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Rhett veered back to the end of the pool table, seemingly deciding his cue needed even more chalk.
Cass had written and asked to take me to the Fall Ball. But almost immediately after his first letter, a second letter had shown up saying he didn’t know if he’d be able to make it, after all. But I would figure it out if he didn’t show. I just didn’t want Luke to feel obligated to be my date for the evening. Luke pressed his lips together, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Well, I guess that settles it, then,” he said. “We both have dates.”
Rhett popped up between us. He’d clearly been listening to every word we’d said.
“Good! It’s settled. I’ll see allfourof you tomorrow at my place,” Rhett concluded.
Rhett leaned over the pool table, stroking his cue and preparing to make his break as victor of the last game.
“Are you inviting the Prince to your little shindig?” Luke asked.
Rhett ceased his stroking of the cue and perked up, looking at Luke.
“The Prince? Why would I?” Rhett asked, bemused.
“You didn’t hear?” Luke asked. “The Prince has decided to grace us with his presence for this Fall Ball.”
Rhett raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Really? I thought he only came around the High Court for the Choosing?” I asked.
I had never so much as glimpsed the Prince in all of my time at the High Court. To my knowledge, the only time he had been to the High Court in years was for the Prince’s Choosing, which only occurred once a year. And last year I’d been away with Jay at Breakpoint during the Prince’s Choosing.
Although I’d never met the Prince, I got the general impression that he was not well-liked around the High Court, particularly among the male fae. I could see why the men may not appreciate the Prince’s annual ceremony involving their sisters, girlfriends, and, in some instances, wives, because no one was exempt from the Prince’s Choosing. The women were lined up like cattle, picked through, and then passed over by the Prince year after year.
The women around Court, on the other hand, didn’t seem nearly as put out by the process of the Choosing. After all, whatever flaws the Prince may have, he was still the sole Prince of Valencia and heir to the throne. And drop dead gorgeous, according to James.
James previously explained to me how she’d gone through the Choosing many years ago. This year, I would have to participate in the ceremony. I think I sided with men at Court on their opinion regarding the Prince. I didn’t care how amazingly good-looking he was. I wasn’t some piece of chattel to be compared with the rest. And I wanted to pick my own future, including my future partner.
“Apparently, he wasn’t able to wiggle out of this one,” Luke replied. “With Jay being out of town because he is expecting the baby any day now.” Luke cut his eyes to me, and I tried to appear asblaséas possible.
The truth was that I had some regrets about how things ended with Jay, but my decision to bow out of being part of the new, happy Vitruvian family was not one of them. Jay’s unborn baby was nearly as renowned and mystical as the Prince around the High Court. The miracle baby, the first fae baby to be born in twenty-three years. I didn’t think that mistress or House Consort to the happy new parents would be an enviable position to be in at the High Court. I was thankful that, for the most part, my relationship with Jay was relegated to whispers at the High Court and that the Lord of Whispers could contain those.
“I doubt the Prince wants to come to my little get together, anyway,” Rhett replied. “After all, I don’t think we’ve received a single invite to any event at the Emerald Court since the Queen’s passing,” Rhett noted.
This was another reason for the Prince’s apparent dislike at the High Court. Theonlytime he ever showed his face at Court was for the Choosing. There was an understanding around Court that the Prince thought himself too good to mix with the masses. Instead, he kept to himself at the Emerald Court and surrounded himself with sycophants. The Prince infrequently hosted events at the Emerald Court, and when he did, the invite list was always very exclusive.
Rhett got back to his break and shot the cue ball so hard it struck the rest of the balls with a resounding crack, causing many of the balls to scatter into pockets.
“Your turn, Al baby,” Rhett said, handing me his cue.
“Actually,” Luke interjected, intercepting the cue, “I called winner.”
14
Alarie
Iawoke to a knock at my door. The pounding got more and more incessant.
“I’m coming. I’m coming,” I yelled, exasperated, padding down my hallway toward the door.
I had a slight headache and felt like I could use some water. I had stayed out late at Bar Louie with the boys. I opened the door, expecting it to be either Luke or Rhett. They were the only ones who ever visited my wing of the Rein manor and the only ones who would feel comfortable enough to knock on my door like a mad man.
“Is that how every lady answers the door around here? If so, then I’m beginning to think I could really like this place,” he said, wagging his eyebrows at me.
I was wearing a silk slip of a nightgown. The hem barely covered the top of my thighs, and the lace detail at the top exposed the tops of my breasts.
