Chapter 10
Elle walks me through the castle and out onto the main terrace.
It overlooks a large grassy area filled with dozens of people dressed in black and seated at various tables.
A garden sits in the far corner, overflowing with shades of pinks, yellows, and whites.
Tables filled with handheld appetizers and drinks are scattered throughout the terrace.
I snag a drink and head toward the stairs, but Elle stops me.
“Woah there,” she says. “Do you want to go into this blind, or do you want me to point out the different Houses?”
“Actually, why don’t I just stay up here and hide?” I ask.
She chuckles. “I don’t think that’s…” She trails off, her gaze snagging on something behind me.
“Hello,” a deep voice rumbles.
Elle immediately forms a deep bow. Certainly deeper than any bow or curtsy she’s given me.
When I turn, the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen stands before me.
His skin is pale, almost white, and his dark black hair is parted down the middle.
A lock of his hair has fallen forward and draws attention to his eyes, which I cannot look away from.
The centers of his eyes are onyx black, as dark as night.
But his irises are the lightest shade of green, the color of a light green fern.
Cutting through the middle of his iris is a thin band of silver that forms a ring around his onyx pupils. They’re…captivating.
He catches me staring and lifts one corner of his mouth before falling into a deep bow. I look at Elle to ask her what the hell I say to get him up but she’s still bowing. Oh, this is ridiculous.
“You may stand,” I say, praying to the Mother that I don’t sound too awkward.
He does so, smiling at me again before extending a hand. “Prince Asmo, Your Highness. Lovely to meet you.”
Holly was right, he might be the most beautiful male I’ve ever seen.
I take his hand in mine. It’s warm and rough, and I hate how good it feels. “Lovely to meet you, Prince Asmo.”
“Lovely might be an understatement,” he says, his eyes roving up and down my frame. Any positive feelings I had toward Asmo are now gone, replaced with irritation and an overwhelming desire to roll my eyes.
I’ve dealt with males like him before, the kind who think their good looks and charm alone will earn them sway with anyone they come across. Killan was one of them.
“Would you like me to bow, too? Maybe give you a better view?” I ask him, one eyebrow raised. I almost regret it the moment it comes out of my mouth. Almost.
That corner of his mouth inches further upward, and he says, “No, you don’t bow to me. You bow to no one, Princess.” His “s” sounds slithery, and if I didn’t know he was from House Serpent before, I would have after hearing that.
I take a sip of my champagne, refusing to break his eye contact. Feeling emboldened, I say, “I suppose not. But I wonder, Prince, how much you’d like to see me bow before you.”
At that, his smirk turns into a grin. “My, my. You certainly are not as you seem.”
“I suppose not. Lovely to meet you,” I say before turning on my heels and heading down the stairs.
“What was that?” Elle asks me, hurrying to catch up.
“He seems like an ass,” I snap.
“Mae. You cannot act like that with the other princes. Asmo is an ass, but the other princes are not, and they’ll be offended if you act like that with them. Don’t forget that all eyes are on you, judging your every move.”
“Fine,” I say shortly.
She releases a long groan. “Mother help us all.”
Elle leads me to the edge of the veranda where a stunning male and female stand, both watching the guests as they pass by.
Based on their lean but powerful builds, I would guess House Panthera or Canis.
As we approach, their eyes shift to us. Even from a distance, their emerald-green eyes are striking, and are unmistakably Panthera.
And now they’re fixed on me and me alone.
The female tucks a lock of dark brown hair behind a pointed ear and stands taller as she watches me. The male tucks his hands into his pockets, gaze roving over my crown and antlers.
They form deep bows when I approach. When they stand, they offer polite smiles and wait for me to speak first. Thankfully, I don’t have to.
“Prince Koa and Princess Cassia,” Elle says beside me. “Lovely to see you both again.”
“Your Majesty,” Cassia says to me, ignoring Elle. “Congratulations on your newly appointed title. It was a beautiful ceremony.”
Congratulations on taking the throne after your father was murdered, Mae! Oh, and their funeral was very well done.
“Thank you,” I respond curtly.
Koa steps forward, drawing the attention away from his sister. “It’s nice to see you too, Elle,” he says warmly. “And an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Prince Koa,” I say. “Since we’ll be getting to know each other more, I’d much rather you call me Mae.”
His answering smile is disarming. His perfectly straight teeth are dazzlingly white, and his green eyes crinkle. Oh, he’s gorgeous, too.
