I ran a hand over my hair, my fingers encountering my tiara in the process. “That’s probably because it was me.”
“Primelle worked there,” my father cut in. “She was one of the youngest librarians they ever hired.”
Nathaniel’s lips lifted in a delighted grin. “That wasyou? Are you an academic as well?”
“I was trying to be.”
He laughed. “Oh, how brilliant. You’ll have to stop by our House this coming week so we can discuss my field of study. Tell me, do you have any interest in celestial magic?”
A genuine smile lifted my lips. “I do. That’s an area of magic that completely fascinates me.”
A vibration shivered through Kole’s aura, but I had a feeling only I could detect it because my mother pinched her lips together to hold back a smile, and she tugged my father back even more. “We’ll leave you two to get better acquainted. And feel free to venture outside if you’d like. The gardens are open, and the maze has been altered so new challenges await anyone looking for a bit of fun this evening.”
She winked, and my lips parted at my parents’ not-so-subtle hint that Nathaniel and I should spend more time together. A moment of disbelief coursed through me, because while I was always delighted to speak with any scholar or academic, I hadn’t meant to give off the impression that I was interested in Nathaniel romantically. Especially with Kole right behind me.
I stole another glance over my shoulder. Kole stood ramrod straight, his hands clasped in front of him, and his face was still completely devoid of emotion. He was the portrait of a dutiful warrior, but he was staring at Nathaniel avidly, and even though his look was entirely veiled, beneath his Shield, his magic roiled.
Nathaniel, however, paid Kole no attention whatsoever, probably thinking of the Imperial Warrior no more than he did of the rosebuds blooming in the vases or the musicians playing in the orchestra or the staff at the door who continually opened them to admit more nobles.
“Shall we?” Nathaniel held out the crook of his arm for me to take. “I can introduce you to everyone.”
My smile stayed plastered to my face even though hesitation hit me, but I knew this was what I needed to do. I needed to gain the ten Houses’ trust, win them over, put them at ease, and show them that I wasn’t to be feared. My parents and I might need their aid at some point, given that someone was after me.
I slipped my hand around his forearm, forcing my smile to remain. “Thank you. I’ll follow you.”
Within an hour,my head was spinning. Nathaniel held good to his promise, while Kole followed us everywhere we went.
Small talk became my new best friend as Nathaniel introduced me to all of the House leaders and their families.Thankfully, I remembered everyone’s names from my studies, and being able to link a face to a name made those titles come to life.
Throughout it all, Nathaniel remained a steadfast companion, and since my parents hadn’t approached me with my aunt or uncles yet, I figured my relatives were running late.
Thankfully, Nathaniel helped me pass the time. His flirtatious and friendly demeanor made him quite popular among the wealthy, and everyone readily greeted him. The fact that he’d also latched himself to my side earned me a rite of passage that I had a feeling I otherwise wouldn’t have been granted, so despite feeling guilty that I was partaking in his flirtations, I also knew it was helping me win fae over.
But while some fae seemed open, if slightly hesitant, to being reacquainted with me as an adult, there were just as many who either avoided me completely or assessed me in ways that made my skin crawl, even with Nathaniel at my side.
I still shuddered thinking of my latest encounter with Lordling Messepire. The middle-aged lordling had glided toward us and had kissed the back of my hand with his oily lips. And Lordling Fillingmore had been rather obnoxious, acting like he and I were long-lost friends who’d already had many conversations prior to my celebratory ball.
All the while, Kole followed behind me, his aura roiling, but the warrior never made a sound.
“I would say the evening’s going quite well, wouldn’t you?” Nathaniel nabbed another flute of champagne off a tray. His eyes were slightly glazed, and I’d lost count of how many drinks he’d had. “And you handled Lordling Messepire so well. That one’s a bit of a cad.”
I raised my eyebrows and took a sip of my own drink. It’d been awkward to find a way to test it, but I’d finally managed when I feigned needing to use the restroom, and I’d beennursing the same glass of champagne ever since. “Is that so? Do you know him well?”
Nathaniel shrugged. “His House resides close to ours, and he’s an atrocious neighbor. It’s not uncommon for his staff to venture to our residence to complain about one thing or another. Of course, they always act like the complaints come from them, but we all know they’re directed to our residence byhim.”
“Complaints about what?”
He scratched his chin. “Well, let’s see. The last one was that my grandmother’s petvoxhad been running loose on Lordling Messepire’s estate. The staff claimed that Filly attacked one of them, so they asked that he not be allowed outside.”
“Avoxattacked someone?” My eyebrows rose. The small animal was a common pet among siltenites. The breed was small, usually docile, and made excellent companions for fae near the end of their lives. It was said the pet would often sit with their elderly fae until they took their last breath, providing comfort by exuding their serene magic that many found peaceful, especially in their last hours. The creatures were considered harmless, and I’d never heard of a vox attacking anyone in my entire life.
Nathaniel rolled his eyes. “Exactly. We don’t believe it either, especially because we never let Filly run wild, but Lordling Messepire seems to enjoy causing strife. He’s obviously not our favorite neighbor.”
“I can see why, especially when voxes need to be outside for a few hours each day. Isn’t their magic replenished by sunlight, especially at dawn?”
“You are correct. If my grandmother were to keep Filly inside indefinitely, he would probably grow sickly.”
“Then I hope she doesn’t.”
