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Her popularity was unquestionable, and while this had once been a source of pride, now it only made him feel like punching something. Every time a soldier came up to Lysander, it was usually to rave about their beloved princess, and always stories of her bravery at the Miller Mine battle would come up. They were practically worshipping his mate as a goddess, and what made it worse was how they were doing it right in front of Fina of all people.
"I'm sorry for this," he muttered under his breath.
"It truly doesn't bother me, Your Highness." But her voice caught at the end, and Lysander could only clench his fists against his sides.
The subtle interaction between the two didn't escape Misty's notice, and she couldn't help gnashing her teeth on her sister-in-law's behalf, with the way the other woman stood so unnecessarily close to the prince. Domenico had told her that Fina was Lysander's former mentor and one whose quick wits had been responsible for saving the prince during the war.
But even so...
I just don't feel good about her, Misty thought uneasily. While the woman didn't feel evil, there was still something about her that Misty didn't quite trust.
And when Domenico's baby sister finally arrived, flanked on each side by her two handsome political advisers, Misty saw the way Estrella's gaze flitted towards where Fina stood remarkably close to her husband. And then the younger woman looked away just as quickly, and Misty realized her sister-in-law was harboring the same thoughts as well.
When the princess and the twins finally reached them, Fina automatically stepped back, seeing the way the Fournier brothers were staring at her. Bastards, she thought hatefully. They were looking at her like she was some undeserving leech by the prince's side, and she could do nothing about it...for now.
But they'd see. Soon, everyone would see that it was her, and not some stupid royal dog, that deserved to be Lysander Allard's true princess.
Meanwhile, Alain and Aluin subtly carved out a private space for the royal couple and effectively place as much as distance as possible between the spy and their prince. With a few issued commands, they managed to have the princess and Lysander alone, and it was thus that Estrella finally had a chance to speak to her husband.
"I'm sorry I'm a little late." The words sounded awkward even to her own ears, but at least they were safe, and she focused on them so that Lysander wouldn't be able to see the pain underneath it. She wasn't sure if it was going to work, but there wasn't any harm in trying.
Lysander didn't answer right away. He had been trying to read his wife's thoughts and found himself blocked out of her mind for the very first time. Which meant she had only been pretending, Lysander thought bitterly, all those instances she supposedly forgot he could read her mind.
Not once did it occur to him that the only reason one could forget about such a thing was because Estrella's trust in him had been so absolute and implicit she hadn't even any need to hide anything.
But now that trust was broken.
He's still angry with me, Estrella realized painfully. His voice was so much stiffer than usual, his manner aloof. She was close to tears when their gazes accidentally clashed, and she saw that his eyes...
It was no longer haunted. Instead, his violet eyes...
Estrella's own eyes widened.
Lysander breathed hard. Shit. Fuck. Shit. One moment he was struggling to get past his disillusionment, and then the next thing he knew he was having to fight off against a tremendous wave of lust that was making his body tremble and bristle at the same time.
The beast inside him was prowling, snarling. Apparently, one night was too damn long for it, and it was now starving mad. Cold sweat began to bead his forehead, and Lysander breathed harshly. He tried to fight against the need to take her, and the beast retaliated by clawing at its soul. Hard. Enough to make him remember the agonies he had suffered all those years they had been in battle—-
Estrella suddenly grabbed his hand. "Your Highness, I need to speak to you in private. Now."
The twins heard this, and it was then they realized several things.
Lysander hadn't slept in the princess' bed last night. Lysander had told them he needed to fuck the princess to stay calm. And if the prince were to come out to the arena with a goddamn beast that was not calm...
The twins cursed under their breaths even as they swiftly sprung into action, forcing a path out of the crowd while they scanned their surroundings for the appropriate venue.
"There!" Aluin jerked his direction towards an unlabeled dressing room a few feet away, and Alain nodded in understanding. He motioned for the royal couple to follow behind him, and after making sure the room was safe and unoccupied, he stepped back to let Estrella and the prince pass.
