up around Ria’s group. “I was beginning to think those stuffy-robes would never stop getting in our way.”

“Nielle! You cannot call them that,” Ophesia objected, affronted. The two boys with them laughed, and Ophesia added, “It was a tremendous honor for four high priests to come greet us on our debut!”

“I get that,” Nielle grumbled. “But we worship our divine ancestor, so it doesn’t even make any sense.”

Mentally grimacing at another dreaded encounter having arrived, Ria corrected the slips in her manner and turned her attention to the four Greater House heirs, calm and collected—in control.

The Sorrel boy was directly meeting her eyes as they approached, a sense of challenge in his faint smile. “Ah, the newly rumored Saintess of Darkness. Thanks to Lady Vienne’s art, you look malevolently Vesali beside our generation’s most desired prince of crystalline purity—such a difference from the uncertain girl I met in the Office of Student Affairs as to be a different person. It encourages a desire to see how well you’d compliment a villain of the vines such as myself. Join me for a dance?”

The House Mendan orange and black attired teen escorting Ophesia cleared his throat. “Ah, but Joren, Sir Phaelys might not appreciate another angling in on his fascinating catch.”

“Right, right, Montimer.” Joren nodded to the other boy and made an open handed gesture in Phaelys’ direction. “If our mutual princely friend would allow it?”

Phaelys shrugged. “If Ria is willing, I have no reason to mind. This is her debut after all.”

Orlisi chuckled at the boys’ display, faking a girly squeal and a hushed, “Ria, you’re already so popular!”

Ria rolled her eyes at the elf before turning her full attention to the Sorrel boy. “If it pleases the young lord, I would enjoy a dance.”

Nielle readily let go her escort’s arm and stepped away, giving Ria a half-smirking ‘let’s see how you handle this’ look.

Though Ria’s pride and worry about what the Vesali girl had planned competed briefly, it was her pride that won. She wasn’t going to let the girl rile her up, and when Joren offered his elbow, she took it and let him lead her back out onto the dance floor.

Behind her she caught Orlisi stage-whisper, “See? Ripping the souls out of her enemies with her glowing eyes of doom. Did I call it, or what?”

“It seems so, indeed,” Phaelys dryly acknowledged. “The Soulkeepers do have formidable techniques and expertise.”

Huh?

Setting aside the strange conversation, she had a more immediate challenge to focus on. Ria turned her attention to the Sorrel boy and the arm her hand was wrapped around. The boy’s arm muscles were softer than Phaelys’ but not flabby, and he carried himself with deceptively sure steps even though affecting a casual confidence.

With what she knew of the House Sorrel, she wasn’t thrilled to dance with one, but Iselyn had chided her after the debut practice that there were no perfect Houses.

The notes from the musicians soon signaled the dance that would follow. It would start with their hands palm to palm like before, but was a simpler dance involving circling with your partner and circling around the neighboring partners—a dance encouraging one to converse with their partner while dancing.

As Ria let go the Sorrel boy’s arm and placed her hand against his, something similar to fate magic flowed out of the boy to do something to the air around them.

Ria raised an eyebrow. Her heart speeding up as she reached for her body-strengthening magic. Was he one of the ones targeting her?

“What are you doing?” she asked with fake calm but didn’t miss the start of the dance, beginning the pattern of steps that started them circling each other.

“You can speak freely,” he smugly assured. “It’s an interesting fae technique using wind and divine energy that lets the sound pass mostly intact but removes the meaning to our words. I could teach it if you like. The fae also have ways of seeing the truth that shadow obfuscation cannot hope to stop.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Tsk, tsk. Such hostility in the face of friendly advice and a desire to form connections. My house was not involved in your recent difficulties. My elders and cousins tend to be more subtle about such things. Setting half the city on edge is hardly good for anyone.”

That he knew was further suspicious. “Is it already common knowledge that I was involved in the matter earlier today?”

“Common knowledge? No. I wouldn’t say so. But public assassination attempts are events that make the Greater Houses pay attention. No one benefits from open war between the houses, and a large-scale attack is about as clear a declaration of open war as can be performed.”

Ria had to admit that made sense, and if an heir in good standing with his House was approaching her to make a connection, she would be foolish to spurn that offer even if it was coming from a House she had reason to dislike. Forming connections with the aristocracy and the other Greater Houses in particular was the main reason she was taking such a risk to attend this debut—and other than improving her magic, forming connections was the main reason she was attending the Grand Academy.

“That you would hide your nature attunement and wrap yourself in your darker truths is interesting,” Joren commented as if to himself, sharply drawing her attention back to her dance partner. He quickly made an apologetic face. “Ah, do not mind my musing. That is not the reason I called upon you for a dance. Rather, I wanted to extend an offer to call upon me at the Grand Academy. Whether it is regarding social matters or academics, any reason is fine.”

In her care to keep the surprise from showing on her face, Ria almost missed a step. “Thank you, Sir Mage Joren, I will keep your generosity in mind.”

Rather than causing her trouble, was he looking to court her? In secret? Or was it something more like helping her at school in exchange for future favors? Was it a trap? Her thoughts spun at the sudden change in direction from what she was preparing herself for.

Joren nodded and his lips twisted into a self-deprecating smile, understanding that her answer was just her being polite, but his eyes seemed to take on a more serious expression as he pressed, “In this game of houses competing over you, you should consider House Sorrel. The elders of our House tend to play the long game, and with our Fae forests, House Sorrel can provide you resources and opportunity for growth that the Novidus cannot—that none of the other Houses can provide, frankly.”

Though she thought she would never entertain such an offer based on everything she heard about House Sorrel, Ria found herself giving the Sorrel boy’s argument grudging consideration. She needed options and couldn’t allow the Vesali to marry her into a position without power. As much as she had a poor impression of the Sorrels, she had to admit it was possible that, in the way Hulle and Faris and his sisters were different from Presius, Joren might be different from the others in his house.

If it was just a matter of growing her strength, she had to admit that the mysterious Fae likely could provide fate-changing opportunities that better matched her path than the Novidus with their focus on ice and water. House Vesali’s crystal magic and divine bloodline, on the other hand, were a promising fit for her—especially with access to the king’s library and possible hidden treasure-troves under the castle—and being able to bridge the Novidus and Vesali would give her significant political power. But, if she could gain what she needed of the Vesali while attending the Academy, then Joren’s offer would make more sense.

Ria searched his face as the dance moved them around the other couples and asked, “What about Jirani Ravelle?”

Joren grimaced. “An unfortunate situation—one we are still paying the price for and was likely doomed from the start. As I am sure you’ve noticed—if the rumors I have heard about your most recent incident at the academy are accurate—members of House Ravelle seem to be rather straightforward in temperament. And the branch of the family she married into, though family, they are a troublesome and jealous bunch.”

He paused as they worked through a section of the dance’s more complicated steps. “Let us just say, when the ancestors become a bit too much the same, the power might be strong but the mind and personality tends to be a bit… off—not that I am excusing their actions, mind you. It is more a matter of Lady Jirani taking inadvisable offense at provocations and plots better navigated in a less direct manner. The reason I do not think the young lieutenant would share such a fate is because—unless I am wrong—you are more flexible in matters of honor.”

Ria’s eyes narrowed at him for a second time. “I always claim my price.”

The word resonated with her aura.

Still keeping up with the start of the dance’s final sequence of steps as if nothing unusual had happened, Joren darkly smiled. “Spoken like one of the fae. You might fit in better than you think. Ah, but I know when to recognize a viper unfurling its hood. Thank you for this dance and the opportunity to present my offer. I’ve indulged my curiosity enough and will return you to your glory-seeking white knight.”