Sofia sputtered, her temper fading in lieu of shock while Ares grinned down at her in triumph and trailed his tongue suggestively over his incisors.
“I am not… YouknowI do not behave in such a way!” Sofia snapped at Helena, looking offended and horrified. “And even if I did, then it certainly would not be with the likes ofhim!” she added with a disgusted look at Ares.
“That is too bad. I suppose I will just have to seduce anotherImítheos dame tonight,” he mused. He turned his attention as if to search the room for any candidates.
Sofia grabbed him by the tunic so fast I blinked and so did he as she tugged him down into her face.
“These are not Ktínos. You cannot seduce them.”
“Why not? Seems to me thatsomeof them could use a little stress relief,” he goaded her.
I suddenly feared she was actually going to kill him. The electrical snap of her magic filled the air, and still Ares was grinning like a fiend at her. Daring her to… attack him? Kiss him? I was suddenly unsure which she was going to do as she continued to glare up at him.
I glanced at Helena who merely rolled her eyes and turned away to grab us both a drink off a passing tray.
“This was a mistake,” Sofia finally hissed in defeat as she released his shirt and turned to begin walking away. “Should have known better than to bring you here.”
“Yes, you probably should have,” Ares called after her as he straightened again. “She seems stressed. I have said it before, and I will say it again, abstinence is unhealthy,” he added to me and Helena with a shake of his head.
Since arriving in The Mountain City, I had been making every effort to learn the social etiquette of the Aeolian griffins so I could fit in. And this ball was going to test just how well I’d absorbed all that Sofia had imparted.
Perhaps my favourite thing about the etiquette was the fact that people were not allowed to approach me directly. They had to go through Sofia first. She vetted who got to speak to me and when, and she gave me tips and coaching throughout the evening to help smooth interactions.
“Lady Cassandra approaches. She is wearing fey silk,” Sofiawhispered once it was time for the next meeting that she had carefully arranged for the evening. I had already met our hostess first and a number of other elite lords and ladies who were all eager to get their teeth into me.
“Oh?” I asked, not sure of the significance of the silk.
“She is mimicking your style. It is customary but still a compliment to you. Especially as it is not Aeolian made. Be sure to comment favourably,” Sofia explained.
The noble woman in question reached us before I had quite processed this revelation that people were copying my style, and she bowed deeply for me.
“Your Majesty, it is a pleasure to meet you personally. We have all heard so much,” she said and gestured at the two men and a woman in darker silk standing behind her. They would be her mates and her handmaiden, but she was the highest ranking elite among them, and so she was the one to whom the audience with me was granted.
“Thank you, Lady Cassandra,” I said, because I was apparentlynotallowed to say that the pleasure was mine anymore. “Your dress is so beautiful,” I added, hoping the compliment sounded genuine. I was relieved that it must have when she flushed with obvious pleasure and brushed her hands adoringly over the silk.
“It is, is it not? Fey silk! I never would have imagined, but it is easily the most exquisite thing I have ever worn. When I saw you in it at the coronation, I simplyhadto know where you had gotten it. My handmaiden solicited advice from yours, and now I am afraid the seamstress has more work than she can ever hope to keep up with!” Lady Cassandra laughed.
I smiled much more genuinely at that news. If nothing else, then at least my public appearances were apparently driving business to Ciara.
“May I ask after the king?” Lady Cassandra asked me with a cautious glance up at the Ktínos warriors standing so stoically behind me. Contrary to how he teased Sofia, Ares had notcaused even one scene all night.
“He and Orion will attend later. They have had much to keep them busy in the last few weeks, but I know they look forward to this evening,” I lied much too easily.
I finally got a moment of reprieve from entertaining while Sofia mingled in the crowd and compiled a new roster of guests for me. But then Ares shifted closer suddenly just before someone else spoke from my other side.
“Enjoying yourself?” asked a familiar voice that made me instantly tense. But I shook it off quickly.
“I would rather be trying to discover who is killing all those people in Erétria,” I admitted. Although I was sure my expression seemed pleasant to anyone looking at me. “Or reviewing reports on our relief and rebuilding efforts in the city after it was attacked. Or making a plan to deal with this sudden resurgence of Fuath. Or addressing—”
Castor interrupted my tirade with a chuckle before he turned to look out at the crowd. Many of them were trying to pretend as if they were not sneaking glances at me and my Ktínos guards, but they were not subtle.
“You think this is a waste of time,” he stated.
“We are at war,” I answered evasively, and Castor gave a thoughtful hum before taking a long sip of his drink.
“Do not be so quick to dismiss the power of the social sphere. This could be an excellent opportunity to gauge who among the elite are your friends and who are not,” Castor advised me, and I considered.
“I guess that is a fair point,” I admitted grudgingly.
