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Too bad.
Put out that I was still standing too close to his wife, Soren narrowed his eyes at me and reached out to tug Vienne to his side.
She stumbled a bit, not expecting the move, and it took everything in me not to leap forward to steady her…and then punch the dick in the face for daring to put his hand on her elbow…and keep it there.
I couldn’t seem to stop staring at his fingers. I wanted to break every bone in his hand.
Why was he still touching her?
As if sensing my rising fury, Vienne forced a huge smile and started to walk, as if attempting to break contact with him, even though she failed, and causing everyone in the group to walk as well. “Why, it’s such a nice day, I wouldn’t be surprised if we meandered across Brentley and Allera as well.”
He was still touching her. In fact, I think he’d decided to keep his hand on her elbow as if he were actually escorting her.
The fucking prick.
Meanwhile, Yasmin laughed at Vienne’s suggestion. “I doubt we’ll see much of those honeymooners. They barely make it down to dinner each night with their clothes on straight, as it is. They certainly won’t leave the bedchamber on a holiday like this.” Her evil grin slid my way. “I had no idea your sister held such a healthy appetite for pleasures of the flesh, Prince Urban.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, but Nicolette was the one who spoke up. “I believe this is the very kind of conversation you’re always telling me a lady shouldn’t start in polite company, Your Majesty.”
My eyes widened at her defense of me, as did most everyone else’s in the party. Yasmin whirled to send her an incredulous glance, and I knew she would’ve attacked—possibly even with claws—if Caulder hadn’t thrown back his head and hooted.
“She got you there, dear wife,” he told Yasmin as he pulled her close and kissed her hair, still chuckling. “She got you there.”
“Hmm.” The queen pulled herself up taut and continued to glare at Nicolette. “So she did.”
She kept moodily quiet the rest of the trip, while Nicolette, Caulder, and Vienne passed the baby between the three of them, and Soren tried to convince Caulder to raise the tariff on clear rock, but failed.
The day passed in much the same vein, with me forced to remain in the company of these people, listening to Yasmin’s backward compliments and narcissistic musings while watching Soren pay more attention to Vienne than he’d ever done before, in between my own fumbling attempts to unsuccessfully cheer Nicolette whenever the queen hurt her feelings and Caulder moodily grunting through it all.
We attended the parade in the village together, sitting on a royal dais to get the best view, where Brentley and Allera finally showed up just in time for it to start, looking rumpled but refreshed.
“Hello, dear brother,” my sister greeted me brightly as she fell with a laugh into the chair next to mine and immediately started clapping for the first exhibit of a cloth dragon being carried on stilts by a group of children that passed by us. “It seems as if I rarely see you anymore. How have you been?”
“The collar of your dress is crooked and your hair is askew,” I muttered, not even glancing her way.
When she looked down to see that I was right, she quickly rearranged herself and then patted her hair back into place, still smiling as if actually proud of how much disarray she was in.
I finally sent her a dry glance. “Apparently, I’m not doing as well as you are.”
“Hmph,” she said, lifting her chin. “You’re just jealous you’re not getting any, and I am.”
She was right. Dammit. I glanced discreetly toward Vienne, where Soren was sitting next to her and actually leaning in to speak to her. When she nodded politely at whatever he’d said, my gut tightened into knots.
The rest of the day was a blur full of strangers’ faces, villagers introducing themselves to me, my soldiers teasing me over how dressed up I was, and Vienne always at Soren’s side. It was a miserable, tedious affair.
I was ready to go straight to my bed after the huge dinner that evening, but Nicolette begged me to stay and watch the light show with her. So, I did, and I’m glad I did. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.
“How…?” was all I could ask as I gaped in awe at the night while explosion after explosion lit up the sky with a multitude of colors.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Nicolette murmured from next to me.
My lips parted as my gaze remained fixated. “Yeah. It is.”
I’m not sure how long I stood there, staring, entranced, but the princess left my side at some point, and I found myself enjoying the sights alone until I felt stirrings from my mark, telling me Vienne was approaching.
I turned just as she tripped and tumbled headlong into my chest.
“Watch out,” I cautioned softly, catching her close until her face mashed against my tunic. “Are you okay?”
