18. Sorcha

Chapter eighteen

My eyes opened to the early morning light filtering into the room. I blinked the sleep away, expecting to find a large body still next to me. When I rolled over, however, I was alone in a cold bed.

I sat up, stretching my arms above my head. Looking around, I found a bowl of oats, berries, and honey sitting on my nightstand. Though I still appreciated the gesture, without him here, it felt empty.

As I ate, my mind drifted back to the previous night. I felt like I couldn't wrap my head around it. I was so sure he hated me. We did flirt, but that was all part of the act, wasn't it?

But after we had such a good time last night, it was like a switch was flipped. It seemed like he was actually interested in me, not just in our charade. But then, I woke up alone this morning. I wasn't sure where that left us, but I planned on following his lead. Just because we hooked up doesn't mean anything changed.

When I finished eating, I got dressed to head out. Zarios and Damyr were already out front, preparing the horses.

"Good morning," Damyr said, noticing my arrival.

"Hello," I greeted .

I looked to Zarios, who met my eyes for a single second before looking away. Okay. I guess that was what we were going to do. Fine—I could pretend nothing happened just as easily as he could.

A few minutes later, Kiaza joined us as well as the rest of the guard and we headed out. The carriage ride was silent and tense, and I couldn't wait to get out.

We arrived to Mertis in the early evening. Mertis was much different than Sobury. It was a coastal town obviously important for imports and exports. The coast was lined ships unloading fish and other goods. The cobblestone clicked loudly beneath the horses, the streets much busier here. Waves rolled up on the beach in the distance, the clear blue water foaming at the top. The salty sea smell was strong, and even in the middle of fall, it was warm and humid.

The carriage finally came to a halt, and we were let out.

"Welcome, Grand Clarak Zarios and his intended," a rust-colored minotaur in front of us called, though he strangely spoke as if it was a joke. He wore a loose white tunic and tanned white pants. The shirt was partially open, showing off his chest and the gold chains he wore underneath.

"Clarak Naram," Zarios greeted with more familiarity than I expected. "It's a pleasure, as always. This is my intended, Sorcha Yulean."

I fought my instinct to bow. "Lovely to meet you. Thank you for hosting us."

The pleasure is all mine," he said, bowing but taking my hand and kissing the back .

A low growl I felt in my bones made me jump and pull my hand away.

Naram only laughed, flipping his wavy long hair out of his face. "Oh, Zar, I'm just greeting our esteemed guest."

I whipped my head to Zarios, who looked like he was about to blow a horn.

"Zar?" I mouthed to him with wide eyes.

He gave me a scowl that told me to drop it, and I had to stop myself from laughing aloud.

"Come," Naram said, turning towards the large castle in front of us. "Let's get you settled."

We followed him through the large corridor. This building was decorated in hues of green and blue. Colored stone covered the floors, and seafoam green wallpaper lined the walls. There were gold chandeliers everywhere with crystals made to look like fish and water droplets. Unlike the other places I'd seen in Valcor, this place was made for show.

"Here are your rooms," Naram said as we approached a few cream-colored doors. "If you need anything, please find me personally." The eye contact he made with me as he said that made me squirm.

Zarios stepped in front of me, blocking my view. "Thank you, Naram. We will."

With another melodious laugh, he disappeared down the hall. Zarios let out an irritated huff and pushed open the door. This room was similar to the one in Sobury, with a small sitting area, a short table, a door leading to a bathroom, and the dreaded large bed. I gulped at the sight. I should have expected it, since it was implied we we're together, but it was such an inconvenience, especially after last night.

Zarios threw down our bags and flopped onto the couch hard. "Everything okay over there, Zar?" I asked with a smile as I sat beside him. I couldn't handle living in the same room with someone with this much tension, and I knew I needed to break it.

The less irritated huff he released told me it was working. "Don't start," he said. "I hate that nickname."

"Ah, but I think it's cute. Makes you seem less big and scary."

His narrow eyes cut to me. "But I am big and scary."

"I don't think so," I said honestly. "I think you're a stubborn ass most of the time, but I wouldn't call you scary."

He looked at me from behind those stupid bangs, hiding his expression. Though I couldn't see his eyes, being under that gaze made my lower belly warm.

I cleared my throat. "What's the plan?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Zarios flopped back against the couch in exasperation. "This will be much more difficult. Mertis is known for their trade, so the paperwork on that is extensive. Looking at records may not be the right way to go."

I considered what he said. "If that's true, then maybe we need to take a different approach."

"Like what?"

I considered. "Walking around, I saw a lot more people around this castle," I said, thinking aloud .

