Vivi steps forward readily but Niall hangs back, leaning hard against Auden’s leg. A fond smile flashes across Auden’s face as he begins to move forward, nudging Niall to go along with him. Mahl sees Niall’s reticence too and, luckily, turns his attention to Vivi first. “Well?” Mahl says, looking the girl over from head to toe. “And who are you?” “I’m Vivianna,” Vivi says, staring straight at Mahl as if he’s a little stupid. I laugh inwardly because I can almost read her mind - she knows that the King knows her name; she just heard him announce it to the whole court. Mahl chuckles, perhaps realizing this as well. “Well, Vivianna,” he continues, “I am very glad to meet you.” “He told me you are going to be my grandfather,” Vivi says, lifting her chin towards Auden. I bite my lip to keep from laughing at the way she narrows her eyes at her father, as if he might have been lying to her. “He also said,” she continues, turning back to Mahl to study him, “that you’re a King. Is that true
“That little girl,” Mahl says, shaking his head as he stares after his son and grandchildren in a pleased, paternal sort of way. “We’ll have to get her a little crown made, right away.”“What?” I ask, laughing and looking after Vivi. “Why?”“Can you not see it?” he asks, turning to me with a smile. “She is already a tiny Queen.”I laugh at this, pleased and thinking privately that Mahl doesn’t know the half of it. “Don’t you think it will go to her head?” I ask. “To be given a crown? She will begin to think herself your equal, perhaps try to run the kingdom if you’re not careful.”Mahl laughs at this as well, shaking his head. “It will make me laugh,” he says with a shrug. “Which, I think, is the point of grandchildren.”I smile, leaning back against the velvet of my throne and taking a long drink of my wine, finding that relief is filling me in the aftermath of that encounter. Auden and I had spent so many hours, last night and on the ride home, thinking of all the ways it could go w
“Oh,” I say, taking a step closer toward the women who are staring at me and nodding sagely. “Yes, an incredibly good point. Certainly, it’s something to consider.” The women smile, pleased with my affirmation, but they hesitate as they continue the conversation, a few glancing over their shoulders at the woman in purple speaking alone with an Alpha. Our group breaks up a few moments later, everyone finding someone else to mingle with, and I can’t help but heave a sigh of relief. There’s an unusual pause as I am alone for a moment, and I’m savoring it, but suddenly the woman in purple is standing next to me. “Terrible little Lunas,” she murmurs to me, imitating Larissa’s words and inflection from just a few moments ago, “that little one in particular.” She raises her wine glass to her mouth with a smirk and I find myself laughing freely – perhaps the first time I’ve done that in any of these conversations. “Vain,” I continue, likewise repeating Larissa’s insults about Vivi and gi
“What?” I breathe, fascinated and delighted. “Since when do courtesans come to court!?”“They’ve always been here, Everleigh,” Mahl murmurs, not minding, apparently, that I’m not appalled at Margot’s occupation and am, instead, clearly curious. “They just…didn’t come into the circles of Lunas in the years that you were present at court. Things have changed a bit since you have been gone.”“Oh,” I say, looking up at him again. “Why?”And I regret the question immediately when Mahl looks away.I stutter a moment, making awkward noises in my attempt to apologize or find something to say, but Mahl just looks calmly down at me. “A story for another time,” he murmurs as we arrive at the back door to my chambers, the same door through which Tara traveled this afternoon to bring me my coffee.I take a deep breath and try to settle my emotions – my still-burning curiosity, my embarrassment at blatantly asking Mahl why he lets courtesans mingle with his best friends’ wives – before going into m
I roll my eyes at Auden, annoyed by his idea that he can come into my room and dismiss my servants at will. I don’t know what he’s getting at with this power move, but two can certainly play this game.“Great,” I say breezily, pushing past him and heading directly for my wardrobe, thinking about getting into some more comfortable clothes. As I pass through the door, I call casually over my shoulder. “Will you come and help me unlace this dress? Since you sent all my servants away, it’s either that or I sleep in it.”Auden laughs lightly, seeing what I’m doing, but I hear him follow after me. I quickly sit down on a comfortable poufy ottoman in the wardrobe and pull my silk stockings from my legs before Auden walks into the room. Then I stand, turning my back to him and putting my hands on my hips.“You start from the top,” I say, “and work your way down –““I know how to unlace a dress, Everleigh,” Auden murmurs, his voice a little annoyed but not without humor.I laugh a little too a
