might be considerable.
Myac climbed the stairs of the proper residence and knocked at the door, a soft, tentative knock. When it opened, the man standing there glanced over his shoulder at the dark falling outside and scowled. At first glance, he was attractive enough, but the sour expression found a natural home on sharp features framed by meticulously trimmed hair. Irritation radiated from him, and there was anger beneath that, boiling anger, eager to attack the emotions of anyone who dared to press him. Myac got the impression, from the strength and depth of the emotion, that it always lurked there, right below the surface. In only a few seconds, he understood a whole lot more about why Indigo left this man and why she was hiding away in her own city.
“Lord Jayce Sendir?”
A puzzled frown curved his lips and he narrowed his eyes. “Do I know you?”
“Pardon me. I was actually looking for your fiancée, Lady Indigo Milan.”
Rage. A surge of pure, white-hot rage blazed forth as Jayce’s hand tightened on the edge of the door and he recoiled a bit as though accosted by a sudden foul odor. Myac pulled ascard in around himself, managing to muster the outward appearance of concern and some uncertainty while he prepared a few precautionary defenses.
Jayce clenched his jaw, taking control of himself. The young lord balanced on the knife-edge of a quick, dangerous temper. It was more than likely that he’d taken his temper out on Indigo in a physical way Myac realized, his jaw clenching with an unexpected surge of antipathy toward the man before him.
And why does that thought bother you so much?
He shoved the question aside, focusing on the task at hand and carefully controlling his expression.
“Indigo left,” Jayce stated, his tone frigid as a wind coming off the glaciers on Mount Serst in the heart of winter.
Myac manufactured an expression of surprise. “Oh. I’m terribly sorry. I haven’t spoken to her in about a year. I didn’t realize…”
Jayce regarded him for a minute, resentment warring with a jealous curiosity in his eyes. Eventually, curiosity won. “How do you know her?”
“I knew her before she joined the academy. We were close friends for a long time.” The jealousy flared again and Myac had to fight back a smile. It was so easy to bait him. “I’m Lord Edan Lindis.” He offered his hand when the silence lengthened.
Jayce’s eyes narrowed more. “She never mentioned you.”
Myac let his hand sink back to his side and picked at one sleeve, making a show of looking disappointed.
Jayce nodded as though he’d expected the response, and then he nodded again, more firmly this time. “Care for a drink, Lord Edan?” He stepped back to allow entry.
Hesitating, Myac lingered on the doorstep in apparent thoughtful silence so as not to look too eager, and then he shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
Myac followed him inside. It was one of the more upscale residences in the district, more than adequate for an active student of any status who wanted to be near their place of study. It was also painfully unkempt, something he suspected was a recent development. He couldn’t see Indigo living in such disarray. Jayce had to move a jacket, a longbow, and a quiver of arrows to make a place for Myac to sit. Hiding his disgust, he sat on the chair, a nice, comfortable piece made ugly with lack of cleaning. Jayce vanished and returned a moment later carrying two clay mugs of some rank-smelling alcohol. As he lifted the mug to his lips, Myac used a touch of creation skill to turn it into a complex wine more suited to his tastes, careful to mask the altered aroma.
Jayce sat in another chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his posture aggressive and demanding. Hazel eyes stabbed into Myac, hungering for something, perhaps a justification for the vile jealousy that coursed through him. It was a poison, that jealousy, and it was apt to kill him someday, hopefully sooner rather
Myac climbed the stairs of the proper residence and knocked at the door, a soft, tentative knock. When it opened, the man standing there glanced over his shoulder at the dark falling outside and scowled. At first glance, he was attractive enough, but the sour expression found a natural home on sharp features framed by meticulously trimmed hair. Irritation radiated from him, and there was anger beneath that, boiling anger, eager to attack the emotions of anyone who dared to press him. Myac got the impression, from the strength and depth of the emotion, that it always lurked there, right below the surface. In only a few seconds, he understood a whole lot more about why Indigo left this man and why she was hiding away in her own city.
“Lord Jayce Sendir?”
A puzzled frown curved his lips and he narrowed his eyes. “Do I know you?”
“Pardon me. I was actually looking for your fiancée, Lady Indigo Milan.”
Rage. A surge of pure, white-hot rage blazed forth as Jayce’s hand tightened on the edge of the door and he recoiled a bit as though accosted by a sudden foul odor. Myac pulled ascard in around himself, managing to muster the outward appearance of concern and some uncertainty while he prepared a few precautionary defenses.
Jayce clenched his jaw, taking control of himself. The young lord balanced on the knife-edge of a quick, dangerous temper. It was more than likely that he’d taken his temper out on Indigo in a physical way Myac realized, his jaw clenching with an unexpected surge of antipathy toward the man before him.
And why does that thought bother you so much?
He shoved the question aside, focusing on the task at hand and carefully controlling his expression.
“Indigo left,” Jayce stated, his tone frigid as a wind coming off the glaciers on Mount Serst in the heart of winter.
Myac manufactured an expression of surprise. “Oh. I’m terribly sorry. I haven’t spoken to her in about a year. I didn’t realize…”
Jayce regarded him for a minute, resentment warring with a jealous curiosity in his eyes. Eventually, curiosity won. “How do you know her?”
“I knew her before she joined the academy. We were close friends for a long time.” The jealousy flared again and Myac had to fight back a smile. It was so easy to bait him. “I’m Lord Edan Lindis.” He offered his hand when the silence lengthened.
Jayce’s eyes narrowed more. “She never mentioned you.”
Myac let his hand sink back to his side and picked at one sleeve, making a show of looking disappointed.
Jayce nodded as though he’d expected the response, and then he nodded again, more firmly this time. “Care for a drink, Lord Edan?” He stepped back to allow entry.
Hesitating, Myac lingered on the doorstep in apparent thoughtful silence so as not to look too eager, and then he shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
Myac followed him inside. It was one of the more upscale residences in the district, more than adequate for an active student of any status who wanted to be near their place of study. It was also painfully unkempt, something he suspected was a recent development. He couldn’t see Indigo living in such disarray. Jayce had to move a jacket, a longbow, and a quiver of arrows to make a place for Myac to sit. Hiding his disgust, he sat on the chair, a nice, comfortable piece made ugly with lack of cleaning. Jayce vanished and returned a moment later carrying two clay mugs of some rank-smelling alcohol. As he lifted the mug to his lips, Myac used a touch of creation skill to turn it into a complex wine more suited to his tastes, careful to mask the altered aroma.
Jayce sat in another chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, his posture aggressive and demanding. Hazel eyes stabbed into Myac, hungering for something, perhaps a justification for the vile jealousy that coursed through him. It was a poison, that jealousy, and it was apt to kill him someday, hopefully sooner rather
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