“The pleasure is ours, Your Highness,” Cal nods in response.
I raise my head slowly from my curtsy and immediately lock eyes with Keane. I hold them in small amusement, knowing he’ll soon see that there is no modesty gracing me tonight.
“The pleasure will indeed be ours, Cal,” Mana’s quiet voice replies, “so long as we don’t have to hear you sing that song again.”
Holis and I both cough into our hands as we all make our way to the end of the table.
“I’ll kill you all,” Cal mumbles.
“You’re singing might just do it for us first,” I laugh.
“Remind me again why we’re friends?”
“Because I can hold drinks with you,” I remind my big friend, patting his shoulder before I walk past his seat, “and pipe!”
“Damnstraight, Alex,” Cal grins.
“Lady Alexis,” Keane’s voice pulls me to him.
I stop before my empty chair and take him in.
He’s absolutely regal in a deep forest green tunic tonight, the color so deep that it almost looks black. His brown hair is clipped immaculately in its normal lengthy top, his jaw and the angular plains of his face sharp as he looks at me in quiet thought. His brown eyes are holding mine with a new intensity I haven’t seen yet, though the hint of his normal playfulness isjustshining through. He’s breathtaking, truly and utterly breathtaking, and I don’t think I’ll ever get over his beauty.
The Prince grabs the back of the empty chair on his left and waits for me to sit down. I give him a knowing smile that he doesn’t understand and then walk around the chair as slowly as possible.
The feel of his heated gaze lands on my back in an instant, his eyes raking down my bare skin as my heart stops in my chest.
“Not so modest after all…” he murmurs from behind, hand flexing on the back of my chair when I sit.
“Always so full of surprises, Lady Alexis.”
Keane lets his thumb skim over the bare of my back for just a moment, the feel of it sending a flush of heat straight down my spine before he moves into his seat at my side.
“My small ode to Warrior,” I tell him, “you have a talented young seamstress here that helped me alter the dress.”
The Prince nods his head in approval, eyes raking down my body and dress again as a small smirk graces his lips. He meets my gaze for a moment before turning away with a quiet chuckle, catching the attention of the serving boy who is stationed behind us.
“Ale, please,” I smile at the young one.
“No fire tonight, Lady Alexis?” he raises a playful brow.
“That depends…” I give him my own smirk and turn to Lord Daniel at my side. The move has me exposing the full of my back to him again.
“Will the Lord be questioning me again tonight?”
The Discerni shakes his head with a small smile, “I wish only to get to know you better, Lady Alexis, as would any other man in this room tonight.”
My brows lift at the bold comment. I grin in appreciation of it, hoping he hears the sincerity in my voice, “and I you, Lord Daniel. I saw you training when we first arrived in Gaumond. You moved the boulders across the fields.”
Lord Daniel’s eyes flick to the Prince behind me, catching his gaze for a moment before returning to mine. “Surely you have those who can summon in your Court, Lady?”
“We do,” I nod with a smile, “though I’ve never seen them do anything in scope to what I saw you do that day. It was truly amazing to watch.”
“Thank you, Lady Alexis,” Daniel tilts his head in acknowledgement as Keane shifts in his seat behind me.
“Are there many others who do what you do?” I ask curiously, “with the boulders of stone?”
Lord Daniel opens his mouth to answer but the Prince is quick to respond.