“Mama!”I gasp as Niall comes barreling into the room. My eyes instantly fill with tears as he leaps for the bed and begins to climb across it towards me. I barely have time to put my wine glass down before my little boy throws himself into my arms, making me reel backward a little bit. Vivi runs into the room as I clasp Niall to my chest, Coco flying after her.“Mommy!” Vivi shouts, likewise running for the bed. “Where have you been all day!”I’m still gasping with surprise and laughter, brushing stray tears from my cheeks as Vivi clambers onto the bed as well. I reach out one arm to her, wrapping her up with it and using my other arm to hold Niall close. “Babies,” I murmur, pulling them close and kissing them each on the head before closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of their scents. “Oh, babies, I missed you!”“We are not babies,” Niall murmurs into my shoulder, “but we missed you too.” I laugh and turn my head again to nuzzle Niall for a moment as Vivi pulls away to settle c
“You can name the horses whatever you want, Vivianna,” Auden says, grinning at her. “Two days from now I’ll send for all of the horse dealers in the city to bring their best and you can pick.”Niall wiggles disconsolately in my lap. I can tell that he is jealous.“Perhaps,” I murmur, loud enough to get Auden’s attention. He looks at us. “Perhaps Niall could go with you, when Vivi picks,” I say softly, hoping he takes my meaning. “Maybe he will change his mind.”“I won’t,” Niall murmurs, his face still tucked against me, but I smile at Auden and nod a little to let him know that he will.We continue like this for a good little while, talking through what their new lives might be like, and Auden and I tell Vivi and Niall all about where they will go to school, and the new children they will meet – including two uncles and an aunt just around their age, which the children find very funny. But before long, I can sense that they’re getting tired.“All right,” I say, working to stand up and
“So,” Auden says, seating himself on the wide balustrade that marks the far side of my little terrace. I move to stand next to him, handing him a glass and then pouring the wine for both of us. “They’re smart. You didn’t tell me that they’re smart.”I take a moment to look Auden over, noting the way he tucks one leg beneath him and lets his other leg dangle, the way he smirks at me when he talks about our kids.I can’t hide my own smirk in response. “Are they?” I ask, playing dumb because I want to hear what he’s thinking.“They can read, Everleigh?” he asks, grinning at me before taking a sip of his wine. “Seriously? At five? I mean, are you exaggerating? Do they just know their letters –“I laugh and shake my head, taking a drink of my wine before I answer. “Test them, if you want,” I say, giving a nonchalant shrug before taking the bottle with me over to a little stone bench across from Auden and settling myself on it. “But they can read - really read. I mean, they’re not going to
“What the hell are you thinking, Everleigh!?” Auden snarls, but behind the anger that darkens his face is just…complete devastation. Betrayal. Sadness in every line of every feature.My stomach sinks with guilt – because he loves them, I know he loves them -But I rally, knowing that I’m right – that I’m out of options. And, as it so often does, my temper leads my response. “I’m getting the fuck out of here, Auden!” I shout, casting a hand toward the door. “Or at least I was until you fucked everything up!”“You were going to run!? Again!?”“Yes!” I shout, bursting into hysterical laughter as I drop my hand, which smacks listlessly to my thigh. It’s hopeless now. Fucking hopeless. “Of course I’m running! Of course I am! Why did you think that I wouldn’t!?&rdquo
I turn off all the taps and then rush out of the bathroom and across the room, yanking open the door to the children’s suite, praying that Auden isn’t here – that he’s busy rallying his troops to war –I’m holding my breath as I storm into the children’s room, my eyes immediately moving to the young nurse helping divest Vivi of her jewels. Relief rushes through my chest as Coco lets out a panicked squawk. Niall rushes for me, clearly upset, his arms wrapping right around my leg.“Get out of here,” I snap at the nurse.She stands straight and stares at me, eyes wide.“Go!” I shout, pointing at the door. “Right now! Go!”She drops the jewels on Vivi’s bed and does as I say, hurrying out of the room. I wait for the outer door to shut before I turn to my kids.“Mama?” Niall asks, looking up at me, his voice all creaky. “What&rs
“Where, wife, do you get the gall to apologize for me, for my decisions!?” Mahl snarls, his face inches from mine, his furious breath hot on my cheeks. My heart pounds with what are surely its final beats –I have moments left to live, I’m sure of it -“No!” I sputter out, trying to shake my head, even as his grip on my hair causes pain to radiate through the back of my head. “I misspoke! You misunderstand!”He pauses, barely.“I – it was pity!” I manage, still gasping against the pain, trying again to find my balance with my toes the only parts of me truly on the floor. “Not apology – I didn’t know what to say! I don’t – I don’t know how to do this! I –“His fingers loosen and I find my feet.The sound of my panting fills the hallway. “Again,” Mahl snarls,
