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The jewels crusting the hem and the sleeves were heavy and scratched against my skin every time I moved. The corset was too tight, and the servant pulled my hair back so severely I was afraid it would give up trying to hold its shape and spring from my skull.
Ugh.Though I’d slept alright curled against Alaric in the woods the night before—his warm leather and vanilla scent and his Grace enveloping me in calm—I was utterly spent and more than ready to be done with forced pleasantries. The faster I slept, the faster I could wake and do what I came here to do and get back to my own palace.
More than that, I was beginning to worry about Kade and would have to reach through the bond tomorrow to check on him. I thought I’d have heard something from him by now…
Alaric spoke with a male to his left, conversing about the differences in our courts, and the ways in which they were the same. Finn conversed animatedly with the Queen, shouting to be heard over the distance between them. Him, Edris, and Suriel laughing as they all drank their fill of wine.
Tiernan hadn’t had more than a glass. Alaric even less so, and I was glad at least two of us maintained our sobriety. The room tilted again, and I felt the roiling mixture of fire and ice in my core spinning in confusion at the queasiness.
I shouldn’t be here.
As if sensing my need to leave, Tiernan brushed my arm, and I leaned back to look at him, my body swaying more than it should’ve.
“Can I take you back to our chambers?”
I didn’t trust myself to speak aloud, so I threw a resoundingyesto him through our bond.
“I thought so,” he said, and sneakily helped me to stand. I squared my shoulders and attempted to stand tall—blinking the strange film from my eyes.
Clearing my throat, and bracing my weight against Tiernan, I said to the queen, “Thank you for the meal. I look forward to meeting with you first thing in the morning.”
Her grin grew, and she squinted at me through the haze of her own drink, “Oh, won’t you stay?” she asked, “I was about to call for some music?”
Gods.The idea of dancing nearly made me throw up what little of the spicy food I’d choked down. “I—” I began, but Tiernan interjected, sensing my discomfort.
“The Queen needs her rest, Your Majesty. Our journey was long.”
Her smile faltered, but she didn’t argue any further. Righting the crown atop her head with an undignified pout, “As you wish.”
Alaric moved to stand, cutting off mid-conversation with the male sitting next to him.
“Stay,” I implored him. “I’m just going to bed. Please—finish your meal.”
My captain shared a long look with Tiernan, and his unease pawed at me with insistent strokes. “Fine,” Alaric finally said, “We’ll finish up here and be right behind you.”
Are you alright?He added through the bond.
I nodded.Fine. A little too much wine…
His brows rose, and he pressed his lips into a thin line to avoid laughing.
I rolled my eyes.Do me a favor?
Anything.
Make that male’s,I thought, glancing at Tiernan’s sour-faced uncle,night as awful as you possibly can.
His head cocked to one side.
Trust me,I practically shouted down the bond,he deserves it.
“Let’s go,” I whispered to Tiernan, and he took me by the arm, bracing my weight with his and led me from the dining chamber.
“Getme out of this godsforsaken thing,” I whined, fumbling with the laces at my back.
“Here,” Tiernan said, finishing his sweep of the bedchamber, “Stop it, you’ll never be able to untie that yourself.”
He gently swatted my hands away, and I braced myself on the bedpost, wondering why the room smelled of jasmine and hot cedar. The mixture was heady and erotic, alternately calming and exciting my senses.
