When he was gone, the table was silent. There wasn’t even the clink of silverware on plates. People looked at me out of the corner of their eyes, a quick glance that sized me up. How big of a threat was I? I had taken out one of the most powerful people in the house with nothing more than my words. What could I do with my hands?
“My prince, I apologize. I made the mistake of believing my own consort. I will not make the same mistake again,” Leon said.
“It is natural to believe the person you trust with your most intimate self,” Cade said.
Then, he smiled at me. Warmly, as though I was the most intimate person in his life, the one he shared things with. I tried not to gawk, wondering how good an actor he was.
“Well, Miles,” Petrona said. “I cannot imagine this is the welcome you imagined as consort to House Bartlett’s prince.”
Her eyes on me were assessing, a narrow gaze that saw more than I wanted exposed.
“Cade warned me that the position would be difficult,” I said. I offered a quick smile, a hint of charm. “I’m not one who shies away from a challenge.”
“Then why did you run away from Jesaiah?” Sonja asked, her voice clear. “Even in your own story, you ran away into the woods. Why not face him? If you had brought him back, exposed him in the moment, then none of these theatrics would have been necessary.”
Something tightened in my stomach at the way that she called the torture we had all witnessedtheatrics.
“I wasn’t sure what the etiquette was here. Where I’m from, we aren’t in the habit of beating up old men. Even when they deserve it.” I forced a smile, although it felt more like baring my teeth. “If I was in the habit of thrashing everyone who deserved it, then your own consort would have arrived home with a black eye.”
Sonja inhaled, opening her mouth, but before she could say anything, Cade broke in.
“I think we are all grateful that the situation has been dealt with so quickly,” he said.
When I turned away from Sonja to look at him, I found that his words were for Leon alone. Although Leon’s expression was blank, I could see the tension between his brows where he forcibly kept them from frowning.
“Yes. As I said, I am deeply ashamed of my consort’s actions. I will make sure that there are appropriate consequences.” Leon nodded his head. It looked like subservience, but I could feel the tension in it, the fact that Leon had been put in his place and didn’t like it.
“If only all of our issues could be dealt with so swiftly,” Brett Kulsa broke in. He sat further down the table, nearly at the end.
“Do you have something to say, Brett?” Cade asked sharply.
“No, no, of course not. Merely observing that so many of these issues have been popping up recently. It’s almost as if our house is under siege.” Brett gestured around the table, but his neighbors looked away, as though they had no desire to be included in whatever scheme he was selling.
“I assume you’re talking about the threats on my life?” Cade said.
“Between that and the missing money, House Bartlett is being attacked on all sides. It’s no wonder someone suspected your… consort.” Brett tilted his head, shrugging an apology.
“Missing money?” Cade said mildly. “I have no idea what you’re referring to. If you have concerns, I assume you brought them up with my seneschal before airing them at a formal dinner.”
Brett looked around, but now his neighbors turned completely away, as though putting a wall between his voice and themselves. I kept my confusion to myself, behind a mask I’d learned early on Declan’s payroll. Whatever Brett was up to, he wanted to make Cade look foolish or weak, and I wasn’t about to help him even by looking like I didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Oh, this is nosecret.” Brett looked around the table, as though for support, and seemed bolstered by the few faces he saw that were intrigued at more drama. “Perhaps your consort knows what happened to the money? After all, he seems to know about a lot of things these days.” Brett turned to me, his blond hair gleaming, his teeth bleached white. “Do you know wherethree-quarters of a million dollarsdisappeared to, Consort Bartlett?”
I stared at him in silence, remembering the twist of his hand in mine, how easy it would have been to break his wrist or smash his face into a wall. As I stared at him, his own face went pale, eyes widening, as though he could read my mind and saw the violence I was imagining.
Most people didn’t need real violence to be afraid. All Brett needed was to believe that Icouldperform violence.
“I think you’re trying to stir up drama,” I said. “Which makes me wonder why you’re so desperate to put attention on Cade. If I started turning over rocks in your garden, what secrets would I find?”
I stared at him, taking in his expensive suit, his cologne that I could smell from all the way across the room. Although my face was blank, from the expression on Brett’s face, he took it for the threat it was.
Silence took over the room, making even the clink of silverware unbearably loud. Mages exchanged looks. Along the wall, I could see the werewolves shifting uncomfortably. Most of them were my size, although a few, like Tyson, were even larger.
But none of them were naturally born alphas. Meaning a deep part of them wanted to show their throat, to give in, to yield.
“Well, I suppose I’ll have to stop looking into it if you’re going to set your dog on me for asking questions.” Brett waved his hand at Cade, as though dismissing a foul odor in the air. “I assure you, my loyalty is to House Bartlett. The threats aren’t necessary.”
Cade’s face went stony, just as frigid as the ice prince they all accused him of being.
