Page 32 of Tangled Sails

Chapter ten

LYRIELLE

“Tav!” someone shouted.

I looked up to see a gentleman stride into the dining hall. His arms were open as he approached Tavric, who immediately stood. This must have been one of his brothers, another prince of Islewyn.

“You’re home,” Tavric said as he embraced the man in a crushing hug.

“Of course,” the man said as he pulled back and squeezed Tavric’s shoulder. “It was time.”

“It’s good to see you,” Tavric said, and I could hear the lump in his throat. “Oh.” He suddenly turned and gestured to me. “Lyrielle, this is my brother, Kavian.”

Caught off guard, I only nodded, and then had to wonder if I should have stood and curtsied. Probably.

“Ah, yes,” Prince Kavian said as he raised his brow and swept his eyes over me. “Mama said we had a…guest.”

He didn’t like me. I didn’t know how I knew that, but it was perfectly clear, just like it was clear that much of the castle staff didn’t like me.

Kavian gave me one last narrow-eyed look, then turned back to Tavric, effectively cutting me out of the conversation altogether. “Collecting trinkets from the ocean again, are you?”

Before I could shrink down into my chair, Tavric’s hand shot out and smacked his brother high on his chest. “Apologize,” he said in a dark tone.

I was speechless. Was he angry at his brother on my behalf?

Kavian shrugged away from him. “For what? I didn’t say anything.”

“Lyrielle is a guest in our home, and calling her a trinket is insulting.”

My eyes burned with sudden emotion.

Kavian put his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean it that way,” he said, and yet he still didn’t bother to apologize or acknowledge my presence further.

Tavric gave him a look of disgust and pushed past him. “Never mind.” He walked over to me and held out a hand. “Let’s go.”

I hadn’t quite finished eating, but I grabbed the remaining half of my biscuit and let him pull me to my feet and hurry us toward the door.

“Tav, come on, I didn’t mean anything by it,” Kavian said as we passed.

Tavric ignored him, and we’d almost made it to the door when the queen appeared and blocked our way.

“There you all are,” she said with a satisfied smile. “Kavian, I see you’ve met Lyrielle.”

“Yes, a pleasure,” Prince Kavian said in a much more polite tone than he had afforded me before.

“It’s been such a treat to have her. And did she show you her necklace? It’s a fascinating piece.”

Tavric looked at the ceiling with a huff, but both the prince and I regarded her in confusion. What did my necklace have to do with anything?

Prince Kavian looked at me, curious and expectant. I didn’t know if he actually wanted to know or if he was just humoring his mother.

“I…” All the attention was uncomfortable and I felt my shoulders roll forward. “It’s nothing special. Just…” I pulled it out from my bodice with my free hand and took one step closer to the younger prince so he could see. Might as well get this over with and get out of here. This was my first time meeting Kavian, and his hostility toward me was making my stomach clench.

Prince Kavian stepped forward and gave my necklace a polite glance, but then his eyes widened and he gave the queen a very meaningful look before turning and giving Tavric that same look.

My eyes jumped from one family member to another. Tavric looked annoyed, the queen smug, and his brother incredulous.

“It was a gift from my mother,” I said to fill the silence.