Gerard noticed that Elias spent a great deal of time watching others.
“Oh, look. There is Warden Jade.” Elias leaned forward. “I haven’t seen her out since her father died.”
It seemed Elias wasn’t the only one to notice her. Everyone turned to stare. Heads leaned closer to one another as people whispered, clearly discussing her father’s betrayal and attempt to murder Onyx and Luther.
Gerard’s gut clenched. He knew what it was to be the focus of the hard stares and cruel whispers. Warden Jade paused. She glanced around. Then she turned and left.
“Poor girl,” Gerard muttered. Elias nodded.
They stood silently for several minutes, watching the crowds. Gerard examined the Draconian guards on duty. Were there enough at such an event? Because even though there were many warrior doves, he would not put his trust in them.
“Has Konrad’s betrothed been decided?”
Gerard had noticed that Elias also asked lots of questions.
“There is a good chance it will be Shadow Prince Wraith,” Gerard said. The shadow prince stood slightly back from a group from Necros. He wore a black dress with silver embellishments woven into it.
“Really? Poor Konrad. And poor Shadow Prince Wraith too.”
Gerard nodded. “Konrad is trying to get out of it by convincing Father that it is a terrible idea to have a peace treaty with the necromancers. But he won’t be successful. Honestly, I don’t know why he keeps trying.”
Elias glanced at Prince Beau and Albert. “This song goes on forever. It’s thrice the length of the song we danced to! And that’s saying something.” He shook his head. “But of course Empress Emmeline would choose a song that went on and on to give her son plenty of time in the spotlight.”
“You don’t get on well with your stepmother. What about your half-brother?” Gerard asked.
“I don’t get along with any of my half-siblings. They take after their mother in that sense.” Then Elias gestured to the two dancing. “And did you know that these two aren’t getting along so well at the moment?” A smile tugged at his lips.
“Why’s that?”
“Beau did not like the duke praising my beauty and saying I was meant to marry him at the Tournament of Dragons. So it’s been rather tense between the two of them.”
Gerard chuckled. “That’s understandable.” It seemed his cousin had pissed off quite a few individuals that day.
Elias rolled his eyes. “My stepmother blames me, of course.”
“Why?”
“She says that I have been trying to seduce Duke Albert and take his attention away from Beau.”
“What?” Gerard frowned.
“Apparently I am jealous of Beau for some reason or other and so am trying to ruin his marriage.” Elias scoffed. “It’s all ridiculous. But she has this way of twisting words. She can be quite convincing. However, I suppose some tension is expected when you join two families from warring kingdoms.”
“Voltaria and Zephyrias have been combined for what, twenty years now? Are there still issues between the kingdoms?” Most of the reports Gerard received on Voltaria and Zephyrias suggested that the kingdoms ran smoothly.
A servant came past, carrying wine on a tray. Gerard grabbed two and handed one to Elias.
Elias took the goblet. “Well, you have to remember, Zephyrias and Voltaria have a very extensive and complicated history.”
He sipped his wine. “At times, we’ve been one kingdom. Other times, we’ve split. We’ve been at war, on and off. Where the border lies has been fought over. Voltarian rulers have tried to take over Zephyrias and vice versa. There have been periods of peace throughout. But it never lasts.”
Elias lifted a slender shoulder. “You can’t erase all that history in just twenty years.”
“I suppose that makes sense.” Gerard rested his hand on the balustrade. “I’m surprised you made peace at all if that’s the case.”
Elias laughed. “Well, that’s what happens when a more hated enemy invades you both. You put aside hundreds of years of history to fight the terrible dragons.”
Gerard wasn’t sure if he should apologise for hisgrandmother invading Voltaria and Zephyrias. But right now, Elias smiled, and he didn’t seem all that fazed about the dragons flying in and trying to take their land.