"Yes. Mertis is the one territory with a large court. Because of their trade and their wealth, they care more about material things."

"Maybe that's our opening," I said. "People in court love to gossip. They love the idea of more power. Maybe they'll open up more if they think it will put them ahead."

He thinks for a moment. "That's actually a pretty good plan. We just need to be careful. We can't let anyone know our true intentions."

"Agreed, but I don't think it will be too difficult. As someone trying to gain an understanding of their new kingdom, who is also in line for the throne, I would be the perfect person to talk to."

Zarios smiled, and my heart skipped a beat. "That's genius."

I smiled back, unable to help it. Though I had the knowledge, I'd been ignored any time I tried to offer up any strategic moves. Having him acknowledge me and my ideas felt refreshing.

"We should start tonight," he continued, his mind working. "While we don't have any official plans, Naram loves a good time, and I'm sure something is going on."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Mertis is known for their large balls, but more importantly, their after-parties. If Naram is the same man I knew, I'm sure he has some kind of wild celebration planned."

I considered that. "That could be perfect. I'm sure those guest are the most aware about what he's up to."

"Exactly." It took me a moment to realize he was smiling at me and I was smiling back.

"When does it start?" I asked.

He cleared his throat and looked away. "A few hours."

"Perfect." I guess I was getting ready for a party.

Tonight, I decided on one of the skimpier dresses Lunar gave me, hoping to fit in further. This one was a deep royal blue with thin straps and a low neckline. The slits had gold chains this time, adorned with small pearls. I put a small amount of makeup on and left my hair down, deciding to skip the horns.

Zarios was in a pair of cream-colored pants that contrasted against his black fur, again bare chested. It seemed to be normal for men not to wear shirts here. Naram was the only one I'd seen who did, and he barely wore it.

His eyes perused my body as I approached, the way they always did, but they had a similar heat as last night. "That's a nice color on you," he said.

"Thank you," I said, sure I was blushing .

We headed out, walking in relative silence. We passed the real ballroom and headed to the other side of the of the palace.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Zarios smirked. "You'll see."

He led me down a hall to a discreet-looking room, just like ours. I quirked my brow, but he paid me no mind as he pushed the door open. As he did, we were suddenly surrounded what looked to be another guest room.

"Why are we in another guest room?" I asked.

He sighed. "Would you please have a little faith?"

Though I was skeptical, I followed him to a bookshelf. He pulled down one of the books, and it opened like a latch. When he did, music filled the room, and I gasped in surprise. Inside was what looked to be a large pub, colored Magestone lanterns lining the edges, creating a vibrant atmosphere. There was a large bar in the center with a giant rack of alcohol behind it. People milled about, socializing and moving provocatively on the dance floor.

"Wow," I said, eyes wide. This looked more like Sage's scene than mine, but I'd been dragged through it enough to manage.

"I told you," he said. "Naram is always partying."

"I see." I looked around, trying to gauge where to start. "Any ideas?"

He hummed in thought. "I'm not sure. I must admit, court politics aren't my strength."

I snorted. "I could have guessed that."

He shoved my shoulder lightly. "Aren't we on the same team?"

"Yeah, sure." I continued assessing, but I knew I needed more. "Let's grab a drink."

He led me to the bar and ordered. I was handed a large glass of amber liquid. I shot half of it back in one go.

Zarios eyed me as he sipped on his own. "What?" I asked.

He shrugged. "You just drink very well."

"I train with a bunch of knights who drink daily, and it's better to keep up. I don't need to be perceived as any more different."

I shot the rest back. I wasn't sure why I said that last part. I was going to blame it on the alcohol, not how comfortable I felt with Zarios.

He eyed me for a moment then seemed to let it go. "Don't drink too much. We're here for work, not fun."

I scoffed. "I know that. I'm a good drinker."

I continued scanning the room as we talked. I spotted Naram sitting in the corner, surrounded by a core group. Though they might have better information, it was likely they were too loyal and comfortable in their position of power. No, I needed someone looking to get ahead.

My eyes landed on a minotaur with grey and white spotted fur. She was eyeing the table closely but made no move to join.

"I think I found my mark," I whispered to Zarios.

He nodded. "I'll try to keep Naram busy while you make the rounds. Just try not to draw too much attention. It's bad enough that you're human."

"It means everyone will want to talk to me," I said confidently, refusing to be shaken by his comment .

I ordered another drink before walking towards the table.

"Hello," I said as I approached.

"Oh, hi!" she said cheerily. "You're the Grand Clarak's intended right?"

"The one and only. May I?" I gestured to the seat next to her.

"Of course." I sat down and sipped my drink slowly. I didn't realize I'd had so much already and could feel it getting to me.

