Stefan prodded Delmare’s side, and she rolled her eyes at him.
“You’re so uncouth.” Theo sniffed before taking a sip of champagne. “That’s just what Ethan needs, a drunk knight in his court making things harder for him.”
“Like they’re not difficult enough,” Alexei subbed in. “We overheard your Choosing didn’t exactly go as planned. People are starting to talk.”
“I hope some of you tried to dispel the rumors about us,” I said bluntly.
“Oh, certainly,” Theo said. “If you consider Stefan making dick jokes helpful to the cause.”
“Severeddick jokes,” Alexei added.
Theo’s mouth was a thin line. “Yes. I’m certain he offended a diplomat before we even walked in the door.”
I groaned and put my face in my hand. “I hate you all.”
“Hey, the monarchy needs a little livening up,” Stefan said. “Once you’re king, Ethan, there are gonna be somebigchanges around here.”
I should’ve picked better knights. At least Emma’s ladies in waiting were behaving.
Somewhat.
“Ooh,” Odette said, eyeing a brawny alicorn shifter on the other side of the room. “He’s quite attractive. Do you think he’s noticed me?”
“Odette, you already have a date. It’s Theo,” Kiara hissed. “You can’t be seen flirting with another alicorn when you’re part of Emma’s court. It’ll make people talk.”
“No one willseeus. We’ll go behind one of the tapestries and make love,” Odette crooned.
Theo abruptly stood up from the table. The chair made a loudscreechas it was sent hurtling backward, causing several people to look our way. “I need more champagne.” He briskly walked away and took two flutes off a servant’s tray, downing them both.
Soon after, servants brought our plates. They were full of sausage, pierogi, paprikash, buttered noodles, cucumber salad, golabki, and angel wings for dessert.
I tried to focus on my food, because no one was behaving. Odette kept sighing over the other alicorn, and Theo drank more than he ate. Alexei was having a hard time keeping his eyes on Kiara’s face and not herbosom as she talked on and on about various topics, though I don’t think she noticed.
Emma picked at her food. I reached under the table and grabbed her free hand. I gave it a squeeze. “Hey,” I whispered. “You need to eat to keep your strength up. It’s going to be a long night.”
“I know,” she whispered back. She grimaced and put a hand on her stomach. “I’m just nervous.”
“Are you going to be sick?” I whispered.
“I won’t be. I promise.” Emma pushed her food around her plate listlessly. “I don’t want to mess this up.”
I picked up my fork and cut into a pierogi for her. I held it upward and said, “Here, just focus on me. Eat.”
Her eyes connected with mine. She opened her mouth slightly, and I slipped the pierogi inside. She chewed and swallowed. I continued cutting up her food for her and feeding her as her gaze remained connected with mine. My whole body was growing hot. Gods, this was kind of sexy.
“Does it help if I feed you?” I asked lowly.
“Kind of,” she admitted. She was starting to relax. My eyes drifted downward to sneak a glance at her breasts rising and falling in the corset.
People were staring at us— including my mother— but damn all if I cared. You were supposed to show that you loved your mate in public. I wanted people to think I was with Emma because we shared a mating bond, not that she was a last minute choice for the Contest.
Even if Emma didn’t know the depths of my affection herself.
As I watched her lips form around the last bite, I had the idea I wanted her pretty mouth on other things. But that wasn’t proper to think about at royal parties.
“What the hell are you guys doing over there?” Stefan asked as he watched us. “Some sort of foreplay?”
“Stefan, shut up,” Theo slurred. He sloppily raised a hand to push Stefan over, but ended up knocking into Alexei instead. The glass of champagne Alexei was holding flung out of his hand and splattered all over the front of Kiara’s dress. Kiara gasped as her front was soaked.