“You dare,” Mahl growls, his eyes fastened on the chubby little ambassador, who looks like he’s quite literally shaking in his boots. “To again raise the subject of my granddaughter’s pet?”From the corner of my eye, I see Vivianna sit up straighter in her seat, sensing that Mahl is talking about her, quite pleased – as she always is - to be the center of attention. Niall keeps reading. Auden sits very still.My back molars press together in frustration as I consider, not for the first time, that this is less about paternal affection for granddaughter and more about Mahl disliking the fact that this man has the gall to question his previous decree.The ambassador lifts his chin, determined. “The Firebird is a national honor, your Highness – I don’t know how it appeared in your lands after hundreds of years of absence but it belongs in Venda. It is our heritage embodied, our most important –““Vivianna!” Ma
Margot settles in on the lounge as I move to the bell pull by the side of my bed, giving it two tugs that I know will send Tara up with some coffee. Then I move to her side. “So,” I say, leaning close, glancing just once at the door to the children’s room. “How did it…go?”“Oh, it went fine!” Margot says, laughing lightly and stretching her arms up above her head. “It always does. Honestly, Everleigh, there’s no need for concern. You weren’t awake and upset all night, were you?”I pause for a moment, kind of shocked now that she suggests it. But I shake my head. “No,” I whisper. “I kind of…slept beautifully.”Margot grins at me and glances over at my bedside. “Two cakes, Everleigh!” she says, laughing a little and reaching out to lightly smack my knee. “Be careful not to overdose.”My eyes go wide.She grins. “Just kidding, that’s not possible. Don’t worry so much. Did you have sweet dreams too?”I blush and she laughs, but I shake it off, knowing she doesn’t have the true details unle
I groan, turning over to bury my face in my pillow when I wake up for the second time, the sun just starting to peek through my windows. Because even when I fell back asleep, all my mind did was go over that dream again and again – the feel of Auden’s mouth on mine, his hand slipping down my back, the way he pulled me tight against his chest –I shake my head, my face slipping against the soft fabric of my pillowcase, not knowing…how the hell I’m supposed to deal with this insane crush that I have on my baby daddy. The son of my forced fiancé. The man who sleeps two doors away from me and who is…so utterly off limits.I sigh, pushing myself up, pushing my hair back from my face, scowling. “Don’t be so weak, Everleigh,” I murmur, getting out of bed and storming off to the bathroom. There is just…way too much at stake to even dream about such things.
I laugh, leaning forward to pat the mattress. “Well, come up, then. No sense in letting this perfectly fantastic bed mysteriously placed in the middle of a field go to waste.”Auden’s smirk deepens as he crawls onto the bed, surprising me by stretching himself out long at my side, resting his head against his hand, perfectly at ease and much less formal than he usually is. But then again, he’s a figment of my imagination, isn’t he? Of course this version of Auden is more relaxed.“I’ve never dreamed of a place like this before,” he murmurs, looking around with interest. “Though I have to admit, your presence is less of a surprise.”“Really?” I ask, a little delighted, sitting up all prim with my hands in my lap. “I’m a regular feature in your dreams, then?”“Yes, Everleigh,” he says, a little growl tracing his words as he flicks his
“Highness,” the Prince murmurs, stepping close to my bed. “I like your nightgown.”My eyes fly open at this.I turn my head to glare at him.Auden smirks at me. “Very fine materials. Precisely my father’s taste.”I groan, turning my face away and burying it in my pillows. Behind me, I hear Auden laugh as he seats himself on the edge of the bed. “It’s so weird that you know your dad’s taste in lingerie.”“Yeah, I’m not sure we have…what could be understood as a healthy father/son dynamic.”I sigh and turn again, lounging back in the pillows, studying him in the dark. The soft fall of his dark hair over his forehead. The broad set of his shoulders and his strong, muscled arms. “How are you?” I ask.“Surprised that you’re here,” he says, studying me in turn, not letting me change the sub
I just stare at the four tiny cakes that remain. “I’m…not hungry?”“It’s not for hunger,” Margot whispers, grinning at me. “At least, not that kind.”She holds out the plate a moment longer and then, when I stand frozen, just shrugs and moves for the bed. Mahl follows her, that growl still sounding, and gestures for me to come along too. “They’re here, highness Queen,” Margot says, placing them on the side table to Mahl’s bed. “Should you want one.”“Highness Queen,” Mahl murmurs, laughing a little. “Call her Everleigh – we’re more intimate than that. Or at least, we will be soon.” Then he breaks into his booming laugh, snatching Margot by the waist and pulling her into the sheets with him. She bursts into laughter too, a delighted sound.My eyes go wide as I just…watch these people, so comfortable with each other, so…easy and joyful in the world of sex.To my surprise, jealousy runs through me as Mahl playfully pins