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She shrugged, “For keeping you from caving in that guy’s head.” She finally looked at him curiously. “I swear back in Veil City nothing bothered you, but that Tillon asshole says one thing and you look like you want to tear his head off.”
Castian shrugged, “Men like him are the reason I ended up in the bowels.”
She didn’t say anything for a long while. When they finally reached the end of the garden she said, “I don’t know if this means anything, but…I don’t hate the jackals because of the Bowels.”
He laughed, his blue eyes turning brown.
“I’m not joking,” she said, facing him seriously. “I know how fucked up the council is, and if you told me that you’d been imprisoned under false pretenses I’d believe you. And I’m not exactly a person who can judge others for their past.”
Castian lost his smile, his expression became just as serious. “You’re right, but that doesn’t mean I don’t judge myself. I am not someone who can feign innocents. I deserve all the condemnation I receive for my crimes.”
She nodded. “That’s fine, too, just don’t think I hate you because of that. I have a plethora of other reasons to hate you, first and foremost you’re a narcissist," she said this as she walked away to greet the other woman.
Castian watched her go and instead of following her he pulled the key out of his pocket and muttered. “At least you know you should hate me.”
Turning he left the edge of the garden, and headed for the front once more. He’d find out just what his brother was hiding in the underground.
OYE
Oye wasn’t sure why she felt the need to tell Castian she didn’t hate him.
She took another bite of her bitter chocolate cake; Tabitha had shoved into her hands. The women had all had time to change, while she’d been stuck wearing the same soft pink dress. Not that she was complaining. Changing a thousand times was Lanias thing, shit she wished that witch had been the one to come.
Lanias would have fit in with this crowd way better.
Looking around Oye could see Arwin hadn’t been lying when he said more people would be coming. There were nearly twenty more people she hadn’t met on the first day. They all hung around the large garden in small groups talking about things that Oye had lost the patience to listen in on.
Castian had abandoned her once again, and she swore the next time she saw him she’d stab him in the thigh close enough to his balls to make him panic.
“It seems we are of the same mind,” Jina said as she came to Oye’s side, “I don’t think I can take another rendition of finding the perfect dress for this or that event.”
Oye nodded, “I figured keeping to the corners would protect me from all that mindless chatter.”
Jina gave her a side eye, “Tabitha was right, you’re not Torik’s usual fare.”
“And what is his usual fare?” Oye asked, seeing as the woman didn’t look like she would be leaving her alone any time soon. Oye easily switched out her empty plate for another one that held a lemon glazed cake decorated with a cute, candied tart atop it. She could at least enjoy the deserts here.
“Empty headed, long limbed and often the complete opposite of Tabitha,” Jina answered honestly.
“Wow, you didn’t hold back at all,” Oye said. “I felt there was something to her haggling me when I first arrived,” she added before taking another bite of her cake.
“Well, she can’t help it, she’s always been in love with him since they were children,” Jina explained as she took a sip of some clear stuff Oye was sure wasn’t a part of the menu for this tea and cake function. “Torik has always used it to his advantage like his current commercial contract with Renson’s main company. He’s always been a leach using her. A lower caste clinging to her pockets.”
“Mhmm,” Oye said slowly, feeling sad her cake was swiftly disappearing. She had to get the recipe; the children would love this. “You don’t like him, and you love her.”
Jina stiffened. “What did you say?”
Oye shrugged. “I’m not judging or anything, I mean I don’t even know how long we’ll last," she said and set her now empty plate onto the server’s tray, and she turned to face the other woman. “So, don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
Jina’s expression changed as she seemed to go through a swift calculation. Oye’s expression remained calm. “I see.” She took another sip of her drink, “Then you would also notice he’s behaving completely different from his usual leech-like behavior.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” she said, giving a cursory look around the party. “He’s always been the way he is now with me.”
Oye knew she wasn’t saying anything really, but if Jina had noticed a change in Torik’s behavior, then others must have noticed it too. She needed to find Castian and warn him.
“Well, Tabitha thinks it’s you,” Jina said, recapturing Oye’s attention. “When he looks at you, it’s like he changes. His entire playboy persona melts away.”
“You’re kidding,” Oye said with a soft laugh, as she snatched up a double stuffed chocolate chip cookie from another passing server. The filling was vanilla ice cream, score. If Jina knew who Torick really was she wouldn’t be making such claims.