"I'm Sorcha," I said.

"Everyone knows that," she said with a smile. "I'm Irena."

"Nice to meet you. Have you been at court long?" I asked, trying to show an interest in her.

"Sort of," she sighed. Her tone was a bit slurred, telling me she was tipsy. "Almost a year, but between you and me, I might leave."

"Why?"

She took another long sip. "I came because my father, who owns Kings Fisher, wanted me and my sister to try to get closer to Naram, always hopeful to move his business forward."

"And it's not working?" I guessed.

"Well, it's working for one of us." She pointed to another female minotaur on the couch close to Naram. She had a similar gray coloring to her sister but kept her hair longer. "Fasmi got in day one."

"I see."

She groaned, hitting her head on the table. "I'm not even interested in Naram, much less in court politics, but because I room with her, I hear everything."

Interesting. "Moons, that must be annoying."

"It is." She slumped down over her drink. "But I won't bore you with the details."

I pulled my chair in a bit closer. "I'd love to know. Since I'm new to the kingdom, I'd like all the help I can get." I made my eyes wide and sincere.

She considered me for a moment, and I waited with bated breath, hoping she wouldn't think anything more of it.

"Really? To be honest, I'm terrible with secrets. I wanted to tell someone, but I didn't want to get my sister in trouble. But you won't tell, right?"

I grinned. "My lips are sealed."

"Great!" She caught the bartender walking by and ordered another drink for us both before slamming hers back. I almost felt bad for her, but I meant what I said, I wouldn't tell a soul unless it had to do with the case.

"So, apparently, Yama, who's Corin's best friend, slept with Corin's father!"

I spit my drink, choking on the mead inside. "What?" I couldn't help it—that was surprising.

"Exactly." She then launched into tales about who was hooking up with who, who was breaking up with who. While it was all interesting, it wasn't what I was looking for. Even still, I listened intently. Not only might she let something else slip, but I found I was genuinely interested in what she had to say .

"What about Naram?" I asked. In everything she'd said, she hadn't mentioned him once.

She looked a bit shy. "I wouldn't want to speak badly about the Clarak."

So there was something? I took my hand in hers. "I don't mean to put you in a bad spot, but I would love to know anything you could tell me. I'll be in this court soon, and I want to know exactly what I'm getting myself into."

She nodded. "I understand that. It can be hard if you don't know everything." She took a deep breath. "I don't hear much bad about Naram. Other than his bedroom pursuits, he seems to be loved by everyone, and he loves the Grand Clarak. They're best friends."

"They are?" I asked. That was new information. Why would Zarios suspect his best friend?

Before she could answer my question, a familiar face appeared behind Irena.

"Clarak Naram," I greeted quickly and loudly to signal he was here.

Irena quickly stopped and turned around. "Clarak Naram," she said with a respectful nod.

"Hello ladies. Having fun?" he asked.

He was now in an open black shirt and a tight pair of green pants. His long hair was still perfectly styled and wavy, falling around his large ivory horns. They curved further in than Zarios', but they seemed to fit him.

"Loads," Irena said. "This party is…great." It was obvious she was lying, even to me.

But Naram didn't say anything, he only let his gaze wander back to me. Unlike Zarios' gaze that made my lower belly heat, his did nothing for me, even though his interest was made clear.

"Irena," he said, finally looking at her. She seemed surprised he even knew her name, much less that he was talking to her. "Would you mind if I borrowed Sorcha for a moment?"

She looked to me, as if confirming I wanted her to go. I was touched by that. We hardly knew each other, but I think if I gave the word, she would say no, even to her Clarak. I offered her a small nod.

"Of course," she said. "I was thinking of heading out anyway."

She stood, brushing off her dress before waving and disappearing.

"Something I can help you with?" I asked.

He leaned against the table, right up in my space. "Just wanted to chat."

I scooted back in my chair as far as possible, but I was fairly trapped. "I don't see what you'd want to discuss with me."

"Many things. Like what you're doing with Zarios."

"Excuse me?" Could he see through our ruse?

"You're just really cute," he said, as if it was a fact. "And Zarios, well…he's a bit, shall we say, harsh. I'm just surprised."

I could feel indignation rise within me. "He's not harsh," I bit out. "Not always," I amended.

Naram's laugh was loud and full. "You sure are feisty for a human. "

"And you are sure bold, hitting on the Grand Clarak's intended."

He shrugged. "I like to take chances." Suddenly, he was much closer, his snout inches from my face. Even though he was very handsome, he again didn't give me the same feeling I got from…

" What are you doing? " a sharp, grumbling voice said from behind me.