Alabaster Cities (Kings and Thieves Book #2)

Chapter 6

**Hiii everyone!! For those of you who were expecting Saturday's chapter, sorry I was in LA. But I'm back and totally on schedule! (sort of). It is so late here but I had to get this up. So I'm going to sleep now lol. Ily**

Chapter 6

After the Queen gave them their assignment, the days passed quickly.

Ari was keyed up; itching to get out of Apreuna and do something. He hadn't really sailed in weeks. They made little day trips to the isles sometimes, but Ari longed to be on the open sea, with miles and miles of nothing around but the fathomless mysteries of the ocean.

Aveline would say he was being ridiculous- that the ocean wasn't a mystery; it was only gloomy and dark and frigid. Then Ari would ask her why she lived on a pirate ship if she hated the water so much, and then she would probably insult his intellect, or something, and then Lyla would interrupt to ask when they were having lunch.

At least, that seemed the most likely scenario, based on their past conversations. But that wasn't even the point— Ari was ready to leave. Bottom line.

So much so, in fact, that he'd almost forgotten about the horse race debacle (almost). Ari had been to the stables every morning to check in on the mounts; they seemed to be getting better every day, no further issues. Ari suspected Henry was getting attached; he fed them apples when he thought no one else was looking.

They were set to leave during the full moon the following week, after Prince Tristran's prodigal son party, or whatever. Queen Rowena was throwing a ball. Which Ari was not looking forward to- Tristran wasn't even that great. He complained about everything, first of all... Ari had no idea how Ben put up with him.

"The same way we put up with you," Aveline had teased when he'd mentioned this to her.

Ari refused to let himself think about the other reason he wanted to leave.

It wasn't any secret that Jamie would be returning with her brother. It didn't matter, anyway, Ari had more important things to worry about. Like the Verignes assignment— whatever was going on there.

Or the fact that Ari's white cravat was itching him terribly, and that he wasn't in the mood for another ball.

He'd tried to sleep before Prince Tristran's homecoming celebration tonight. Ari didn't sleep well at night here. He never felt quite safe in the palace (really, the only place he really felt safe was his ship). The beds here were so plush and squishy, Ari always thought the mattress was going to swallow him whole.

"Would you stop primping?" Aveline's amused voice floated towards him from the doorway. "You have to escort us to the ballroom."

Ari turned around. Aveline and Lyla were both wearing evening gowns- Aveline in cream silk edged in lace, and Lyla in a pale green, like rosebud leaves- and had their arms linked together.

"Lovely," Ari commented blankly- whether in automatic regards to their dresses or as a sarcastic response to Aveline, he wasn't even sure. They could take it whichever way they wanted. Truth be told, he was feeling a little disoriented. He'd spent most of the day in the kitchen, conversing with the old server women and eating. (The nobles thought it was strange that he didn't particularly like socializing with them at events. But Ari had discovered quickly from living in Apreuna that instead turning his attention to befriending the palace cooks earned him unlimited amounts of extra food, whenever he wanted. So who was the real winner here?)

Ari wedged himself in between Aveline and Lyla and they both fastened their hands around his biceps as they left Ari's room.

"We're supposed to meet Inez and Henry before the ball," Aveline reminded them as they walked. She'd threaded ivory ribbons through her ringlets, and kept pulling on them to keep her hand busy.