You Like To Set Sights On The Unattainable, Don't you?

I can't decide if that went well or not.

On the one hand, I think I just impressed the council. On the other, I'm no closer to getting Kassian to spend more time with me. Perhaps at least my little bit of wisdom will get me invited to future meetings?

That's probably far too much to hope for.

Still, I'll need to wait and see how it plays out, and I have other problems to deal with.

After searching everywhere for Tristan, a servant finally directs me to one of the billiards rooms in the palace. Ladies don't usually enter gaming rooms, but I'm not about to let that stop me.

He's of course accompanied by Kastien and Damien.

"Loralie!" Kastien exclaims. "You've sought me out twice in one day. You really are a terrible tease."

"I haven't sought you out at all. I'll remind you I was looking for the king earlier. And now, I'm actually here to see Tristan."

"He's taken, my lady. You really do like to set your sights on the unattainable, don't you?"

"Not at all, though that does seem to be your strategy."

Damien laughs as he applies chalk to his billiards stick.

"She's got you there."

"Why do you need to see me?" Tristan asks as he leans over the table, sizing up the cue ball and its intended trajectory.

"I have an unwanted suitor I want to get rid of."

"Ouch," Damien says on Kastien's behalf.

I roll my eyes. "I'm of course speaking of Lowell Calligaris."

"I thought it was Harris who was giving you trouble," Kastien states.

"Him too. Actually, my plan should rid me of both of them."

Tristan hits the cue ball, and a series of clacks results as other colored balls bounce off one another.

"I'm the wrong person to come to," he says as he stands. "If I knew how to get rid of unwanted attention, I wouldn't be engaged to Melita. But my father has threatened me with disinheritance if I don't comply with his wishes."

"Just tell the king about these fops," Damien says to me. "A threat from the most powerful man in the world is sure to get them to back off."

I absolutely cannot do that. If Kassian confronts Lowell, then Lowell will run his mouth.

"I hope to do this without involving Kassian," I say. "I don't need him fighting my battles for me."

"Want me to challenge him to a duel?" Kastien asks, as he bends over the billiards table for his turn. "This Lowell fellow can't seek your favor if he has a sword stuck in his gut."

"I don't need you fighting my battles, either," I say.

"Then you challenge him to a duel," Kastien says, a smile in his eyes. He rises from his move, and the play goes to Damien.

"I battle with my mind. Not weapons. Which is why I'm here. I need Rhouben to help me put a plan into action."

"I think we just discussed how abysmal I am at getting rid of unwanted attention," Tristan says. "The only thing that works with Melita is hiding, like I'm doing now."

"What if I told you I have a plan to free you from Melita?" Tristan straightens so quickly I hear his back crack. "Are you serious?"

"Very."

"What do you need? Name it and it's yours." He can barely get the words out fast enough.

Kastien and Damien pause the game to listen.

"First, I need you to answer a few questions, if you would?"

"Of course!"

"What does Melita want more than anything else?"

"To marry a rich and handsome man with a higher title than her father, a baron."

"That's why she snagged you at the first opportunity," I realize. "And why she bats her eyelashes at Harris . He has a better title than you."

"And he's far more handsome," Damien puts in unhelpfully.

Tristan reaches over and smacks him.

"Why would your father allow you to marry beneath you?"

I ask, curious.

"He's friends with the baron. They've talked of uniting their families since before I was born." The words come out as a grumble.

"Well, we're prepared to stop that. All we need is to arrange for Harris and Melita to get together," I say.

"How are you going to manage that?" Kastien asks.

"Harris is smitten with you, and I hardly see how that is going to rid you of—Lowell, was it?"

"Yes, for that bit, I'm going to need some money." Tristan leans his billiards stick against the nearest wall.

"You can really get rid of Melita without getting me disinherited?"

I nod.

"How much money do you need?"

Without blinking, I say, "Five thousand necos."

Damien whistles. "That's more than my father makes in a year."

"But not Tristan's father?" I ask.

Tristan doesn't need to think twice about it. "I'll get you the money. Just tell me what else you'll need."

"Invite your father to the palace. I don't care how, just get him here. And in the meantime, you need to play the perfect fiancé, so no one will suspect anything."

Damien turns to his friend, an amused grin on his face. "In that case, he's doomed."