Austin considered it, but the signals his body was sending weren’t receptive ones. He scowled.
“You are tired.”
“I’ve been in bed for days!”
“Because you have been unwell. A few more days of rest and—”
“No.” Austin didn’t want to be alone in a room after remembering the many days when he’d gone through exactly the same thing against his will. “I want music and entertainment.”
“You shall have both,” Tristan promised. He set Austin’s feet gently on the ground and stood. “I will be a few minutes.”
Under Tristan’s instruction, the shaded porch was arranged for hosting. A chaise lounge was brought from inside, draped with silky blankets and stuffed with plush cushions. Austin migrated to the more comfortable chair immediately, half reclined as he watched the rest of the space take shape. A centre table was arranged with jugs of fruit juice and a platter of little morsels, a pale blue sheet was hung to catch the breeze where it blew in from the side, three odd, oblong torches were lit thatproduced a scent like tea tree and drove away every hovering bug.
Two musicians finally emerged. A pretty girl clutched a set of pipes and a drum, and next to her, an old man held a guitar in a loose grip. Unlike the white wood that Tristan’s estate was constructed of, the instrument was made from a wood so dark it was nearly black even in the broad daylight. As Austin was studying it, the two musicians bobbed their heads.
“I’m Jaris, and this is Kada,” the old man said in friendly tones, flashing Austin a warm smile. The wrinkles in his face matched the contours of his smile perfectly. “I’ve never had the honour of performing for a siren before; I doubt anyone living has! But I relish the opportunity. What kind of music are you in the mood for?”
As the old musician spoke, Tristan entered the porch. He crossed behind Austin’s chair and, hesitating only a moment, lifted Austin’s feet to set himself beneath them. Austin eyed the merman and the uncomfortable position he’d set himself in. That side of the chair lacked a backrest. Tristan, very intentionally not looking at Austin, rearranged a silk sheet over Austin’s bare feet.
Without removing his gaze from Tristan, Austin answered the musician. “Soft music, I’ve had a headache and don’t want it to come back.” Without looking, he waved at Kada’s drums. “And none of that today.”
“Very well,” Jaris said cheerfully. “And Prince Tristan, Prince Hal asked me to remind you that he’s requested your presence. He insists you go see him tomorrow.” Without waiting for any reply, the musicians set themselves up.
Austin kept his eye fixed on Tristan.
The merman finally relented and met his gaze, the look on his face impish. He expected a reprimand, Austin thought, for being sobold.Rightfully expected it, Austin also thought. Witha sneer, he dug his heels into Tristan’s thigh, then moved his attention to the musicians as they began.
Tristan released a low, pleased hum as though he’d won some sort of victory.
Austin rewarded the merman’s victory by spending the next several hours pretending he didn’t exist.
Chapter Ten
In Tristan’s absence the next day, Eli entertained Austin with gossip of an ongoing love triangle between the head cook Lassie, Captain Inx, and new recruit Reba.
Austin adjusted his position in his chaise lounge, gazing out over the sands where the Troop’s morning training was underway: terraforming. Since early morning, great rocks had arrived behind oxen, and the Troop had been set to hauling them across the shore. The sand was too loose to pull the carts over.
A gritty, uncomfortable feeling resided over Austin. Nothing felt right against his skin. Sounds were too loud, daylight too bright. Connor was still through the Tear, and the distance vexed him like grit beneath the skin. Austin pushed it to the back of his mind, something he had plenty of practice with.
Inx was hauling an obsidian black rock as large as himself down the beach with the help of the avian who’d had his face crushed into the sand the day Austin first saw the Troop. Neither seemed the least bit perturbed that they were hauling heavy rocks across the beach in stifling heat.
“Which one is Reba?” Austin asked.
“Reba’s the avian.” Eli pointed. “He’s hauling that rock with Captain Inx, though I think Inx is doing all the lifting there… Inx really is quite strong, not that it does him much good when he’s sparring with Prince Tristan.”
“He’d have better luck wrestling a whale.”
Eli laughed. “True! Jaris’s voice is gone after performing for the Troop late into the night, but he sent Kada to bed early so she’s fresh. Will I fetch her?”
“She can play the pipes.”
Tristan had told him last night that he would be gone for most of the day, and Austin felt oddly lost without the merman around to antagonise. The staff were no fun at all to unleash his temper on, since even though they were growing used to him, they were clearly all afraid of him. He looked idly across the Troop, thinking.
“I want Lassie to serve me breakfast. And fetch Reba and Inx, I want to see the flips they were learning yesterday.”
Eli’s eyes lit up.
“Right away.” He trotted down the steps leading from porch to sand and took off down the beach at a leisurely lope.
