Hadn’t he fixed it a few hours ago?
Maybe they faded fast.
Julian had his signature smirk as he threw his arms over Lore’s and Peregrin’s shoulders to leave.
Gwen glanced between Soren and me, then nodded. “I’ll give you regular reports.”
When her gaze caught on where he still held my hand, Soren let go immediately. I clenched my fist. It felt like his hand had left an imprint on mine.
Turning to me, he didn’t trace the same paths as the previous glamours, only brushing my cheeks briefly with his knuckles before pulling back. Maybe it was just a touch-up. “Do you have any questions?”
I glanced around the feast, not spying the prince anywhere. “Am I supposed to go find him?” I whispered.
“No,” Soren reassured me. “Let him come to you.”
We filled our plates and found the others already eating at one of the tables.
At least an hour later, maybe longer, Caius still hadn’t appeared, much less come to talk to me.
“What do we do if he doesn’t show up? I don’t think we should wait all day...” Logically, I knew I couldn’t go after my family yet, but the waiting was killing me.
“He’s already here. Be patient.” Lore stood up from the round table we’d claimed. “Actually, he’s more likely to approach if you’re alone. Perry, do you want to dance?”
He leapt to his feet, knocking his chair back, making his cheeks turned red. “I suppose we might as well.”
Julian snickered once they were out of earshot. “ ‘Might as well,’ ” he mimicked, rolling his eyes at Gwen, who actuallylaughed.But then he held a hand out to her. “Shall we?”
“Absolutely.” She slapped her hand in his, and they abandoned me too.
Soren stood last, slower than the others, almost reluctantly. “I have to agree with Lore,” he said. “I would stay by your side, but Caius will be far less likely to listen to your story in my presence.”
“I know.” He’d said as much earlier.
As he stepped back, he added, “Remember to tell the prince where he can find me.”
I nodded, then watched him disappear amongst the eclectic fae visiting court this afternoon, forgetting for a moment that the others were watching.
Turning to my plate, I pushed the remaining crumbs around, fiddled with the silverware, and then started folding the cloth napkin into random shapes. I picked at my nails for a minute. When I couldn’t stand fidgeting another second, I reached for my drink.
“Why’ve you been left all alone?” Caius’s deep voice startled me into knocking over my glass.
I tried to catch it, but the water spread quickly across the white tablecloth. “Sorry,” I mumbled, face hot.
“Don’t trouble yourself.” Caius grinned as he stopped my frantic grab for a napkin with one hand, snapping his fingers with the other. “The servants will take care of it.”
I nodded, panicking internally at the way he held my wrist.
A dark-haired man and older woman in uniform cleaned up my mess. I didn’t recognize them but tried not to let my disappointment show.
Ignoring the instinct to pull my hand away, I refocused on the plan. “I’m glad you’re here, actually.” I tried to infuse pep into my voice. “I’d hoped to run into you.”
“Oh? Did you?” He smiled wider, rubbing a thumb across the sensitive skin on my wrist.
I blushed but pressed on. “I was... concerned for you, to be honest.”
Shoot. Soren had told menotto say that last part multiple times, because it was a human expression.
I hoped he’d chalk it up to me being “Unseelie” and waved my free hand toward a chair as the humans walked away. “Sit with me?”
