I remember, Cora said and returned her attention to the approaching couple.
Lex and Lily stopped before the dais and gave Cora an exaggerated bow. Before Cora could deliver her formal welcome, Lex turned to the side and waved at Teryn and Larylis. Not a bow. Not a nod. A casual wave.
Whispers broke out from the courtiers at the fore of the audience, gossiping about his lack of decorum.
Leave it to Lex to breach formalities without a care in the world.
A grin split Teryn’s face. Then, with an amused roll of his eyes, he strode forward and crushed Lex in a hug. Cora froze in surprise, flushing as more whispers broke out. Teryn stepped away, and to Cora’s surprise, Larylis took his brother’s place, hugging Lex with only slightly more restraint.
Mareleau arched a brow at the display while Helena looked scandalized. Cora’s gaze flicked to the courtiers, then back to the warm reunion before her. She wasn’t sure what to do in this situation. Wait idly by? Call for order? Her palms tingled with a flood of calming energy, and she knew what she needed to do. No, what shewantedto do.
She rose from her throne and the audience went silent. Lex separated from Larylis, eyes widening when they fell on Cora. “Oh, right! Majesty, thank you for—”
His words cut off as she marched down the dais, her skirts and cape trailing behind her. Lex’s expression faltered, as if he only just now considered that he might have made a blunder. He opened his mouth, stammering for words, but Cora gathered his hands in hers and gave them a firm squeeze. Her lips lifted in an unrestrained smile.
“Lex,” she said, tone sincere, “thank you so much for being here. I can’t express how much it means to me.”
His cheeks reddened and his expression turned bashful.
She released his hands and took up those of the woman beside him. Lily made a startled sound, but her sweet smile remained. “You and I aren’t acquainted yet,” Cora said, “but I do hope that will change.”
“You honor me, Majesty,” Lily said, her voice small.
“The two of you honor me.” Cora’s tone regained some of its formality. She spoke louder, allowing her words to carry to the courtiers. “Lex, you are my kingdom’s ally as well as Vera’s. You aided us when Duke Morkai tried to destroy us.” A collective intake of breath sounded from the audience at the mention of the duke, but Cora continued. “I look forward to furthering our friendship and am grateful for your presence.”
Lex bent forward in a bow while Lily dipped in an elegant curtsy.
Cora lowered her voice and adopted a casual tone again as she asked, “You’ll join us for dinner, won’t you?”
“Of course,” Lex said, puffing out his chest.
“Good.” With one last smile, Cora left the couple and settled back on her throne with controlled poise. She was pleased to see the courtiers were no longer whispering. Now that their queen had validated what they’d previously deemed unseemly behavior, they had no reason to.
Lex and Lily joined the others and Cora shifted her focus to greet her next guests. Though she continued to deliver her memorized words and welcomed nobles who were no better than strangers, her brief reprieve with her friends was enough to make the rest of the ceremony far more enjoyable.
7
Cora was eager for dinner for more reasons than one. For starters, it would mean the most formal part of her evening was through. Secondly, she was famished. Only now, as she entered the dining hall where aromas of sizzling meats, stews, and fluffy breads infused the air, did she realize she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She’d been too flustered after her kiss with Teryn to take lunch. After the welcoming ceremony, she’d had just enough time to change out of her ceremonial raiment and into a dark blue dinner gown and have her ladies restyle her hair. It now hung over her shoulder in a long braid.
She was grateful that she was the last to arrive—a formality, of course—for it meant the dining hall was loud enough to smother the sounds of her growling stomach. The hall wasn’t particularly rowdy, but there was just enough sound from the harpist in the gallery, the shuffling bodies at the tables, and the occasional whisper to keep the room from being dead silent. It didn’t stop her from blushing as she climbed the dais at the end of the room and took the empty seat at the head table, between Mareleau and Teryn. Her plate was already laden with the table’s ample offerings, eliciting the loudest growl from her stomach yet. She shot a horrified glance at Teryn, but if he heard the sounds roaring out of her, he made no sign of it.
Like her, he’d changed after the ceremony and was now dressed in a dark frock coat over an ivory brocade waistcoat and white silk cravat. She gave him a brief smile but dared not meet his eyes too long, lest she get thoroughly distracted. Dinner may be a less formal affair than the earlier audience she’d held, but she still had duties to perform as queen, and everyone was waiting on her.
Casting a benevolent gaze upon the room at large, she lifted her glass of wine, signaling the start of the meal. The courtiers in attendance raised their glasses, and after the queen took her sip, so did the rest. Relief coursed through her. Now that her guests could begin eating and politely conversing, she and her companions would have some semblance of privacy, for the dais set them apart from the other rows of tables.
Mareleau seemed to have the same train of thought, for she playfully elbowed Cora in the arm. Cora glanced to the side as she took up her fork and met her friend’s smile.
“It’s really nice to see you again,” Mareleau said. Her tone took on a teasing quality. “Your castle isn’t nearly as hideous as it was before.”
Cora let out a lighthearted scoff. “What high praise.”
“You really should have replaced the linens I selected.” Mareleau tapped the tablecloth beneath the violet runner. “Don’t you recall I selected these with Master Arther out of spite when you wouldn’t let me attend the council meeting with you?”
Cora frowned. “What’s wrong with the linens? They look fine to me.”
Mareleau gave her a patronizing look. One that would have gotten under her skin before they were friends. Now she knew it was cajoling. “Cora, dear, the thread count is offensively low.”
Cora rolled her eyes, but the gesture was interrupted by a slight wince from Mareleau. Her hand shot to her belly, a furrow on her brow. Cora opened her mouth to ask if she was all right, but Mareleau gave a subtle shake of her head.