“Thank you so much for coming,” I say politely, not sure what else to say.
“Absolutely. I’m sorry for your loss. I’m pleased to be here and to meet you, but I wish it were under different conditions,” he says solemnly.
“Although, I’m certainly looking to get to know you better.
I think the whole kingdom is if I’m being honest. I’m honored to be one of the lucky few who gets the privilege.
” He runs his hand through his hair again and smiles sheepishly.
Oh, he’s a charmer. I bet he’s charmed the pants off hundreds of females.
The thought doesn’t sit well with me. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, I’ve always been attracted to males with less…ego. Despite my relationship with Killan, my type has always been the shy male.
Koa’s charm has reminded me that I’m in an entirely different dating scene. These are High Princes. They’re nothing like the males I’ve dated before. They’ve grown up knowing they’re royalty and are used to being treated as such.
“Yes, thank you. I’m looking forward to it, too.” I offer him a smile that doesn’t meet my eyes. “Please do enjoy the food. If you’ll excuse me,” I say, motioning toward the food before stepping away, leaving House Panthera in my wake.
Elle doesn’t leave my side, each of her steps matching my long strides. “I just need a minute,” I say hurriedly before she can ask. I lead us upstairs to the terrace overlooking the yard and assemble a small plate of appetizers and finger foods. It’s late afternoon now, and I haven’t eaten all day.
I stuff a petit four in my mouth and groan at the sweetness on my tongue.
Elle looks at me, her brow furrowed as she eyes me carefully. “What’s wrong?”
I shrug. “Holly warned me that House Panthera could be vain, and I just got that sense from him. I didn’t exactly like it.”
“Well, you got the worst two out of the way first. The other three are better. Want to go meet them? I’m happy to introduce you.”
“Can I just wait for them to approach me?” I groan. Instead of responding, she just looks at me, which I suppose is a response of its own.
“Okay, fine. Put me out of my misery,” I say, heading toward the stairs.
She rolls her eyes and says, “You’re so dramatic. This gives you the power. Not to mention, meeting them now is going to make your dinner easier tomorrow.”
I know she’s right. The idea of tomorrow does seem less frightening now that I’ve met two of the princes.
Elle spots Ivan across the crowded lawn, waving us over to his table.
He’s seated at a table next to a couple, both of whom are wearing silver-gold crowns atop hair as white as snow.
I take a deep breath, steel myself, and hold my head high as I walk over to them.
Like Asmo, their eyes are also shocking, but in a different way.
They’re a piercing light blue, instantly reminding me of a frosty glacier.
As I approach, Ivan says, “Mae, please meet King Conall and Queen Sasha of House Canis.”
They begin to stand, and I say, “Please, stay seated. I assume you’re going to bow, and to be quite honest, I’d love nothing more than for you not to.”
I feel Elle stiffen beside me, but Sasha bursts into laughter. “Ivan did say you were…unconventional,” she says, her voice low and sensual.
I look at him and say, “Oh, did he now?”
“You’re welcome to be unconventional with us, dear,” Sasha says. “We were good friends with your father. We’re so sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you for your kind words. I’m also sorry for your loss. I was unfortunate to never know him, but he seems to have made quite an impact on everyone that he came across,” I respond.
Connall nods solemnly. “Yes, well said. He was one-of-a-kind. As you seem to have inherited.”
Sasha hurriedly adds, “He means well. We’ve both been shocked by the news of your family’s deaths, so please forgive my husband if that came out wrong.”
I shake my head. “No, no. It didn’t. Thank you both for coming.”
Connall offers me a warm hand, and I accept it. He holds my hand in his before slightly bowing his head. He releases my hand, offering a small smile before saying, “Whatever we can do to help you adjust to your new role, please just ask.”
“Thank you so much,” I say, meaning it.
“Oh, there’s our son,” Sasha says, looking over my shoulder and waving. “August!”
I turn to find a tall male striding toward us, and once again, I’m struck by how otherworldly handsome he is.
All the princes are attractive, each one tall, dark, and handsome, but August is the opposite.
He is a golden prince, his sandy blond hair brushing against his forehead, just above his bright blue eyes.
He’s tall and lean, also packed with muscle.
As he approaches, he runs a hand through his hair and smiles at me with perfectly polished teeth.
His mother calls, “Whatever you do, don’t bow!”
Yep, I like her.