Chapter 18 #2
“No matter. Hunting is a skill that needs to be practiced regularly if you’re to be good at it. Join me on my next hunt. We’ll get you into shape.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“Of course. It’ll give me a chance to get your measure, and you might succeed in dragging my laze-about son with you.”
Hugo’s mind was still spinning over the idea of joining the king’s hunting party when Everand groaned beside him.
“It’s not that I don’t wish to go hunting with you, Father, but you always have to do it at such an ungodly hour. It’s not good for the body to be up at dawn.”
Hugo choked on a laugh, quickly turning it into a cough. “I will do my best, Your Majesty.”
“Well, if Hugo wants to get me up at dawn, he—”
“That’s enough, Everand.” The queen cut off her son, stopping him from saying something that would likely be deemed scandalous.
She released an exasperated sigh and gave him a look, which her son just smirked at in response.
Clearly, this was an exchange they’d had in the past. It was also proof that Hugo had his work cut out for him if he was going to be a “positive influence,” but Hugo was up for the challenge.
Not that he had any interest in changing Everand in the slightest. As far as he was concerned, Everand was perfect exactly as he was.
Queen Liliana smoothed out her expression and lifted her chin as she continued to address her son. “Don’t forget to invite your cousin Melissande for a dance. She and her mother came to Frostbourne to visit you.”
Everand’s lips tensed, but he didn’t argue as he tightened his grip on Hugo’s arm and led them away from the king and queen, joining the rest of the crowd.
As soon as they were out of earshot of his mother, Everand muttered, “Cousin Melissande couldn’t care less about dancing with me.”
Hugo glanced over at the storm cloud clutching his arm. “Really?”
Everand nodded. “She has the same problem you have—an overzealous mother eager to get her married off.”
A smirk lifted one corner of Hugo’s mouth. “As a cousin of the crown prince, that shouldn’t be too big of a problem.”
“Except my cousin has zero interest in marrying. She wants to go off to university in Belhaven and study magic.”
“Ahh,” Hugo murmured. The university in the kingdom of Belhaven was one of the best in the world, offering deep scientific studies into the realm of magic.
Melissande must be incredibly gifted if she could get accepted there.
“Why don’t you dance with your cousin? It will make your mother happy, and you can reassure your cousin that you have no intention of helping her find a spouse. ”
The prince glared at Hugo, but his gaze soon drifted behind him to the many people lingering very close by, looking for an opportunity to sneak close and “have a word” with Hugo.
“I’m not a fan of this idea. I prefer to stay by your side.” The growl was half possessive and half protective.
“How about you have one dance with your cousin and then one dance with someone else? Maybe the queen? Afterward, we can have our second dance.”
“That’s even less appealing. How about I just take you for another spin on the dance floor?”
Hugo leaned close and whispered in his ear. “You know you can’t protect me all the time. I can handle them.”
When Everand lifted his dark-blue eyes to Hugo, worry filled them. “You know if they hurt you, I’ll cut all their tongues out. Literally. Cut. Them. Out.”
It took all Hugo’s self-control not to lean in and kiss him.
He knew Everand meant every word he said.
Instead, he laughed and gave the prince a nudge away from him.
Everand gave him a last glance over his shoulder and worked his way along the edge of the dance floor, likely heading in the direction of his cousin.
Hugo enjoyed exactly thirty seconds of peace and solitude before many of the people who had been watching him broke through their inertia and descended upon him.
Countless happy faces introduced themselves.
He met dukes, viscounts, barons, and a few knights, as well as the glamorous sons and daughters of the aristocracy.
And why not? The crown prince had not only gifted him with the very first dance of the night, but he’d introduced Hugo to his royal parents.
Everand couldn’t have stamped a bigger seal of approval on him.
It also didn’t hurt that both the queen and king had smiled through the entire introduction, and the king even invited him out for a hunting expedition.
If Hugo’s mother had been present, she’d have been somewhere between calling for her smelling salts and ordering the engraver to start on the wedding invitations.
That was still premature from Hugo’s perspective. There was no doubt in his mind that he and Everand would need to do more to convince the king and queen of the wisdom of their match, but Hugo was more than happy to put in the work.
Holding on to his polite expression, Hugo spent the next several minutes navigating probing conversations, as people tried to uncover how he and the prince had met, how well they knew each other, and other more sordid details.
Hugo dodged uncomfortable questions and simply played dumb when he couldn’t evade.
These strangers didn’t need to know all the intimate details of their relationship.
Why couldn’t he savor it for a bit longer?
But those nosy aristocrats weren’t the only problem he had to worry about.
“Hugo Baker.” The speaker hummed as if he were tasting Hugo’s name as he stepped closer.
He was a tall, blond man with blunt, square features, cool pale-blue eyes, and the most interesting divot in his chin.
Something about him appeared familiar, but Hugo couldn’t remember ever meeting him. “That name sounds familiar.”
“Forgive me, I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” Hugo replied.
“Farris Hawthorne, eldest son of Lord and Lady Hawthorne.”
Of fucking course…
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Hugo stated, fighting hard not to grind up his words between his teeth. Had the queen sent him to stir up trouble, or was this guy like his mother and a troublemaker?
“That’s right!” Farris exclaimed, snapping his fingers sharply.
The sound seemed to capture the attention of anyone who might have started to ignore them.
