The Garnet Hall roared with life, a den of noblemen cloaked in silk and smoke. Tankards clinked. Coin purses exchanged hands. Somewhere in the center ring, two brawny men grappled in a vicious wrestling match while a crowd jeered and cheered in equal measure. Around the edges, lords reclined with the women they'd brought, some whispered sweet nothings, others less innocent.
Ava sat quietly at the far end, her face partially hidden beneath the hood of a dark cloak. Her fingers cradled a silver cup as she watched or seemed to watch the fight.
"You sure you're alright?" Aisha asked, slipping onto the stool beside her.
Ava didn't answer. She merely offered a short nod, her eyes never moving from the pit.
"I can see you're not much for conversation," Aisha said, resting her chin in her hand. "But at least you'll keep me company. Better than being pulled into some ridiculous wager over chicken feathers and male pride."
Still, Ava remained quiet. Her mind wandered far beyond the hall, her thoughts locked behind a veil of silence.
"You always watch the wrestling," Aisha added, following Ava's gaze. "Do you actually enjoy it?"
But Ava said nothing. She stared at the match, though her mind wasn't there. Not really. The cheering, the violence, the coin tossed midair, it all blurred like smoke in a breeze.
At last, she downed the last of her drink, placed a single coin on the table, and rose to her feet.
"She's gone?" Kael asked as he joined his wife, pressing a kiss to her temple.
Aisha nodded. "She didn't say a word. Just left, as she always does."
"She's a watcher," Aisha continued, her voice soft. "Not one for noise or games. She keeps her thoughts to herself."
Kael glanced toward the door where Ava had vanished and smiled faintly. "Then let her be."
Across the hall, the doors flung open as Sophia Patel entered, her arm linked with Lord Caspian's. Heads turned, as they often did when Sophia arrived. But her eyes were scanning the crowd, narrowing as they landed on a lone figure slipping into the shadows.
"Did I just…" she murmured, half to herself.
"What's that?" Lord Caspian turned to her.
Sophia quickly smiled and shook her head. "Nothing. Thought I saw someone, but I must've imagined it."
Then her face lit up as she spotted familiar figures.
"Kael!" she called, waving.
Kael and Aisha turned at the sound of her voice, greeting her with warm smiles as they made their way over.
"Ready for your big game tonight?" Aisha asked with a knowing grin.
Sophia lifted her chin proudly. "Always. I intend to leave those Lords penniless and thoroughly entertained."
Lord Caspian chuckled. "This place is far livelier than I imagined."
"Quite the crowd tonight," Sophia said, then turned to Kael with a glint in her eyes. "Tell me, are my roosters prepared for battle?"
Kael smirked. "You bet they are. They're more than ready."
Sophia clapped her hands together. "Perfect. Let the games begin."
As the match bell tolled and the crowd surged forward, none of them noticed the cloaked figure slipping out into the night, her secrets still tightly held and her destination unknown.