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Sure enough, the man who had dabbed blood from my cheek minutes before was now wearing a simple gold crown encrusted with small emeralds atop his head. He stood to the King’s immediate right.
I saw him glance over the faces in the crowd until he spotted me. With the intensity of his deep green eyes, he reaffirmed that he would be seeking me out the moment he was free of his obligations.
* * * *
“Lord Davante.” The Prince of Valencia held his hand out to Cass.
Cass took his hand. “Prince Heroux,” he replied respectfully.
Reading the look of surprise on Cass’s face, the Prince explained, “It’s my business to know the men who fight for this Kingdom, Commander.”
“This is Mandy,” Cass said, gesturing to me at his side.
I squeezed Cass’s biceps, or what little I could fit under my hand, in protest.
“I mean, Lady Alarie Armand,” Cass corrected himself, so unused to High Court etiquette, especially when it came to me.
“Why was someone trying to kidnap you?” the Prince asked, again, without preamble.
“Whatthe fuckis he talking about?” Cass blurted out, forgetting any attempt at maintaining decorum.
“Alarie,that’swhy you were late!?” Cass exclaimed, using my real name as he so rarely did. “Are you okay?” he asked, running his hands over the top of my arms. I nodded, patting his hand reassuringly.
The Prince turned back to Cass.
“Do you know why?” the Prince asked.
“Can we talk about this somewhere else?” Cass asked, cautiously looking at the crowd around us. His hand that wasn’t on me moved near his belt, and I knew he was strapped down with weapons, despite wearing a suit.
I doubted anyone had heard a word we’d said because it was so loud with chatter in the main hall. They were talking about me like I wasn’t standing right there in front of them. I waited impatiently to see when they would realize this and direct their attention back to me. But that didn’t happen.
The Prince nodded his head for Cass to follow him and turned his back to me without another word. The Prince looked back to find Cass reluctant to leave my side after the news that someone had tried to take me by force.
“The guards are watching her. She’ll be fine,” the Prince assured Cass, indicating the guards positioned throughout the room who were indeed focused on me. Cass leaned in and kissed me sweetly on the cheek.
“We are talking about this as soon as I get back,” he whispered.
Tight-lipped, I watched them walk away. Well, I wasn’t going to stand there like an idiot waiting for them to come back. I spotted James not too far away and moved to join her.
* * * *
Their conversation had taken longer than I had anticipated. The Prince sought me out, meeting my eyes with the deep forest green of his own and indicating for me to join them with a nod of his head. I excused myself from High Lord Preston and his husband’s company and walked toward the Prince and Cass. Cass’s demeanor was markedly different from when he had left my side. He looked pissed.
I looked at Cass. He was not one to hold his tongue. If he had something to say, normally he didn’t care who was around to hear it. So his silence was puzzling. But if Cass was pissed, then I was pissed too. I directed my gaze to the Prince, allowing an annoyed expression to settle onto my face.
“Congratulations, princess. You work for House Heroux now,” the Prince stated flatly.
I had no idea what had transpired between the Prince and Cass, but if the Prince wanted to be rude, then I could be rude too.
“No, I don’t,” I replied, matching his clipped tone.
“I’m senior counselor toHouse Dumont,” I replied proudly.
Cass smiled at me.
“So you’re turning down my offer of senior counselor to House Heroux, then?”
I would be crazy to turn down an offer like that. Working for House Heroux was one of the most coveted positions at the High Court.
