Aunt speaks to Uncle, her face serious. He frowns, then gives a slight shake of his head and responds. She says something else, and he chuckles.
After their brief exchange, they head back inside.
I look at Avi, my mouth turning down. “We missed our chance.”
She grins. “No, we didn’t.”
She glances around, then leans in. “Mama asked if they’d caught your kidnapper. Daddy said no, they still haven’t located him. Then Mama told him she heard me saying that to you. Daddy waved it off, said I must have misheard, that she shouldn’t take anything I say seriously.”
I bow to her. “You’re a goddess.”
She laughs. “I know.”
I chuckle. “When did you learn to read lips?”
She shrugs. “Anyone can read their parents’ mouths with a little practice. I learned so I could know what they were discussing about Zoan when we were kids.”
“You’ll learn anything if it’s related to Zo.” I tease, still grinning.
She grins and slaps my arm. “Don’t say it so loud.”
We make our way back inside.
Avi stops me. “Let’s eat first, then we’ll sit with the ladies for a few minutes before we leave.”
I nod.
We change direction, heading to the dining area. Only a few people are scattered here, it’s nearly empty, since everyone’s still in the party hall.
After dinner, we head back. The moment we step inside, Mom catches us.
“Where were you two?”
“Eating,” Avi answers.
Mom turns and starts walking. “Come with me.”
We follow her to the center of the room, where Dad stands with a few men and a woman. Mom positions herself beside him. We stand near them.
Dad introduces us to a man in his sixties. “This is my daughter, Elowen.” He gestures to me, then to Avi. “And this is Alexander’s daughter, Avira.”
He turns to us. “This is King Adham Al-Fadhl of Saudi Arabia.” He indicates the striking woman beside the king. “And Queen Zareen.”
We offer our greetings.
Dad then gestures to the man standing beside the queen. “This is Crown Prince Aziel.” He motions to the man beside the crown prince. “And Prince Qais.”
We greet them as well.
“They look so alike,” Queen Zareen observes, her Arabic accent thick and melodic—genuinely fascinating.
Mom chuckles. “They take after my mother.”
The Queen smiles and nods, then places a light hand on her son’s arm. The Crown Prince looks at me, and I know, instantly, that this is a setup.
“Holy shit,” Avi mutters under her breath.
I watch the other prince approach her, his smile promising plenty of flirting. I’d find Zo and make him watch, if my own ass weren’t currently on fire.
