“Sir,” Char objected.
Eloise’s eyes shone as Inx rattled off a list of names.
Tristan turned back to her. “You have your choice of men, Eloise. Inx will bring you to meet them, so take your pick.”
Eloise took the dismissal at face value, standing quickly. “Thank you,” she said to Tristan. She passed by Austin in a swirl of pale silk and with a murmured “Thank you.” Inx stood, exoskeleton disappearing as he tossed his blue-lapelled jacket over his arm. He bowed his neatly trimmed brown head to Austin and grabbed his piping hot tart from the plate with his bare hand, blowing on the pastry as he strode out. Char’s eyes narrowed at the pastry, but he swallowed whatever reprimand he clearly wanted to dole out. Standing, he bowed his head respectfully to Austin and Tristan. Tristan raised an amused brow at the bow.
The staff left with Char.
Tristan studied Austin’s untouched dessert. “I can have the kitchen prepare something more to your liking.”
Austin touched the edge of the plate. The sweet scent of sugar wafted from it, with an undercurrent of berries. “Fresh fruit. And water. Neither freezing nor boiling, if you can manage that.”
A muscle twitched in Tristan’s jaw. His eyes were bright as he inclined his head. “I’ll do my best,” he replied dryly.
Austin only just stopped himself from flashing his teeth in a snarl at his tone. Austin held Tristan’s gaze. “Music?” The city of monsters had been filled with constant noise. Buskers played in the market street, men and women singing to themselves as they went about their day. Lyrics weren’t Austin’s favourite, but it was better than grating silence.
“I’ll fetch a musician from the city,” Tristan promised. He didn’t avert his eyes, and even when he blinked, it felt like he was asserting himself. Calmly, slowly. Dark lashes fluttering down as if to say,I’m perfectly safe to lose sight of you, I’m strongenough for that.The candles along the walls were getting low. Austin saw nothing but Tristan.
“What else?” Tristan asked.
“A mirror.”
“I’ll fetch that too.”
“From the city?”
Tristan nodded.
“You don’t have one mirror on this huge estate?”
A conflicted expression flitted across Tristan’s face. For a second, he looked pleased but then quickly didn’t. “I don’t often host.” He seemed reluctant to admit this, the same as he’d seemed pained to admit he didn’t have attendants.
“That,” Austin said, “is obvious.”
Tristan’s eyes shone, and Austin had the impression he wanted to flash his teeth. Austin smiled, sweet and benevolent. “You serve nice wine, though. And I like the attendant you fetched me.” Austin broke eye contact first, but he’d already won, so it was no defeat. “I’m tired.”
“Char has prepared a room for you.”
“I like the one I’m in.”
Tristan’s gaze sharpened, his demeanour shifting. He looked poised to tell Austin no. Austin met his eyes. A second passed, and Tristan inclined his head in assent. “Very well.”
Austin rose from his chair, the pinch in his neck flaring as he moved. He raised his hand without thinking but caught himself before touching the cuts with unwashed fingers.
Tristan’s eyes moved to Austin’s neck as he approached. “Do you need to return to the ocean?” He stopped at arm’s length, his hands shifting through several aborted intentions before finally folding across his chest.
“Why would Ineedthat?” Austin’s top lip curled back. The very next second, he remembered he was talking to a merman. The question very likely hadn’t been an insult indisguise. Pretending he hadn’t just sneered at him, Austin asked, “Do you need to go into the ocean often?”
Austin cast his gaze over him, but it wasn’t until he reached Tristan’s eyes that evidence of his nature was apparent. Blue eyes, ringed in darker blue. It was like catching a predator’s eye out of the corner of his own.
“Once a day,” Tristan answered. “Though my brother can comfortably go weeks without entering the ocean.”
Austin’s head canted to the side. As far as he knew, Adonis, Goldilocks, Bee and Dew predominantly lived in the ocean, only occasionally taking on legs to go on land. And aside from Goldilocks, who acted like the world’s biggest asshole, they acted like wild animals.
Tristan’s gaze returned to Austin’s neck. “I can accompany you to the shore if you’d like?”
With needle precision, Tristan struck the same nerve Liam always hit when he walked on eggshells around Austin. His blood warmed, and he knew his voice would have Liam covering both ears if he’d been within spitting distance when he spoke.
