As we reach the bottom of the stairs, Elle points to a tall, broad male standing by one of the tables. The back of his head reveals a thick head of curly, light brown hair pulled back into a low bun.
“Prince Barrett!” Elle says brightly, seeming genuinely happy to see the back of his head.
He turns, a smile already on his bearded face at hearing her voice. He scoops her into a hug.
“Elle!” he exclaims. “Oh, it’s so good to see you. I was so sorry to hear about Etta.” He releases her, and her smile falters at the mention of the dead princess.
“I know. It’s been a weird and sad time for everyone. It did, however, bring us Princess Mae,” she says, her way of introducing me.
I smile and offer him my hand, saying, “It’s so nice to meet you, Prince Barrett. I’ve only heard good things about you.”
Instead of leaning down and kissing it like Koa, he shakes it briefly, much to my immense relief.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t heard much about you,” he confesses. “Except that I’m supposed to court you into marrying me.” He chuckles.
“Well, yes, it’s rather odd, isn’t it? I suspect we’ll be seeing a lot of each other over the next few months,” I say.
Elle butts in and says, “Barrett, she’s amazing, really. We lucked out with her.” When she looks at me, her eyes twinkle slightly, and I feel a swell of gratitude and compassion for her.
I meet her gaze and return the smile before turning back to Barrett. “It’s great to meet you, Barrett. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.”
Finally, we go to meet Prince Marik, the second Prince of House Serpent. He’s joined his brother, both sitting at a table next to the garden, sipping champagne in fitted black tuxedos. They look like Princes of Darkness. The juxtaposition of them sitting before the bundles of colorful flowers is jarring. Asmo smiles at me as we approach, flashing bright and straight teeth.
He looks like he wants to eat me alive.
Ignoring him, I make eye contact with his brother and smile at him instead. He looks just like Asmo, but his eyes are almost entirely black, and I swallow a lump that has formed in my throat. While I couldn’t take my eyes away from Asmo’s, Marik’s eyes make me want to run and run far away.
They rise as we approach, Asmo standing slightly taller than his brother.
Once I’m standing in front of him, I can see that Marik’s eyes are not entirely black. Rather, there’s a thin band of silver bordering the black.
I gather my most queenly smile, paste it on my face, and say, “Hello. You must be Prince Marik.”
He offers me a quick bow before standing back up. “You must be Princess Mae. It’s an honor to meet you.” His voice is warm and instantly puts me at ease. He sounds genuinely happy to be standing in front of me.
“Thank you so much for coming,” I say.
“The service was wonderful. Am I right in assuming the flowers from the bouquets were plucked from your garden?” he asks.
I blink. I have no idea. Elle speaks up and says, “Yes, they were from Etta’s garden. She and Queen Adelaide used to spend weekends in the different gardens throughout the grounds.”
I picture my sister and the late queen spending afternoons together in the gardens. Like Etta, I used to spend my time among the flowers, captivated by the different hues and sweet floral scents. A soft pang of loss hits me as I think about how I’ll never get the chance to share that with my sister.
“I’m so sorry for your losses, both of you. Etta was a sweet girl, and she didn’t deserve…this,” Marik says, sorrow tinging his voice.
“Did you know her well?” I ask.
“Yes, we were friends.”
Asmo’s features twist at his brother’s words, but he doesn’t say anything.
“Well, I’m sorry for your loss. I must admit, I didn’t know my sister. I’m sad that I didn’t get the chance to and that I have to learn about her from stories. This day is for you all to remember her and the family.”
He rubs his jaw with one hand. “The last time I saw her, she was so full of life…” he trails off, shaking his head as if lost in the memory.
Asmo tilts his head, his brow briefly furrowing as he looks at his brother. The expression is gone in an instant, and he schools his features back into place.
“That was her,” Elle says melancholily, “She was a force of energy. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
