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I laughed. “Luke, I think you do just fine.” Although now that I thought about it, I had not seen or heard about Luke going on a date in a while.
I thought of asking Rhett to let out whatever he had been withholding and make Luke lift his shield. I was curious to know how I would hold up against Rhett’s allegedly irresistible powers. But another part of me didn’t want to know. Rhett was my friend—I didn’t want to turn into a puddle of giggles around him like all the other women did.
I let the topic drop as Luke opened the door to Bar Louie for me.
32
Alarie
Walking up to House Heroux that evening, I recognized the same honeyed voice I’d heard at the high lady’s soiree before. I quickly scanned the room, finding the handsome young lord on the far side of the room. The singer spotted me, giving me his usual playful grin and wink as his nimble hands skillfully moved over the strings of his guitar.
“Good evening, love.”
“Jay,” I breathed out, jumping in surprise. I hadn’t noticed him approaching me.
I was there to pass my social test for the liaison program. Jay had explained that prior to the magic waning, this portion of the liaison program would have been an opportunity to showcase any magical abilities I had. But, luckily for me, that kind of magical test had fallen to the wayside with the magic dying. Now, all I had to do was survive the evening without pissing off anyone, beginning with the high lord himself.
“My lord,” I crooned, “that’s a fine suit you’re wearing,” I said, discreetly squeezing his toned arm to quell the possessiveness I knew was always lingering near the surface for him.
With one raised eyebrow, appeased, Lord Vitruvian gave me a smirk that didn’t quite make it to his eyes. He offered me his elbow.
“The King, the High Council, and then some, are in there,” he warned, leaning his head down to whisper to me.
I tensed up at this news.
“You got this, love,” he whispered, lightly and lovingly touching the arch of my lower back.
His hand dropped from me before we walked in, approaching the King and his soon-to-be-queen; High Lady Tragon and her son, Cole Tragon; High Lord Rein, Lady Rein, Rhett, and Luke; and the Lords Preston.
* * * *
I walked into the hall, making my way back to the gathering after taking a quick break from everyone under the pretense of using the bathroom.
“Alarie,” a man called out. “Al.”
Only Luke and Rhett called me “Al.” But I didn’t recognize the voice that called out to me. I stopped and turned to face my pursuer.
“What are we going to do about this?” the grinning musician with the enchanting voice asked me cockily.
I responded to his question with a bemused expression.
“And what exactly is‘this,’ Lord…?” I trailed off, waiting for the young lord’s name and giving him the slightest flirt of a smile.
“Stefan. Stefan Jovian,” he offered, extending his hand.
“What are we going to do aboutthis?” he said, indicating the feel of his calloused hand in mine.
I took my time examining Stefan from head to toe, not veering away from his directness, and ending my journey at his eyes with a look that told him I wasn’t impressed, which, if I were being completely honest, was notentirelytrue. Stefan let a frustratingly knowing smirk slide onto his face.
“Well, Lord Stefan, it seems I’m at a disadvantage here. You know me, but,regretfully, I do not know you,” I said coolly, trying to cut through the cocky smirk on his face.
“Ouch,” he replied, like he had been pricked by the thorn of a rose. “Well, I’ll take the blame for that. I’ve been up north and away from the Court too much for my taste lately,” he said. “Look, I have a proposal for you,” he said, glancing back toward the room where everyone else was gathered.
I looked back at Stefan, coolly.
“High Lady Tragon would like to offer you a role in her House as coordinator,” Stefan volunteered.
Of all the things, that was not one I’d expected to come from the overconfident lord’s mouth. How could the high lady realistically expect me to be receptive to her offer? I’d made my dislike of the high lady’s son quite plain on multiple, very public occasions. But, if liking Cole Tragon was a criteria for working at House Tragon, then his mother would be the only one still there.
