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Nicolette rolled her eyes. “As is the leader of their army,” she said, nudging my arm with a knowing grin.
Anniston looked up when I laughed, and when she spotted me, she offered a gum-filled grin—showing off her top two teeth that were just coming in—before she lifted her arms for me to hold her. Flattered every time she preferred me over another, I slipped her from Nicolette’s arms as the princess went back to studying the room.
“Both you and Vienne are much loved by the kingdom. I don’t blame them for wanting to honor you this day.”
Her words were nothing but kind and respectful, but they filled me with a sadness I couldn’t contain because of the mature way she spoke. She’d grown up since that fateful night Caulder had died and she’d had a hand in taking Yasmin’s life. Her youthful vigor and verve had calmed and tempered into a gentle, thoughtful nature. I almost missed the brash, sprightly girl she’d been, even though the grown-up version of her was quite regal and serene. I just wished she could’ve forgone the tragedy that had so swiftly brought her to this point.
Vienne still dreamed about that night, just as I did. I’m sure it haunted Nicolette as well, except she didn’t have a partner around to talk to when she woke up, drenched in sweat and troubling memories. She had to handle it alone.
I touched her elbow. “You been doing okay?”
Her eyes flashed with surprise before she sent me a quick, forced smile and nodded. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
I swallowed the retort I wanted to give because I realized I wasn’t the person who could help her. She wouldn’t open up to me.
Shifting her gaze guiltily away, she cleared her throat and said, “I’m going to go meet the High Cliff priestess. See if she knew the one that came for Allera and Brentley’s wedding.”
I watched her go, sure she felt responsible for the other priestess’s death. She was definitely holding in all kinds of nasty shit that could eat her from within if she didn’t shake it loose sooner or later.
But then my attention was diverted when my mark sparked with awareness right before two slim, lovely arms slid around my waist from behind. When a pair of lips kissed the center of my back through my tunic, I smiled and covered her hands.
“I can sense your worry all the way from across the room, you know,” Vienne’s voice murmured into my ear.
With a chuckle, I turned to her. “I warned you how irritating the mark could be.”
Tapping my finger lightly against the fresh tattoo at the corner of her eye that she’d gotten at the same time Allera and Brentley had gotten theirs, which made it spark, I grinned into her eyes.
She eased out a sigh and rolled her eyes. “I believe your words were more along the lines of ‘most amazing sensation ever.’ In fact, I don’t recall ‘irritating’ being mentioned once.”
“Oh.” I shrugged. “Well, it was implied.”
Laughing, she leaned up onto her toes to kiss my lips, only for her daughter to grow jealous that she wasn’t getting enough attention. So we transferred our kisses to Anniston’s cheeks, making her laugh between us.
Slipping the child from my arms so she could hold her, Vienne continued to study me before saying, “Nicolette will be okay. She’s a strong, capable young woman. She’ll make it through.”
I sighed and glanced after her. “I know, I just…”
“You’re just too softhearted and protective,” Vienne finished for me as she touched my arm. “Which I love most about you.”
My eyebrows lifted. “Oh, that’s what you love most, huh? Last night, you couldn’t seem to stop waxing poetic about my tongue while I was licking your—”
“There are many things I love most about you,” she cut in quickly, narrowing her eyes in reprimand, only for a smile to tip up her lips before she shook her head and sighed over my behavior.
“There are many things I love most about you too,” I murmured, my eyes twinkling with heat and mischief. “Like that blush I can always draw from your lovely flesh when I speak of inappropriate things.”
I slid my finger across her cheek as her skin continued to color from my indecent words.
“You’re such a tease,” she accused, but the twinkle in her eyes said she loved that too.
“For you? Always.”
Glancing around at the gathering crowd, she shook her head slowly. “I’m thrilled by how many people want to share this day with us, but I must confess, I’ll be happy to get away from them all so I can have you to myself for a while.”
“My thoughts precisely.” Grasping her hand, I turned in the direction that I’d last seen the king. “Let’s convince Brentley to get this show on the road, shall we?”
“Good idea.”
But as we stepped forward, a white-headed woman in her later years shuffled into our path.
