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“I think this is one moment we should take in together, my princess.” His tone was low. Far more real than it had been when he had been laughing with the captain and crew. Even if he still used the Escarlishprincessrather than his customary elvishamirah.
They lapsed into silence as the ship turned into the bay. A city spilled along one side of a huge river, which poured into the bay. On a bluff above the river and city, a tall castle speared its turrets into the clear blue sky far above. It was built entirely of white marble with red roof tiles. A glittering jewel set against the deep blue sea.
Landri and its castle were just as beautiful as promised. The port in the bay bustled with trade ships from kingdoms all along the coast and across the ocean. It made even the city of Aldon appear like a small, backwater village compared to the economic might wielded by Mongavaria.
“It is beautiful. But I still prefer Estyra,” Edmund murmured against her hair.
So did she. Due to their long lives, her people achieved a level of detail and craftsmanship rarely seen among the humans.
But the time when elves were a great power, ruling an empire of their own, was a long time in the past. Now, their struggle was to preserve their culture while squeezed on every side by the rising might of the human kingdoms.
Only their alliance with Escarland could help them achieve it. And their peace with Kostaria, who faced the same challenge. Without Escarland as a buffer, how long would it take before Mongavaria invaded both Tarenhiel and Kostaria?
Even with Escarland’s help, Mongavaria was hungrily eyeing all three of their kingdoms. As if all this—the bay, the bustling city, the impressive castle—were not enough.
* * *
Jalissa kept her back straight,her posture poised as she picked at her salad during the royal banquet in Edmund and Jalissa’s honor. They were seated to King Solan’s right while Crown Prince Jimson sat on the king’s left.
Her face still ached from holding the perfect princess smile. When they docked below the castle, they had been greeted by several more lords of the Consular Prime, then by King Solan and Crown Prince Jimson in the entry hall of Ventre Castle. The seventy-year-old king and his fifty-year-old son gave Jalissa the same slimy, shivering feeling as Princess Bella had.
The suite they had been given consisted of a bedroom with wide windows overlooking the bay, a spacious and lavishly appointed sitting room, and two sets of rooms that connected to the sitting room for Sarya and their other two guards.
A maid collected the dishes from the salad course moments before a footman set bowls of soup in front of them.
As subtly as she could, Jalissa brushed her fingers over her soup. No poison. At least, no plant-based poison that she could detect.
“My flower, I suspect the soup might be too hot.” Edmund’s slightly nasal tone grated against her nerves as he leaned close.
But she was pretending to be in love with this inane, annoying version of Edmund. So she let her smile go a touch more warm as she leaned into him.
“Oh, let me check for you, Eddie dearest.” She purposely used the nickname, knowing he hated it. She dipped her pinky into his soup, letting her magic filter into the broth. Once again, no poison. “Perfect temperature.”
“Thanks, muffin cake.” Edmund gave her a tiny peck on the cheek.
The brush of his lips sent very real tingles through her. A reminder of the real him and the real her beneath this façade.
Across the table, King Solan did not try to hide the slight curl to his mouth. At least they were convincing someone that Edmund was empty-headed.
But Crown Prince Jimson eyed them, his gaze far too sharp for her liking.
Edmund dug into his soup, his manners utterly impeccable. Not even the slightest slurp. So strange from the relaxed meals with his family where he and Julien would start exaggerating their slurping noises just to see if their mother, Jalissa, or Farrendel would give them a stern look first.
Jalissa dipped her spoon into her own soup, unable to stop the slight smile that played across her face. Next time Edmund slurped his soup just to get a rise out of her family, she would remind him that she knew very well how perfect his manners could be when he wished.
“How are you enjoying our seaside palace so far?” King Solan gave them a smile over his soup.
“It is lovely.” Jalissa sipped another bite of the creamy shrimp and potato soup. It was far too heavily seasoned for her taste. Far too much dill. Not to mention, seafood was not her favorite. While the elves living by the coast in Tarenhiel consumed great quantities of fish and lobster, she was a child of the forest. She preferred venison to fish.
But she kept her smile in place despite the overpowering taste.
“We haven’t had a chance to explore it yet.” Edmund smiled that empty smile at the king and the crown prince. “Is a tour of the city on our schedule?”
“We have a tour planned for the day after tomorrow.” The king’s face was so lined that his smile disappeared in the wrinkles. “And we have a welcome banquet in your honor planned in a week.”
“Sounds splendid. Don’t you agree, sugarcake?” Edmund wrapped his arm around her, tugging her close enough it was probably uncomfortable for everyone else watching.
“Yes.” Jalissa was looking forward to seeing the seaside city. And walking along the beach in the moonlight with Edmund sounded romantic.
