Chapter 237

“I was wondering when you would grace us with your presence.”

Evander was a fair-skinned boy with black hair. He was average height for a man, which meant he stood half a foot taller than Rosalie. Despite that, it seemed like Rosalie was looking down on him as she leveled a cold expression toward the newcomer.

Zinnia, presumably the woman to his right, also had a head of black hair. There was a similarity in their faces that told Zoey with total certainty they were siblings. The resemblance was striking.

“Mm. I found myself in no hurry to return,” Rosalie said calmly, icy blue eyes surveying her two visitors. “I was busy progressing. You two understand, I’m sure. To some extent,” she added with a doubtful look.

Zoey’s eyebrows went up even as Evander and Zinnia’s expressions soured further. What was going on here? They obviously weren’t friends, not even the conditional ones Rosalie had mentioned.

“And these are the mysterious teammates?” Evander asked. His attention settled on each of them in turn, but only briefly. There was nothing but disdain on his face. “Interesting ... choices.”

“The fuck does that mean?” Delta asked.

Where Honor had been hostile, she hadn’t come off as—well, an enemy of Rosalie’s. Zoey was pretty sure Honor had just been venting frustration. Not all that dissimilar from how Delta might have acted in her situation, honestly.

These two? It didn’t take a genius to recognize the dynamic between Evander and Rosalie.

“Merely that I’m surprised by Lady d’Celestin’s selection of teammates,” Evander said calmly. “I mean, pray tell, what are your credentials? No one has heard of you.”

“Credentials?” Delta threw a thumb over her shoulder. “Wanna step in with me? I can shove my foot up your ass. How would that be, for credentials?”

Evander blinked. He clearly wasn’t used to retorts like that. His and Rosalie’s exchanges had been blatantly unfriendly, but there was a veneer of politeness and plausible deniability in how their words could be interpreted. She got the impression that such words were as overtly rude as high nobility would get with each other. Barring extreme circumstances, a conversation would never devolve slinging outright insults. That would be beneath them. Or too risky, especially in a conversation with someone who had the surname d’Celestin.

Rosalie sighed. She gave a briefly pleading look to Zoey. Control that woman, please, it said.

Zoey settled a hand on Delta’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“Could you, now?” Evander asked, finding his bearings. “I find myself doubtful.”

“Stop antagonizing my teammates, Evander,” Rosalie said.

“Antagonizing? I was merely inquiring about her. After all, to suddenly insert herself into the prodigious Rosalie d’Celestin’s team? She must be very impressive.”

Rosalie spoke before Delta had a chance to. Thankfully, Delta was also holding her tongue, prompted by Zoey’s hand on her shoulder, though she didn’t seem happy about it.

“I’m more than capable of selecting competent teammates. “Or are you casting aspersions on my judgment? Perhaps questioning what caliber wayfarer I find acceptable?” Before he could snarkily reply to that, either, Rosalie continued. “You know, Evander, I would adore a match with you. Like old times. Hm. But perhaps Zinnia should join you as well? I’m afraid you might not offer as much a challenge as you once did.”

By the expressions on both Evander and Zinnia’s faces, like they’d swallowed lemons, Rosalie had done the equivalent of slapping them in their faces.

“Both of us?” Zinnia asked. “Against just you?”

“We have three months advantage on you, Rosalie,” Evander said. “And you think you can beat both of us? Isn’t that arrogant?”

It seemed even the veneer of politeness was slipping.

“It would be, if I lost,” Rosalie said mildly. “But it’s a simple offer for a duel, no need to become so upset.” She inclined her head. “I understand if you decline. You have a reputation to maintain.”

His face went red. “I accept,” he all but spat. “As does Zinnia.”

The girl seemed more apprehensive, but just as angry. That meant she at least had some sense in her. Surely they recognized if Rosalie was so confident, that something was up? That she thought she would win. Maybe they thought that an impossibility, considering it would be a two-on-one and that they were at least third or fourth advancement.

With no further barbed words, the three departed for the arena—the one Zoey and company had just been using.

Zoey found it amusing yet another fight had started. She supposed in this kind of strength-focused society, most disputes would be solved with duels.

“What was that about?” Delta asked, frowning as the combatants set up on their respective sides. “More people bitchy they didn’t get to be on blondie’s team?”

Honor eyed Delta, but saw that Delta’s question hadn’t been snidely directed at her. Delta didn’t even notice the look.

“Oh,” Cordelia said. “In this instance, no, actually. The Talbot siblings were never interested in joining Rosalie’s party.” She paused. “Or, knew from the outset they would never be offered one. Their family’s rivalry goes back more than a single generation. From before Rosalie’s time.”