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“Come on now. I’m not a little kid anymore, nor am I blind, and I’d have to be to miss how the two of you look at each other. I think the only reason our parents haven’t figured it out themselves is because the two of you have managed to stay far away from each other in front of them.”
“That’s by design,” I said, thinking of all the times I wished that Ayla were beside me but couldn’t be because of my proximity to the king and queen.
“So, you admit it.”
“Pardon?”
“You admit that you and Ayla are in love, and you’ve had to work to hide it from our parents.”
Sharp little thing, wasn’t she?
“I don’t recall saying that in so many words.”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh, of course you didn’t.” She laughed and shook her head.
While I wasn’t exactly thrilled at the topic of conversation, especially since we were far too close to groups of shifters, it was nice to joke about something with my little sister as if we were a normal family, and she was the youngest sibling ribbing the oldest at his romantic business.
“As much as I’m for this tongue and cheek convo of ours, I really need to know how serious you are about her.”
Her tone made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. What was going on?
“Why?”
“Because Uncle Graham has had a bee up his bonnet about her for at least a week, and both him and our mother are heading this way right now.”
Oh no.
As much as I didn’t want Seraphina embroiled in things any more than she already was, it would help me greatly to have her by my side in this running interference that I couldn’t. So I leaned in as if I were embracing my little sis in a warm, familiar hug, allowing me to whisper as quietly as possible into her ear.
“I’m more serious about her than I could ever imagine. She’s not just to be my partner, but she’s my fated mate. I would lay down my life for her if need be and do it happily.”
Seraphina gasped, and to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t blame her. Given my reputation as a somewhat notorious bachelor, and one who liked to play the field, avoiding any engagement for nearly a decade, it was likely a surprise to hear just how committed I was to Ayla.
But I was completely committed to my mate, right down to my soul. She was written into the fabric of my being, and I wanted to keep her there.
“Good to know,” she said, and then we were outflanked, the duke offering her his arm, and my mother instantly latching onto mine.
We could have shaken them off, but we let them guide us away from the dance floor, out through the doors, and to one of the resting lounges.
How dramatic. Were they really so desperate to stop Seraphina and me from interacting in public? It certainly seemed so.
“The two of you seemed like you were having fun,” my uncle remarked like he was oh so clever. Gods, I hated him. He was such a gleeful little weasel who clearly delighted any time he felt he was getting one over on someone. His false sense of security really was something else.
“It was ever so lovely getting to enjoy my first official event with my brother in years,” Seraphina said so innocently and sweetly, I was surprised we didn’t instantly get cavities.
“Hmph, I’m sure, and you didn’t—” My uncle sounded like he wanted to reprimand Seraphina further, which meant I was likely going to deck him right in his smug face, but Mother cut him off before he could really put his foot in it.
“You would tell us if you were having an affair with that lowborn witch in your entourage, yes?”
I swore my soul left my body right then and there. It was only the many years of court and political training that helped me contain my reaction.
But to my great surprise, Seraphina let out a tinkling laugh. “Mother, don’t be silly! I know for a fact that lovely healer is with Aodin Louth, the fae ambassador from the Isles. He’s quite smitten with her, but the rumor is that she’s playing hard to get. Dedicated to her work and the military, you know?” My sister let out an absolutely dramatic sigh worthy of the stage. “It’s so deliciously tragic.”
That was actually a pretty decent cover. Had she been cooking that up for a while or had she created it right off the cuff? Either way, I hoped our mother bought it.
“Come now, you can’t expect us to believe that,” my uncle sputtered, looking annoyed.
Seraphina just affixed him with an angelic expression. “Are you insinuating I would lie?” Her voice trembled as if she were going to cry, and goodness, if my sister wasn’t a princess, she’d have a great career as an actress.
