Ella realised the picture was more complicated than she'd initially thought.
"I came as soon as I received your message," Ella said. "I also have some important news."
Ella was suddenly silent as small morsels of savoury-smelling pastry were placed in front of them, each a different colour and shape. "What's this?" she asked.
"They're to excite your appetite," Evrin said. "You haven't been somewhere like this before? Oh, you're in for a treat."
The waiter came back with a tall glass bottle which he opened with a loud pop. He sniffed the cork, although Ella wasn't sure why, before starting to fill Evrin's glass. Ella was surprised when he suddenly stopped and waited, looking at Evrin expectantly, with just the smallest amount of wine in the round glass.
Evrin picked up the glass and swirled the liquid inside, before tiling his head back and filling his mouth. He looked pensive, his eyes thoughtful, before he swallowed and a broad grin spread across his face.
"Lovely," he said.
The waiter then filled Ella's glass before filling Evrin's glass also to the level of Ella's.
Ella watched, bemused. There was a process being followed here she didn't understand.
The waiter departed, and Ella saw Evrin put a savoury parcel into his mouth. He closed his eyes and sighed, before taking a sip of wine.
"Go on," he said to Ella, grinning. "Try it."
Ella picked an orange morsel, wondering what the fluffy white filling was, and put it in her mouth. An explosion of sweet pumpkin and salty fish converged on her senses. She'd never had anything so delicious.
Ella looked at Evrin and smiled.
"Now take a sip of wine," Evrin said.
What Ella had to discuss was important.
But perhaps it could wait, just these few moments.
~
FINALLY, the bottle was finished. Ella swallowed the last mouthful of sourmelon and cress; she'd already finished the trout, unable to slow herself.
The waiter brought out a dozen chocolates resting in a row on a long tray. Evrin sighed with contentment.
Most of the other patrons had left, and they had their section of the dining room to themselves. The waiter kept an eye on them, but maintained a discreet distance.
"Evrin?" Ella asked.
"Yes, my dear?"
"Did you send a gift for my brother's wedding?"
As Ella thought of the wedding and its terrible end, the bitter chocolate suddenly tasted like ash in her mouth.
Evrin was nonplussed. "Well… I've… I've been busy, you see."
"Don't worry," Ella said, sighing. "I didn't think so, and I have a reason for asking. Someone sent a monstrosity to my brother's wedding, saying it was a gift from you."
"A gift from me?" Evrin asked.
"It had the look," said Ella. "I don't know how to describe it, but it had the look of the chambers inside the Sentinel… the same look as the temples dedicated to the Evermen, here in Seranthia. For that reason, we believed."
"Dear stars," Evrin said. "What was it?"
"I didn't think it was from you, though," Ella said. "Your taste is a bit… different."
"Ella, what happened?"
Ella didn't want to say the words. The moment came back to her with horrific clarity. The sound of the device as it exploded. Amber's scream. Rorelan and Tomas's nightmare illness.
"It was some kind of explosive device," Ella said, clearing her throat as it caught. "It charred a wide circle of earth and nearly killed most of the Empire's leaders. We were lucky, and the guests were saved, but some weren't so lucky. High Lord Rorelan's health was critical when I left, and little Tomas will not wake."
"Oh, Ella," Evrin said. "I'm sorry, my dear. I truly am."
"Who would do such a thing?" Ella asked. "I doubt it was the Akari. Dain Barden actually went to the wedding."
"Good for him," Evrin said. "Who do they say it could have been?"
"There are those trying to point blame at the Veznans, and others who say it was disgruntled templars from Aynar," Ella said. "There's no basis for their opinions, though. And while I hear this Bastian is worth worrying about, I can't see him doing such a thing."
"And you believe it's something to do with my message?" Evrin said the words that were in Ella's mind.
"I need to know what you know," Ella said.
"I don't know much," Evrin said. "As I said in my message, someone has crossed."
"Could it have been Killian?" Ella asked.
"No," Evrin said, shattering Ella's wish with the bluntness of his speech. "Killian would have made his presence known, and there are signs that make me believe the one who crossed had power, the kind of power Killian never knew how to use."
Evrin looked at Ella with that disconcerting way he had of shifting from levity to gravity.
"Ella, I believe one of the Evermen is in Merralya, and has been for some time. I think that deep down you know there is a link between the attack on your brother's wedding and this crossing of worlds."