The present returned without warning. The noise from the banquet hall was filtered as it entered Atheline's ears.
He swirled the glass one last time and drank under Lilith's anticipation.
The first taste hit harder than he had imagined it. It was richer than he had expected, bitter beneath the sweetness but strong enough to mask anything.
He swallowed unhurriedly then lowered the glass.
He placed it exactly where it had been, a small but important detail.
Lilith had touched the glass but didn't drink it her attention was still on Atheline waiting for his reaction.
Atheline found it funny, almost childlike eve. This was her favorite wine but Atheline had never tried it.
"How was it?" She asked curiously.
Atheline smiled and licked the corner of his lips to get rid of the last drop.
"It tasted unexpectedly good," he said then added, "You always have the best choices."
He felt the wine settling but there was no reaction yet, that didn't worry him much he had expected it.
