“For you or for the others around you?” Keane asks, hand remaining on the back of my chair.
“For everything, I guess. For the night itself. Everyone here can and will do as they please, with no expectations as to the proper court etiquette that I’m accustomed to. There’s no expectations to engage or not engage with others and no expectations inhowyou have to engage either. Just noexpectations at all.”
My smile is broad as I look out to the full of the court.
“You all live very in the moment. I found it refreshing.”
Lord Daniel gives a small smile at my answer.
“And yet your heart still lies with Knowledge?” the Prince asks, watching me intently.
“Always,” I sigh.
“Their court is very lucky to have you, Lady Alexis,” Daniel nods.
I salute my drink to him before taking a sip, appreciative of the tribute.
“Apologies for my bluntness, Lady,” the Discerni Lord continues, “but do you have a suitor at home?”
I lean back against my chair and smile at the Lord, forgetting that the Prince’s arm is still resting there.
Shit.
Keane skims his fingers gently over my back in greeting, prompting a small shiver to caress my skin.
“I do not, Lord Daniel,” I reply steadily.
Lord Daniel shakes his head in open astonishment, his hand tugging at his beard. “I truly cannot envision why.”
I give him another genuine smile at the bold compliment and lean forward, instantly missing the touch from behind me.
“I enjoy my travels for the King, Lord Daniel,” I reply in explanation, “and have no plans of giving them up any time soon. Naturally, running in and out of the castle at different intervals in the month is not something most men in our Court pine for in a woman.”
“And your time as a Lady in Wait?” he asks, his light brown eyes soft and still full of disbelief, “I can’t envision there were no men pining over you then?”
Lord Daniel seems properly intrigued, though I can’t help but get the creeping feeling that I am being questioned again. Is he genuinely interested in knowing, or is he questioning me on behalf of the Prince?
“No suitors during my time with the Queen,” I lie, smiling back at the Lord.
Daniel shakes his head, “their loss.”
Hmm.Perhaps he is genuine.
I move my hand up to my hair in a slight blush, brushing the strands away from my heated face. A moment later, another hand meets mine, the very fingers that I was just missing now skimming up my neck in a brazen manner.
I swiftly turn to Prince Keane and gaze at him hard in question. He ignores my look and keeps his eyes fixated on my ear closest to him, the same ear that I exposed when I brushed my hair away from my face. Keane lets his fingers move daringly to my neck, brushing them up to just under my ear as he reaches for the black jewel there. His reckless touch makes me still and hold my breath, though if he was anyone else in the Old World, I would have already leaned away with a few choice words.
But for some reason I let his fingers roam… let his eyes stare at the side of my neck as his gaze heats my body with its intensity. I know that he doesn’t give a damn about how improper his touch is right now, nor does he care if anyone is watching him while he does it.
“I bought them in Warrior’s Row today,” I tell him quietly, watching as his brown eyes remain entranced on the black and gold in his fingers. “They reminded me of the Shadow Oak.”
Keane’s brown eyes dart to mine at the mention of the oak, his hand finally dipping down and away from my face. He slowly moves my hair back to the front of my shoulder and shields the sparkling black from his view, the gesture genuinely confusing me as he leans away.
“They suit you,” he replies, voice hard and thoughtful as he signals for another round. I release the heavy breath I was holding and turn to my ale, willing my hand to stop shaking.
“Shall we get drunk tonight?” he asks suddenly, bringing his arm back to my chair as he glances at me with playful eyes.
I’m completely thrown off by the sudden change.
