“It’s beautiful, Juliette. How did you have the time to do all this?” I ask.
“I have nothing else to do around here,” she says.
The dining room table has a cloth covering it made of some kind of shimmery black fabric. Silver plates, goblets, and cutlery wait at each of the place settings.
Two servants stand in the back of the room, wine bottles in hand. It’s a much more formal event than I anticipated. Tea with Juliette did not prepare me for this side of her.
Nikolay pulls out the chair at the head of the table. “Your Highness?”
I hesitate, then take the offered seat. Juliette sits next to me, and Katherine sits next to her. Nikolay chooses the seat on my other side.
As everyone settles around the table, I notice Brevan whispering with Charlotte, who is sitting by Katherine. Charlotte gets up, and he takes her seat. He’s diagonal from Nikolay.
The servants fill wineglasses, then leave the room. Everyone is silent, and most of my ladies are sipping their wine. I take a drink from my own cup because it gives me something to do.
“When did you return to the city, Nikolay?” Brevan asks, breaking the silence.
“Last night. When I found out Lady Juliette was here, I knew I had to pay her a visit.” He takes a sip of his wine, then sets the glass down. “Last I heard, you were still at the border, burning down towns and stealing family heirlooms from old women.”
The air is thick with tension. There’s history here, and I want nothing more than for them to keep talking.
“Don’t worry, the deals you made with the emperor held strong, and we weren’t allowed into any of your estates.” Brevan glances at me, then returns his gaze to Nikolay.
I don’t miss his hint and know Brevan said that entirely for my benefit. He doesn’t want me to like Nikolay. But why?
“I have nothing to hide, as you and the emperor well know,” he says.
“How’s that petition to return to Iskvaland?” Brevan asks. “Has the king reinstated your titles?”
“I have no use for Iskvalandian titles.” He looks over at me. “No offense, Princess.” Then he fixes his gaze on Brevan again. “I am Pendralian. You of all people should understand how it works to renounce your homeland.”
I lean slightly forward. Does Nikolay know the enforcer’s history? I know Brevan doesn’t want to share, but I can’t help my curiosity.
“Well, as interesting as this is, gentlemen, I’m afraid you’re both being rather rude by leaving the rest of us out of the conversation,” Juliette says.
Nikolay inclines his head. “Of course, I apologize. Sometimes we men forget how to behave in such exquisite company.”
I notice that some of my ladies actually blush from his words.
“Princess, how have you found the transition to Pendralia? I have to say, I didn’t miss Iskvaland as much as I thought I would.”
“It helps when there are such wonderful people here to occupy my time,” I say.
“Will they let you return after the royal wedding?” Charlotte asks.
“Perhaps,” he says. “You know, there is one thing I do miss.”
“What’s that?” Juliette asks.
He looks over at me with a lecherous grin, then says in Iskvalandian, “Taking royal women to bed after they’ve had too much to drink.”
The color drains from my face, and my jaw opens, but before I can respond, Brevan is out of his seat, his chair crashing to the floor behind him. He grabs Nikolay by the collar and pulls him from his seat.
Servants walk in just then, platters of food in their hands. They all freeze, their eyes wide.
“Was that a threat?” Brevan asks with a growl. “The emperor should have taken your head.”
“Let him go!” Juliette is tugging on Brevan’s tunic, trying to pull him off Nikolay.
