Read Online The Onyx Vial (Shadows of The Nine Book 1) by Alexis Lampley - Free Book Online
Authors: Alexis Lampley
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the sounds of chewing, and the voice spewing questions in Ariana's head.
Then Grant started comparing his Master Studies schedule with Wil's.
Instantly, the spell her mother's discomfort had put over Ariana was broken, and she gawked at them.
Perry set his fork down to add his opinion, which sent Finn on a tangent that fueled a debate that spread to the rest of the table. The only ones not joining in were Hunter, Madame Emory, and herself. Tehya, though commenting, kept glancing at Ariana every time she spoke and flashing her an apologetic smile, followed by an awkward side-eye at Madame Emory.
Ariana was too confused to care, for the moment, that the whole table was rubbing salt in her wound. She looked at Hunter. What were they thinking, talking about Ruekridge in front of him?
“Dilyn,” she whispered, her tone angry and warning.
He turned to her, his mouth so full his cheeks bulged. He titled his head and widened his eyes.
She spoke through clenched teeth. “Shouldn't we pick our topics more... carefully ?” She jerked her head in Hunter's direction.
Dilyn swallowed. “Relax, Ariana,” he said with an assuring nod, his head bobbing like a bird's. “Hunter knows about Ruekridge.”
She jerked her head back, incredulous. “He does?”
“Yeah, apparently he's a season late and didn't even know it."
She looked at Hunter again.
"I like that you —I mean, we—start school during the quarter of our Nameday. But I'm not so sure about the school year-round part," he was saying.
Perry shrugged. "It's not bad. At least it's safe from Recruiters."
"And Huntsmen in general," Dilyn added.
Hunter's eyes slid to Ariana at the mention of Huntsmen. But the look he gave her was still like he felt sorry for her. She glared at him, confusion and distrust making her angry. How did he have everyone else fooled?
Finn suddenly got louder, forcing Ariana's mind to join his conversation.
“Without Race Studies, how would we accurately determine the lineages that appear in our race marks?”
“Your entire argument is based on the assumption that anyone cares ,” Grant answered.
“Of course they care,” Finn said.
Perry turned to Hunter. “I still can't believe you fell asleep in the middle of our game,” he snickered.
Ariana was thankful for the second subject. Finn could get tedious quickly without another conversation to listen to.
Hunter blushed and shrugged his shoulders. “I was more tired than I realized,” he said, laughing easily.
“Traveling will do that to you,” Dilyn added.
"You fell asleep?" Ariana couldn't help but ask. "How long was I upstairs?"
Dilyn laughed.
Hunter's cheeks colored slightly. "It just sort of hit me. I had a busy day." He shot her a meaningful look. She didn't want to commiserate with him, but she did understand.
“At least it was entertaining,” Perry said, taking a swig of his juice. “Sleep conversations are the best.”
Hunter's hand slowed to a stop. His forkful of potato hovered in front of his open mouth. He stared at Perry for a beat, his eyes wide, then he blinked and set his fork down. “I... was talking in my sleep?”
Perry's broad grin accompanied his nod. “Oh yeah.”
The crease on Hunter's brows deepened. “What did you hear? I mean, what was I saying?”
“Finn,” Wil sighed. “You're saying that evil is born, not made. But if—”
“That's because it is ,” Finn said.
“But if that were the case, then you still wouldn't find an indicator in the race marks.”
“Something about family loyalties, and a man who had answers,” Perry was saying. “And sons who make everything make sense.”
Ariana straightened, her curiosity at full force. A dream wasn't all that intriguing, but a dream that was making Hunter go suddenly quiet and formal? That was another thing entirely. She glanced at her mother. Madame Emory appeared to be fully engaged in the conversation between Finn and Grant, but she couldn't help feeling like her mother was
Then Grant started comparing his Master Studies schedule with Wil's.
Instantly, the spell her mother's discomfort had put over Ariana was broken, and she gawked at them.
Perry set his fork down to add his opinion, which sent Finn on a tangent that fueled a debate that spread to the rest of the table. The only ones not joining in were Hunter, Madame Emory, and herself. Tehya, though commenting, kept glancing at Ariana every time she spoke and flashing her an apologetic smile, followed by an awkward side-eye at Madame Emory.
Ariana was too confused to care, for the moment, that the whole table was rubbing salt in her wound. She looked at Hunter. What were they thinking, talking about Ruekridge in front of him?
“Dilyn,” she whispered, her tone angry and warning.
He turned to her, his mouth so full his cheeks bulged. He titled his head and widened his eyes.
She spoke through clenched teeth. “Shouldn't we pick our topics more... carefully ?” She jerked her head in Hunter's direction.
Dilyn swallowed. “Relax, Ariana,” he said with an assuring nod, his head bobbing like a bird's. “Hunter knows about Ruekridge.”
She jerked her head back, incredulous. “He does?”
“Yeah, apparently he's a season late and didn't even know it."
She looked at Hunter again.
"I like that you —I mean, we—start school during the quarter of our Nameday. But I'm not so sure about the school year-round part," he was saying.
Perry shrugged. "It's not bad. At least it's safe from Recruiters."
"And Huntsmen in general," Dilyn added.
Hunter's eyes slid to Ariana at the mention of Huntsmen. But the look he gave her was still like he felt sorry for her. She glared at him, confusion and distrust making her angry. How did he have everyone else fooled?
Finn suddenly got louder, forcing Ariana's mind to join his conversation.
“Without Race Studies, how would we accurately determine the lineages that appear in our race marks?”
“Your entire argument is based on the assumption that anyone cares ,” Grant answered.
“Of course they care,” Finn said.
Perry turned to Hunter. “I still can't believe you fell asleep in the middle of our game,” he snickered.
Ariana was thankful for the second subject. Finn could get tedious quickly without another conversation to listen to.
Hunter blushed and shrugged his shoulders. “I was more tired than I realized,” he said, laughing easily.
“Traveling will do that to you,” Dilyn added.
"You fell asleep?" Ariana couldn't help but ask. "How long was I upstairs?"
Dilyn laughed.
Hunter's cheeks colored slightly. "It just sort of hit me. I had a busy day." He shot her a meaningful look. She didn't want to commiserate with him, but she did understand.
“At least it was entertaining,” Perry said, taking a swig of his juice. “Sleep conversations are the best.”
Hunter's hand slowed to a stop. His forkful of potato hovered in front of his open mouth. He stared at Perry for a beat, his eyes wide, then he blinked and set his fork down. “I... was talking in my sleep?”
Perry's broad grin accompanied his nod. “Oh yeah.”
The crease on Hunter's brows deepened. “What did you hear? I mean, what was I saying?”
“Finn,” Wil sighed. “You're saying that evil is born, not made. But if—”
“That's because it is ,” Finn said.
“But if that were the case, then you still wouldn't find an indicator in the race marks.”
“Something about family loyalties, and a man who had answers,” Perry was saying. “And sons who make everything make sense.”
Ariana straightened, her curiosity at full force. A dream wasn't all that intriguing, but a dream that was making Hunter go suddenly quiet and formal? That was another thing entirely. She glanced at her mother. Madame Emory appeared to be fully engaged in the conversation between Finn and Grant, but she couldn't help feeling like her mother was
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