“Yeah, well, you can’t be saying things like that around here, darling.” He gave me a pointed look, his green eyes piercing mine. “Wouldn’t want some suck-up to overhear and blab to King Lucanus now, would you?”
I turned to fully face my best friend, realizing he had a point, even though I really,reallydid not want to listen to his words.
“Whatever. I suppose you’ve got a point, although I wouldn’t really say it’s a good one. But it is a point nonetheless.”
“Let’s just go enjoy a very,verywealthy festival. On the bright side, there will be free booze,” Emberly chirped in a forced cheery voice as she grabbed hold of my arm and dragged me through the door so that we could enter the throne room from the non-performing side.
“How much alcohol can we really ingest in the presence of our ever-loving,wonderfulking?” I questioned as she dragged me begrudgingly along.
“Well, you know, it ishismoney,hisalcohol . . . we may aswell get drunk, courtesy ofyours truly,” Finn replied as both he and Emberly dragged me back into the throne room. I let out a deep breath as I took in my surroundings once more, only this time, from the viewpoint of an attendee rather than a performer.
I noted the throngs of wealthy merchants standing in one corner of the throne room, clearly uncomfortable with their attendance, although they were all higher-ranking affinities and certainly made more than every member of my dance crew did . . . combined.
However, it didn’t matter, because even among those with higher affinities, a class system existed, and those who worked were not nearly as respected as those who could simply gossip and socialize in the temples.
My eyes hooked briefly on one guard in particular, a guard that stood out to me for the same reason he had at our last encounter in the Solis Court. While every other higher-ranking guard insisted on displaying their wings to the fullest extent, this male did not.
I had yet to see his wings.
Perhaps he truly was hiding them for a particular reason.
Perhaps they were justthatsmall.
Whatever the reason, it didn’t stop my traitorous heart from fluttering and skipping a beat as my eyes skimmed over his form.
I didn’t know why he refused to display his wings, but I did intend to find out before the night was over, that much I could guarantee without a doubt. And then I could dismiss the lingering thoughts about his wingspan . . . Yes, Idefinitelyneeded to get those thoughts out of my head. He was a Solis Guard for Astara’s sake. And I certainly didn’t need to be getting involved with anyone who answered to Luc, even if I felt inexplicably drawn to him.
With a nudge to Finn on my side, I asked, “Have you ever seen another high-ranking Royal Solis Guard not choose todisplay their wings? I could have sworn that it was a requirement of every member of the guard.”
“It’s not a requirement. It’s just something the boastful bastards like to do to show that they’re above everyone else, so they display their wings at any opportunity they can.” His own line of sight followed mine as he looked across the ballroom. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“You’re right,” I answered with a sigh before I walked away, heading toward the bar.
A drink . . . that would help, right?
“What’ll it be?”
I glanced up, startled to find I was already at the front of the line. The bartender stared at me impatiently, his fingers tapping in an off-kilter beat as he waited for me to speak. I heard the familiar hum of a drone flying overhead, filming the festival as I stood by the bar.
“Well?”
“O-oh,” I stammered. “Um, just a glass of ambrosia, please.”
The male nodded, turning his head as he reached for a glass. Amber liquid splashed into the cup, then he handed the wine glass to me.
Thank Astara.
I took a large gulp, letting the sweet, amber taste coat my tongue as I walked away from the crowd.
“Planning to get drunk tonight?” A low tone rumbled from behind me, and my heart leapt in my chest as ambrosia sloshed against the rim of the glass.
“For the love—” The words faded on my lips as I turned and met the male’s gaze. “Are you stalking me?” I asked the guard in question, who seemed to have the unfortunate habit of appearing out of thin air.
“Stalking you?” he asked, his amber eyes narrowing as they swept over my face, studying me with an intensity that had my skin tingling. “If I were stalking you, I’d be doing a pretty piss-poor job, don’t you think? Seeing as you’ve easily spotted me both times.” His voice was a low whisper across my skin as I stared up at him, and for a second, I felt like stepping closer to him. Instead, I took a step back, creating space between our bodies.
“All right, so not stalking, then,” I bit back as I stared back at him, my lips forming a thin line. “If you aren’t stalking me, then why do you keep appearing everywhere I am?”
“Perhaps you’re stalking me,” he answered. “Or perhaps you just simply can’t get enough of me, and you justhaveto keep appearing anywhere I could be, seeing as I’ve been in the court for awhile and you are not often here.”
