I recognised Danté straight away. It may have been ten years since I’d last seen him, sprawled on the ground, his face as red as the dress I currently wore, but he’d grown up to be exactly as I’d imagined he would.
Asher led me to the head of the table, my heart thumping. A servant pulled out the chair for me and, taking a settling breath, I sat, plastering the warmest smile possible on my face. I took in the broad man on my left as the rest of the court took their seats. Servants dived about pouring crimson wine or water into the crystal. I was about to select the safer option of water when I met the glare of Danté and chose wine instead. Straightening my spine, I took a long, rather unregal swig of the rich wine before turning to Danté.
‘How lovely to see you again,’ I lied, taking in the man he’d become. Danté was undoubtedly handsome, but whereas Matthias was softness and warmth, Danté was cool and angled. His squared jaw was freshly shaven, blond sideburns immaculately trimmed and his shoulder-length hair was tied at the nape of his broad neck. His black tuxedo fit perfectly across his powerful form. I briefly wondered if I should praise the doctor who’d repaired his smile. A tight smirk lay on his thinlips as he raised his own glass with a pale, steady hand, taking a rather sedate sip and raking his brown eyes over me.
‘I’ll be honest, I was rather surprised when your stepfather informed me I was being assigned to monitor Asmar, Your Highness.’ He formed each word precisely, clipped with intention.
‘Please,’ I said, taking another large swig and almost emptying my glass, ‘call me Sorrow. It was a surprise to learn we require monitoring.’
A quick smile flickered across his face before he stared across to where Skye sat, her head bowed towards the elderly lady next to her, politely admiring the ridiculous plume of feathers in her grey hair.
A servant placed a bowl of watery soup before me, the scent of earthy herbs and rich meat making my mouth water. Selecting the correct spoon, I made out the courtiers watching me intently. I placed the spoon down, a slight smile on my lips as I recalled no one could start eating until the monarch had taken their first bite.
‘I suppose,’ Danté continued, refusing to take his gaze from me, ‘it was a surprise to learn you had a princess for an in-law and not two princes as you expected? You’ve been away from court for so long you missed all the scandal when Princess whatever she is chose to don a dress and pretend to be a girl.’
Gripping the spoon and twirling it in my fingers, I looked over to Skye, praying to Evella she hadn’t heard Danté’s booming voice. My lips pursed as a dark rash spread across her chest. She tucked her hands under her chin, a tight smile on her rosy lips as she focused on the bird-headed woman. I sensed anger radiating from behind me and turned to find Asher standing rigidly. Danté’s eyes flicked up as he picked up his own spoon.
‘Not at all,’ I replied, placing the spoon in completely the wrong place. ‘Skye has been nothing but kind and welcoming, and I’ll remind you, you’re a guest under her roof.’
‘And?’ Danté stilled, his spoon poised over the tendrils of steam, as I stared defiantly into his cold face. The warmth of wine flooded my veins. Hang the consequences. Diplomacy had never been an attribute I excelled at, anyway.
I glanced over my shoulder at Asher’s stony expression.
‘I believe it’ll be three this time,’ I told him.
‘Three? Three what?’ Danté said, his brows drawn.
Clenching my fist, I opened my mouth ready to tell Danté exactly what would happen if he didn’t watch his words, when two massive paws slammed down on the table, spilling soup and clinking glasses. There were a few shrieks and some rather nervous laughter as Pablo fixed Danté with his glare.
‘What the bloody hell isthat?’ the duke cried, the colour leaching from his smug face.
Pablo lowered his head to my bowl, amber eyes still locked on the Drufaeran duke as he lapped my soup.
‘This is what we call a wolf. A fierce carnivore capable of great cunning and blessed with a brute strength only the Gods could endow.’ I ran my fingers through his grey fur, noticing how the other guests seemed to move further from my end of the table. ‘And I do believe he’s hungry.’
Skye turned her attention to Danté. ‘Please, don’t be scared, Your Grace. He’s such a lovely creature.’
‘If he likes you, that is,’ I added.
Danté gulped and, keeping his wide-eyed stare fixed on the wolf, picked up his spoon and started slurping.
I tutted. ‘Manners, Danté. Manners.’
As I was the queen, there was no splitting of ladies and gentlemen once we’d completed all five courses and I sat, my spine rigid, next to Danté on a ruby velvet couch. He swirled brandy, but after draining a fourth glass of fruity wine during the meal, I now clutched a glass of water. Pablo lay on the floor between us, his amber eyes flicking up to the duke every few seconds. Skye stood in a corner, laughing at a joke told by a young, handsome courtier. Asher stood on guard by the door, his face devoid of the usual light, as he resolutely stared ahead. He was too far away for me to see if his gaze flickered over to Skye. I hoped it would.
‘It does strike me as rather unusual for newlyweds to be separated so soon after the nuptials,’ Danté said.
The severity of his stare scalded my cheek, and I recalled Matthias’s warning about any scrutiny of our ‘marriage’. I sipped my water. I’d give him no excuse to haul me back to Drufaera and Romero.
‘Unfortunately, our marriage coincides with the imminent threat of invasion. Matthias has to make sacrifices in order to ensure the safety of the whole continent. I’m sure you understand.’
Danté sniffed before taking a sip of his brandy. I dug my nails into the rich velvet of the couch as he smacked his lips together.
‘Still…’
I bit my lip as an almost audible groan escaped me, and Pablo yawned.
‘I remember you two as children. Thick as bloody thieves you were. No one else ever got a look in.’
