Chapter 10 #2
His face contorts in confusion, and he glances at me, tilting his head as if to confirm. I smile and nod when he approaches me. “I’m not used to the whole bowing thing yet.” I offer my hand and say, “Hi, I’m Mae.”
He gently takes it and places a light kiss on the top of my hand before returning to a stand. “Hi, Mae. I’m August.” His voice is rough and low, yet boyish somehow.
Up close, he’s even more gorgeous. His eyes, the color of the sky, never leave my face as we speak. A singular dimple appears whenever he smiles, adding to his charm.
“Lovely to meet you,” I say for what feels like the millionth time today. This time, I mean it.
“I think the pleasure is all mine,” he says, that damn dimple deepening with his smile.
“Thank you for coming today,” I nearly stutter, fully disarmed by how stunning he is.
His smile drops at the reminder of today’s purpose. “I was devastated when we heard the news. Princess Etta and my sister, Lola, were close. She was a family friend.”
“I’m so sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”
“Me, too,” he says solemnly. “Etta was…she was special. But I am happy to meet you and to learn about you.” He offers me a smile, and it feels genuine, but I do feel a pang of jealousy. And I hate myself for feeling it.
I shove the thought away and force the smile back to my face. “I’m very excited to meet you, too, August. Please enjoy the food. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon. If you’ll excuse me.”
He forms another bow, and I turn, Elle right at my side. As we walk away from August, I have a feeling that someone is watching me. When I turn, Prince Asmo stares at me from across the lawn, his eyes tracking my every movement.
I shake off a shiver as it slithers its way up my spine.
As we reach the bottom of the stairs, Elle points to a tall, broad male standing by one of the tables. The back of his head reveals a thick head of curly, light brown hair pulled back into a low bun.
“Prince Barrett!” Elle says brightly, seeming genuinely happy to see the back of his head.
He turns, a smile already on his bearded face at hearing her voice. He scoops her into a hug.
“Elle!” he exclaims. “Oh, it’s so good to see you. I was so sorry to hear about Etta.” He releases her, and her smile falters at the mention of the dead princess.
“I know. It’s been a weird and sad time for everyone. It did, however, bring us Princess Mae,” she says, her way of introducing me.
I smile and offer him my hand, saying, “It’s so nice to meet you, Prince Barrett. I’ve only heard good things about you.”
Instead of leaning down and kissing it like Koa, he shakes it briefly, much to my immense relief.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t heard much about you,” he confesses. “Except that I’m supposed to court you into marrying me.” He chuckles.
“Well, yes, it’s rather odd, isn’t it? I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few months,” I say.
Elle butts in and says, “Barrett, she’s amazing, really. We lucked out with her.” When she looks at me, her eyes twinkle slightly, and I feel a swell of gratitude and compassion for her.
I meet her gaze and return the smile before turning back to Barrett. “It’s great to meet you, Barrett. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.”
Finally, we go to meet Prince Marik, the second Prince of House Serpent.
He’s joined his brother, both sitting at a table next to the garden, sipping champagne in fitted black tuxedos.
They look like Princes of Darkness. The juxtaposition of them sitting before the bundles of colorful flowers is jarring.
Asmo smiles at me as we approach, flashing bright and straight teeth.
He looks like he wants to eat me alive.
Ignoring him, I make eye contact with his brother and smile at him instead. He looks just like Asmo, but his eyes are almost entirely black, and I swallow a lump that has formed in my throat. While I couldn’t take my eyes away from Asmo’s, Marik’s eyes make me want to run and run far away.
They rise as we approach, Asmo standing slightly taller than his brother.
Once I’m standing in front of him, I can see that Marik’s eyes are not entirely black. Rather, there’s a thin band of silver bordering the black.
I gather my most queenly smile, paste it on my face, and say, “Hello. You must be Prince Marik.”
He offers me a quick bow before standing back up. “You must be Princess Mae. It’s an honor to meet you.” His voice is warm and instantly puts me at ease. He sounds genuinely happy to be standing in front of me.
“Thank you so much for coming,” I say.
“The service was wonderful. Am I right in assuming the flowers from the bouquets were plucked from your garden?” he asks.
I blink. I have no idea. Elle speaks up and says, “Yes, they were from Etta’s garden. She and Queen Adelaide used to spend weekends in the different gardens throughout the grounds.”
I picture my sister and the late queen spending afternoons together in the gardens.
Like Etta, I used to spend my time among the flowers, captivated by the different hues and sweet floral scents.
A soft pang of loss hits me as I think about how I’ll never get the chance to share that with my sister.
“I’m so sorry for your losses, both of you. Etta was a sweet girl, and she didn’t deserve…this,” Marik says, sorrow tinging his voice.
“Did you know her well?” I ask.
“Yes, we were friends.”
Asmo’s features twist at his brother’s words, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Well, I’m sorry for your loss. I must admit, I didn’t know my sister. I’m sad that I didn’t get the chance to and that I have to learn about her from stories. This day is for you all to remember her and the family.”
He rubs his jaw with one hand. “The last time I saw her, she was so full of life…” he trails off, shaking his head as if lost in the memory.
Asmo tilts his head, his brow briefly furrowing as he looks at his brother. The expression is gone in an instant, and he schools his features back into place.
“That was her,” Elle says melancholily, “She was a force of energy. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
Marik clears his throat and says, “On the bright side, we get to learn more about you.” His eyes crinkle as they land back on me.
I smile, again feeling uncomfortable at the reminder that my sister’s death landed me here.
“Yes,” I say, trying desperately to inject rainbows and butterflies into my tone.
“I’m delighted to be here. The next few months will be an exciting time as I get to know you all,” I say, glancing between Marik and Asmo.
Asmo’s eyes brighten slightly as my gaze lands on him. “I never would have taken you for someone who didn’t grow up here. Your manners and your way of speaking are impressive for your…background,” he says.
I don’t know what the hell that means, but I paste that smile back on my face and say, “I’ve been taught well over the last few days. Where are King Vasuki and Queen Minerva? I was expecting to meet them today.”
“They couldn’t make it,” Marik says. No further explanation. Alrighty then.
Out of the corner of my eye, Asmo watches me carefully. I shift in my black heels, the weight of his gaze heavy.
Feeling uncomfortable, I hold up my champagne glass and excuse myself.
Elle follows me, falling into step beside me as I walk away from the Serpent Princes.
She introduces me to other members of the royal court, and I spend the rest of the reception thanking people for coming and trying to share in their grief, but it feels impossible to do when I didn’t know the deceased.
Thankfully, Ivan’s voice booms through the yard, announcing the conclusion of the reception. Elle and I take our leave and head to join Ivan at the top of the stairs so we can greet each guest as they leave.
I’m not sure if it’s my magic sensing Asmo’s gaze still lingering on me, but I don’t feel it leave me until after I see him leave the castle.