aren’t even courting her, not really.”
“Actually, I’ll have to agree with Huxley on this one,” I said before grinding my teeth in frustration. “None of you have asked to court me. Besides, we have much more important matters to discuss. Let’s just drop it, please,” I begged.
“You didn’t even ask her?” Jacob yelled while throwing his hands up. “We are totally fucking this up . . . . A woman should be wooed!”
They each began talking over one another. Huxley glared at me like this was my fault. Like I was chaos incarnate, here to ruin him and his family.
Cyler broke the tense discussions going on around me. “Enough! We can talk about all of this later. Let’s eat in the meeting room tonight.”
I was thankful that he promptly changed the subject. On one hand I wanted definite answers, I wanted to know what it was we were all doing. However, there was a darker part within me that didn’t want to deal with my insecurities. I didn’t want to face rejection, or worse, complete exclusion from their family.
We all gathered in the meeting room, and to my surprise, Tallis joined us. Luckily, I tend to cook more than necessary, so I had enough to spare. He looked just as wild and exotic as I remembered, but he lacked the bleeding authority he showed in our last meeting.
“Hello, Agrio,” he said with a smile. He sat down in the chair next to me, patting me on the shoulder. I greeted him back with a friendly smile.
“Ash, would you mind running back into the kitchen and fetching the mustard seasoning, I find it goes great with this dish,” Maverick requested in an even tone, and I happily obliged. Once I had the seasoning and made my way back, I noticed that Jacob had claimed the seat next to Tallis, and there was a newly vacant spot next to Huxley.
Since this was a more formal affair, everyone waited for me to take the first bite, and unlike my first dinner in Dormas, I knew what to expect. I looked around the room with a sly smile as they all stared and slowly, ever so slowly, placed a small bite in my watering mouth. I felt rebellious, but I enjoyed feeling their eyes on me, and wanted to revel in their complete attention for as long as possible.
Once I took my bite, a series of scraping utensils and shuffling plates reverberated around the room, and everyone began eating in silent appreciation. I observed Tallis while he ate and noticed that he was watching the others for social cues. When Maverick sipped his drink, so did he. He held his silverware in a clumsy fashion, and I wondered if he usually ate with his hands and not a fork.
“Well, I guess it’s time to discuss why I’ve called you all here,” Cyler began while wiping grease from the corners of his mouth with an appreciative smile. “I’ve been in communications with the Ethros leaders down south, and they have offered me a deal…one I feel would be foolish to refuse.”
“Ugh,” Tallis groaned. “Ethros is the armpit of the empire. They have the manners and integrity of an X-infected goat.” He snorted and looked around the table, expecting people to laugh at his joke, but none did.
“They have Heat,” Cyler said with stoic intensity.
I gasped in shock. Heat was rod-shaped tubes that shot out blasts of concentrated waves of electric fire. One shot turned its victim to ash on impact. Emperor Lackley outlawed them decades ago, but some provinces had underground means of producing them. To be caught trading or making them was punishable by death.
“Absolutely not,” Maverick said while standing up. “I’ve dedicated my existence to the preservation of life, and we decided long ago that we would not involve ourselves in those sorts of trades.”
“Let me talk, Mav,” Cyler said calmly.
“No, I’m not even entertaining this,” Maverick said again. He started walking towards the exit when Tallis interrupted him.
“A wise man hears all sides before passing judgement, Maverick.”
Maverick froze and turned back around. He gave Tallis a menacing look that made my skin crawl. “There is nothing wise about buying lethal weapons from Ethros,” he said with a growl.
“We need better protection,” Huxley interrupted. He was scooting his food around his plate and had his blue eyes fixed on a singular spot on the table.
“Whatever, Huxley, I’m right and you know it!” Maverick hollered.
“Being right is subjective. Besides, everyone knows that it’s dangerous