He added a laugh, gazing down his blockish nose at Hugo.
“Didn’t your mother tell some crazy tales about your magical talent at the Winthrop Spring Gala? ”
“Yes, I’m afraid she did.” Hugo kept his voice even and low. It was important that it didn’t look like Farris’s words were bothering him.
Hot flashes and icy chills engulfed his entire body, as if it didn’t know whether to broil him with irritation or freeze from fright.
Instinct screamed for him to turn heel and walk away from this pompous ass, but he couldn’t.
Being with a prince meant facing plenty of people who had nasty things to say or suffering through uncomfortable situations.
Wasn’t he just thinking that he would fight for Everand?
Well, not all fighting was going to demand the use of a sword.
“Oh, what was it now that she was telling everyone?” Farris continued. The smirk twisting up his lips showed he enjoyed making Hugo uncomfortable.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to rehash such a tired old tale and bore everyone.”
“I remember now,” Farris declared, nearly talking over him. “Your mother claimed you could spin straw into gold. Isn’t that crazy? Who would ever say something like that?” His loud bray of laughter rose above the last dying notes of the orchestra.
Hugo grinned. “It was silly.”
“Impossible!” Farris barked.
But it wasn’t impossible. Hugo knew someone who could, in fact, spin straw into gold, not that he’d ever give that information away to an idiot like Farris. Let him laugh. His magical friend was safe from this snob.
As the man’s snickers subsided, he took a step closer while Hugo tried to edge away from him. Unfortunately, Farris’s loud words had captured the attention of too many people, and they were now pressed close, blocking Hugo’s escape.
“My only question is whether Prince Everand knows about your mother’s boasts? Does he know what kind of family you come from?” There was an evil twist to the man’s words, making it sound like he was accusing Hugo of climbing out of a pigpen at birth.
Hugo lifted his chin and met Farris’s eyes without flinching. “Actually, Prince Everand knows everything about my mother’s stories. I don’t keep secrets from him. There’s no need. I want him to know everything about my family and me.”
A hand suddenly rested on his hip, and Hugo barely had time to flinch as a muscular arm wrapped around him from behind. His head snapped to his right to find Prince Everand standing beside him, a smile on his lips, but his gaze could have frozen a river.
“Farris,” Everand hissed, displaying a grin that was all teeth.
“Who let you out of your wallow?” The prince paused for a breath, allowing the gawkers to let out a few titters of laughter.
“There’s no need to worry about my well-being.
My treasure shares everything with me. And I cannot wait to meet his mother and younger brothers.
If they are anything like Hugo, I know I’m going to adore them. ”
“Really?” Hugo whispered. He winced. The word escaped him before he could stop it. Everand couldn’t have meant that.
“Yes, I thought I could meet them tomorrow when I take you home.” Everand’s gaze softened as he turned his attention to Hugo.
The hand on his waist tightened, chasing away the last of the discomfort that had plagued Hugo during his conversation with Farris.
“But you’ll have to help me pick out some appropriate gifts. I couldn’t show up empty-handed.”
Farris the Fart snorted. “Fine. What could someone like him have to hide? But have you been forthright with your treasure?”
Hugo almost sighed. This man was proving to be mean-spirited, and about as sharp as a mud puddle. Everand looked as if he was about to rip out Farris’s throat for mocking his pet name for Hugo, but Hugo would not allow the prince to make a scene.
“We’re taking our time,” Hugo interjected, keeping Everand from snapping.
“Every day that we know each other, we discover something new, and I love him a little more. If I’m lucky, I’ll have a lifetime to spend learning his secrets.
But if Ev chooses not to share all his secrets with me, I won’t love him any less. ”
“Really?” Everand echoed Hugo’s whispered question from earlier.
“Yes.” He meant every word he said. Maybe it was fast, but Everand possessed his heart.
Everand spun Hugo away from the crowd of gossips and onto the dance floor. “We must waltz. Now.”
Hugo laughed and allowed himself to be twirled onto the dance floor. In Everand’s haste, he almost sent them careening into another couple, which caused them to erupt into giggles.
It was only after they had settled in the center of the floor that they could speak.
“Tell me again. You meant what you said?” Everand commanded.
“Yes. All of it. Too much? I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“I’m not. At all. I…I…I have a somewhat reckless past.”
Hugo tried to school his features into a serious expression and failed miserably. “Yes, you’ve hinted at one.”
“Okay, but it’s not nearly as bad as I’ve hinted. I gamble, but not a lot. I’m not about to throw away the entire kingdom’s wealth on horse races. And I don’t drink that much. I’m also not a complete whore. It’s just that sometimes this life is…”
“Stifling?” Hugo finished for him.
“Yes! But when I’m with you, I don’t feel stifled. I feel free. As if I’ve sprouted wings.”
“I’m glad.” Hugo had been smiling so much that his cheeks were aching. How was it possible to feel so happy and not burst?
These weren’t words of love, but Hugo’s heart was still overflowing with joy. Maybe Everand would come to love him one day.
“We need to get out of here, Hugo. I need to kiss you, and if I do it on the dance floor, Mother would never forgive me.”
Hugo grinned, and butterflies took flight in his stomach. “Any ideas about how we can make our escape?”
“Several. Do you trust me?”
“Always.”