The Last Stand (The Eleven Years War: Book One) (Wattys 2019)

Chapter Fifty-One

Seeing them there was like seeing something out of a nightmare. Out of her deepest, darkest nightmare. She'd spent the past few weeks in a comfortable state, one where the hell she'd gone through in the week she'd been a captive of the Gisken Army was a distant memory, replaced by a far more pleasant present filled with serving the Matisse princess, herself, and not as a servant: she was starting to feel like a member of the court the longer she stayed there. And now, there they were, reminding her that her past wasn't quite as far behind as she might like it to be.

Judging by the reactions of everyone else there, she wasn't the only one who felt that way. People hardly dared to speak as Raul and his entourage walked across the ballroom to their seats: Raul to the high table with Marion, Ulrick, Kael, and Polain, and his men at the table behind them, reserved, it seemed, just for them. Silas almost seemed to be sizing them up the way he was looking at them, trying to decide which ones he could take in a fight in which ones he'd best leave be. Even Eza's normally calm demeanor changed to that of sheer, utter fury. Her hand even rested on her sword hilt, ready for them to make so much as the slightest move.

She said something in a rough, guttural, angry language. Elise could only assume it was Kurzhian.

Silas said something back, but it hardly sounded like the same language when he spoke it: he didn't attempt the accent that turned Eza's words into curdled milk.

"So, that's General Raul Fleischer?" Cherry said as the party resumed, though it didn't have the same energy as before: now, it seemed like everyone did everything with just a touch more care, as if waiting for something to happen with the Giskens. "Funny: I imagined him to be taller. And... less old. He looks like my da."

"Don't let that fool you," Eza said, her voice low. "He's as slippery as they come."

Silas gave her a look. Elise got the feeling that he knew exactly what her sudden change of demeanor was about. "You plan on doing anything drastic? Because I don't think I'm allowed to let that happen, as fun as that would be."

Eza glared at him. "If it's so fun, you'll stay out of my way."

She walked off as the dancing continued.

"What's her problem?" Cherry pouted.

"Let's just say she didn't have much of a childhood," Silas said. "Now, come on: let's drink."

She began to giggle, and the two of them sipped from their glasses.

Elise looked around for Eza. She got a bad feeling about what she was planning on doing."

"Don't worry about her," Silas said. "She's a big girl." He leaned in a little closer to Cherry. "A very big girl."

Cherry giggled.

Elise walked away from the table: she couldn't stand to see them doodling over each other for another second.

Besides: she wanted to get to Eza, before she did something.

***

Ulrick didn't like the idea of sitting anywhere near Raul.

He didn't like anything that had to do with the Giskens, that day. That was supposed to be the day Marion would become queen and they would announce their engagement, when the nation would be brought together to celebrate with the queen and her fiancé. They needed it: he'd gotten reports from all over the country that were filled with civil unrest, apparently ready to save themselves, even if it meant trampling over people they'd called friends. He'd been confident that the news of an engagement and an heir to the throne possibly in their future, the people would be put at ease, even if just a little: according to Polain, the announcement of King Thias' engagement to Queen Delia had been one of the most peaceful, amiable moments in Caithian history.