An understatement of epic proportions, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart. Not here, not in front of everyone.
“Indeed it is,” he said, his voice carefully controlled. But I caught the slight tremor in it, the way his hands weren’t quite steady as he stepped back to give me space.
The centaur cleared his throat again. “Perhaps we should move on to the reception? There are traditional toasts to be made. Food to consume. A celebration to get underway”
Oh, yes. This nightmare wasn’t over yet. Now I had to smile and pretend to be a happy bride while my entire world had been turned upside down.
The crowd began to move, flowing from the garden toward the manor house where tables laden with food waited under floating wellawisp lanterns. I started to follow, but Kieran caught my elbow.
“Cyrene.” Something almost pleading came through in his tone. “Could I have a moment before we join the others?”
People were still staring at us, a few whispering behind their hands. Sasha was pushing through the crowd toward us, her face a mask of protective fury. Adele stood beside Victoria, both of them wringing the fabric of their formal gowns, looking like they’d like to hug me. If only I could rush to them.
Run away.
Victoria gave me a nod before the two started toward the reception.
Kieran followed my gaze, and something that might have been amusement flickered across his face. “Ah. One of your sisters is coming, looking like she’dlike to stab me. Good thing I don’t see a stake in her hand.”
“Give her thirty seconds. Sasha’s probably conjuring one as we speak. She’s no doubt planning seventeen different ways to make you disappear if you hurt me.”
“Only seventeen? I’m impressed by her restraint.”
Was he actually making a joke? The Kieran I’d known at the festival had been funny, charming, and easy to laugh with. This stern vampire king spouting dry observations was not what I’d expected.
Sasha reached us before I could respond, her eyes flashing with barely contained fury. “Cyrene.” Her stern gaze never left Kieran’s face. “Are you all right? That was quite a dramatic ceremony.”
“I’m fine,” I said. “I was surprised. Nothing else.”
“Surprised,” Sasha said flatly. She reeled toward Kieran, and I swear the temperature dropped several degrees. “Your Majesty, that was an interesting display at the altar.”
Kieran inclined his head. “Lady Sasha, it’s so nice to meet you. Your sister spoke of you often in her letters.”
Wait, what letters? I hadn’t written any letters to him.
Sasha’s eyebrows rose along with mine. “Letters?”
“In the correspondence regarding the marriage arrangements, she mentioned how much your opinion means to her, and how protective you are of your family.”
Oh. The formal, political letters that Grandmother had probably written in my name.
“I see.” Sasha’s tone and the way she glared suggested that she saw right through his diplomatic pleasantries. “Are you planning to honor the spirit of those arrangements, Your Majesty?”
The warning in her voice could’ve frozen fire. Kieran seemed to recognize it because he stiffened and met her gaze directly.
“Your sister’s well-being is nowmyresponsibility,” he said. “I don’t take that lightly.”
“Good,” Sasha growled. “Because if you hurt her, arranged marriage or not, there will be consequences.”
“Sasha,” I hissed, my face blazing with heat. “You can’t threaten the vampire king.”
“I can, and I did,” she said without looking away from my new husband. “He understands, don’t you,YourMajesty?”
I wanted to tell her to stop, but part of me also wanted to take notes. My oldest sister specialized in battle and strategy magic. If anyone could defeat another with either their wits or in combat, it was my Sasha.
Kieran smiled. Actually smiled, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of the man I’d known six years ago. “I do indeed, and I respect you for it.”
Behind Sasha, I spied several of Kieran’s advisors watching with disapproval. The older vampires exchanged glances that didn’t bode well for our new alliance.
