“Why?”
Pura shrugged, nodding in the direction of the young man. “Don Enrique couldn’t even be bothered to attend. He sent his brother. I’ve heard tales that he’s ill, and weird.”
Eva watched the young man, inspecting his mannerisms, how he gently tipped his head and smiled so politely at the people who greeted him and marveled at his antlers. People said Eva was weird, too, but that didn’t make it true. She listened to the wind and to the earth, and she noticed when darkness slithered. She could see iridio and could summon litio as naturally as she could work her calligraphy. For this, people called her weird. But he was valco, and she was valco. So maybe what humans saw as weird was normal in them.
As much as she wanted, she couldn’t cross the patio and introduce herself. For as soon as she attempted to, every pair of eyes would turn to them, including her grandmother’s.
Thankfully for Eva, Do?a Antonia had been too busy butterflying around the patio and greeting families to care much about her. At the present moment, Do?a Antonia was at the Silva table, exchanging gossip with the queen mother that got juicier by the moment, if her exaggerated eyebrow raising was an indication at all. Then the big-boned queen said something that made Do?a Antonia shoot a glance at her granddaughter, nodding, and Eva knew her peace was about to be over.
Beside Do?a Antonia sat two young men dressed in beige high-necked liqui liqui jackets. One sat whispering to the young woman sitting next to him, and the other young man shot Eva furtive glances, which she only interpreted as him already knowing about the matriarchs’ arrangements. He glanced at her; she looked away; she looked back and caught Do?a Antonia’s raised-eyebrow gaze on her. It wasn’t a choice anymore. It was a command. She downed the last two gulps of her mora wine and straightened her skirts before heading to their table.
The staring man stood up at once, as if he were meeting someone important, and dragged up his companion, who reluctantly peeled himself from the beautiful young woman by his side. He had striking tamarind eyes and a head of pretty black curls. A golden tooth shone beyond his companion’s smile, though he was just as handsome as the one with tamarind eyes. Do?a Antonia and Queen Mother Do?a Orsalide pretended to be delighted by Eva’s approach and stood up as well.
Eva’s chest thrummed uncomfortably as she curtsied and said, “It is my greatest pleasure to finally meet you, Your Majesty.”
“The pleasure is all mine, young lady,” the queen mother said, watching her with shrewd eyes. Her skin was brown and leathery like the trunk of a palm tree, the rouge of her cheeks gracing her smile with youth. She wore a layered violet-and-indigo dress with many frills and lace. She boldly reached out and petted Eva’s antlers. It was a violation of space that sent shivers shooting through Eva.
“It’s such a rare sight to see a valco these days,” Queen Orsalide said.
“So she really is valco,” Tamarind Eyes said in mild surprise, watching Eva with admiration. It was a look that made Eva a little hot in the cheeks. A look she decided she quite liked.
Why couldn’t anyone in Galeno appreciate her like this?
“Aside from the ?guilas, I thought valcos were fully extinct from Venazia,” Tamarind Eyes said.
“Sometimes it feels that way to me,” Eva confessed.
“You must feel terribly lonely.”
But before the conversation could derail to territories she was uncertain to embark on while under the watchful eye of her grandmother, Do?a Antonia interceded.
“Loneliness isn’t the life of this valco, young man. She’s surrounded by her family, and you saw how many we are. Eva, why don’t you tell them of your other capabilities?” Do?a Antonia wore the joyful pride she only showed about her progeny around people she thought were important. As if their success and virtuosity reflected her hard work at leading the family. “Eva has a talent for calligraphy,” her grandmother said with an uncharacteristic beam. “Did you know she inked each and every one of your invitations?”
“Oh, bless her! You must have the patience of a saint,” Queen Orsalide said, though the furtive glances she shot at Eva’s antlers were easy to catch. It wasn’t for her calligraphy or education that Queen Orsalide wanted her.
“It’s just a lot of practice and dedication to the task, really,” Eva said. What would they say if she also shared her accomplishments in litio wards? Would Do?a Antonia still appear to be this proud of her?
“Eva, meet Don Marcelino. Her Majesty tells me he’s quite the writer himself,” Do?a Antonia said meaningfully, gesturing to the man with the golden tooth. Not Tamarind Eyes. Not the young man who had made her blush with his attentiveness.
Don Marcelino had been mouthing something at the beautiful young woman who still sat at the table, likely both waiting for the formalities to pass so they could return to each other, so he missed Do?a Antonia’s cue for the introduction. Tamarind Eyes nudged him in the ribs, and Don Marcelino straightened up rather comically.
“Oh, yes, it’s a pleasure, Se?orita Eva,” he said, while the queen mother’s lips thinned in disapproval.
Eva tried to smile. She tried to force her eyes to keep this humble, grateful fa?ade. But she already understood the situation. She had foolishly failed to notice the ring on Tamarind Eyes’s fingers. He wasn’t the grandson lacking direction, whom Queen Orsalide was hastily trying to pair up with a valco who could bolster his stature. Don Marcelino, the man spellbound by the full-lipped, straight-haired, voluptuous young woman at his side, was the bachelor Do?a Antonia wanted to sell her off to.
It made no matter. Not after tonight.
They struggled with a brief exchange under the watchful supervision of their grandmothers, of Don Marcelino uselessly asking Eva how difficult it was to create the calligraphy she had mastered for the wedding invitations while explaining how his muse for writing was a maiden shy like a fleeing doe. Tamarind Eyes saved the day by asking them if they fancied drinks. At once Don Marcelino, his beautiful companion, and Tamarind Eyes slipped away from the Silva table. Eva’s gaze flitted across the patio, meeting the crimson pair of the other antlered person in the party, recognition and meaning heavy in their eyes. But with a nod, Do?a Antonia commanded Eva to follow Don Marcelino’s posse. She couldn’t make her move yet.
Eva sidestepped a dangerous dance floor, avoiding the long ruffling skirts of women who slapped the floor with a zeal inspired by the band’s joropo. She dodged waiters and a little girl who was chasing after a barn cat. When she finally made it to the bar, Don Marcelino already had a goblet filled with wine.
“So, is there anything interesting in this city, or is heat all it has to offer?” Don Marcelino told her with an air of indifference, as his beautiful companion was caught up in conversation with one of the other guests.
Eva hesitated. “I’m afraid the heat will always be the main attraction. Unless you enjoy counterpointing.”
He laughed. “Wow. I was only asking ironically. You don’t actually believe I want to get to know what’s interesting in this land, do you?”
Eva was at a loss.
He sipped his wine and leaned on the bar, sliding closer with a charming look that in no way matched what he said. “Every Serrano I talk to is so excited to tell me how beautiful their Llanos are and how lucky I am to be here. Sure, it’s beautiful, if you only care about reedbeds and mosquitos, and this disgusting heat.”