Tristitia by Colette Rhodes EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
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- Author: Colette Rhodes
- Language: English
- Genre: Fantasy Romance
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LEVANA
SEVEN YEARS LATER
I hated these things.
The fire in the middle of the clearing reeked of burning herbs, and the
Shades nearby reeked of cheap wine. It was meant to be a bonding
experience among the palace staff and the members of the Guard who
weren’t celebrating with their own families, but I was mostly overwhelmed.
Crowds were a lot more comfortable when I had something to do. A job.
Someone or something to guard.
Socializing was an entirely different beast.
“Drink with us, Levana!” Andrus called, holding up his goblet in a toast,
wine sloshing over the sides onto the dry dirt. “I don’t think I’ve seen you
have one drink yet.”
“Because it smells undrinkable,” I mumbled.
“Pah! What a snob,” he laughed, making me bristle. Andrus had been
trying to get into my bed for years, having singled me out as a Shade of
equivalent social standing and possibly worth impregnating.
My family would probably approve, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Andrus was just so obnoxious.
“Calm down, Blue,” a gruff voice from behind me drawled. “Here. I
brought the good stuff.”
Calix, the palace’s head cook, pressed an open bottle of fine vintage into
my hand, watching me expectantly.
“Blue?” I held his gaze as I took a swig, more to get everyone off my case
than anything else.
He grunted, not bothering to acknowledge the obvious—the eyes that
marked me as something of an oddity, a darker color than most Shades
possessed. The only thing I’d inherited from my mother.
“Good?” he asked. If it had been anyone else, I would have thought the
question was asked purely out of politeness. A meaningless throwaway,
meant to make small talk and nothing else.
But Calix wasn’t known for either politeness or small talk. And he
probably did care how the wine tasted. As far as I could tell, flavor was the
only thing he was interested in.
I’d always admired that about him, though I barely even admitted that to
myself. There was something very compelling about seeing someone who
was unashamedly passionate about what they enjoyed.
It had made Calix something of a fascination of mine since he’d come to
work at the palace, though I did my best to ignore it. Any day here at court
could be my last. I couldn’t afford fascinations.
“Yes, it’s good. Thank you.”
He gestured for me to have more, but I shook my head, passing the bottle
back. Perhaps I could leave now. I’d made an appearance. Verner was the
only other member of the Guard whose company I enjoyed. He was the
closest thing I had to a childhood friend, having grown up not far from
Erith. My father didn’t invite guests onto the property, but I’d met Verner a
few times at local festivals over the years.
He’d wisely skipped this event entirely.
“Leaving so soon?” Calix asked, taking a swig of wine and giving me a
challenging look. “The party just started.”
“I’m not much for parties.”
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