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I took a step back, anything to break our intimate contact that was messing with my mind. “All right. I accept your apology.”
His hand fell as he searched my expression. “You do?”
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Yes.”
He smiled, and his sheer beauty threatened to overwhelm me.Blessed Mother, what is it about this male?
He stepped closer, and his snow and cedar scent hit me. Mother, he always smelled so good.
His lips curved more. “Now, I believe I promised you a drink.”
I gripped his arm again as we resumed walking. The prince propelled me along until we reached the wine table.
The servant standing behind it straightened and began stuttering, “Sir, sorry, Your Highness. What can I get you? Is the wine at the table not to your liking? May I—”
“It’s fine. All’s well, but if you would please grab a bottle from Lumalisbee, specifically the eastern plain label, I would appreciate it.”
The servant bowed. “Of course, my prince.”
I tapped my foot as I scanned the room, my thoughts still reeling from the prince’s apology. A hum of conversation drifted in the air as the servant pulled out a stepstool to reach the bottle on the top shelf. Most of the females and males in the Trial had heeded Prince Norivun’s suggestion to stand and mingle.
Lady Leafton and her suitor for the night had already slipped outside to the topiary maze while Meegana and Nuwin had joined a group of six males. All of them were laughing intermittently as they spoke, and Meegana was practically beaming at the younger prince. But while Nuwin was a gracious date, as he always was, his actions toward Meegana seemed more polite than actually interested.
Of everyone present, only Lady Endalaver looked vexed. She’d moved to stand by Lord Waterline and was whispering to him. The young lord nodded, his smile turning dopey.
“Has your date been enjoyable this evening?” the prince asked, an edge to his tone, as the servant grabbed a bottle, then put it back when it wasn’t the correct label.
I snorted. “Enjoyable? No, I wouldn’t call it that.”
“Has Lord Waterline touched you anywhere other than your arms and shoulders?” The edge in his tone turned razor-sharp. “Is anything happening under the table that I can’t see?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
The prince’s jaw flexed. “Because even though you’ve been doing an impressive job of ignoring me, I’ve been doing the opposite with you. I couldn’t help but notice that Lord Waterline’s been touching you all night. I wanted to ensure he hasn’t been doing more under the table that you don’t welcome.”
I fluttered a hand nervously through my hair. “No, nothing is happening under the table.”
“Good.” Some of the aura pounding from him dimmed as the servant finally located the right bottle.
The servant poured generous portions of the southern wine for both of us.
The crown prince clinked his glass to mine. “Solls.”
“Solls.” I took a sip, and a burst of berry flavors and wood smoke nestled over my tongue.
Savoring it, I wandered back to the group standing near the dance floor and inched toward Meegana. Considering a very powerful and masterful aura beat into my back, I knew the crown prince was right behind me.
When I reached my friend’s side, she smiled and made room for me, so I sidled up next to her as Nuwin began telling a story about his time at the Academy of Solisarium, when his tutor had accidentally ingested one of the potions he’d been instructing his students to make. The tutor had sprouted horns that lasted an entire week.
A tittering of laughter followed, then a female purred, “Prince Norivun, there you are.”
I stiffened when Lady Endalaver bumped into my side, sloshing wine out of my goblet as she pushed me forward in the group. Taking my spot, she stopped beside the prince.
“For a moment, it almost looked as though you’d forgotten that you’remydate tonight,” she continued in that silky tone.
The prince brought his goblet to his lips and took another sip. “I haven’t forgotten anything, Georgyanna.”
My heartbeat kicked up a notch at hearing her name on his lips, and a flare of unwanted jealousy fired through me. Breathing harder, I tried to stem my ridiculous response, but a heavy dose of magic zinged out of Georgyanna, directed entirely at the crown prince.
