Damien didn’t seem to hear him.
Evelyn could see the wheels turning in his head. “Damien? Are you okay?”
“Yes!” Damien gasped, coming back to the present. “I was distracted for a moment. I apologize for my rudeness.”
“Distracted by what?”
“I… realized… you both have red hair!” Damien grimaced at his own obvious lie.
“It’s almost like we’re related,” Evelyn quipped.
“Go easy on the wine, Captain Fontaine,” King Tristan advised warily.
“Speaking of wine,” Damien said, “Evelyn hasn’t met Lord Robert yet. Would you mind me stealing your daughter to make introductions, sir?”
“Don’t get into too much trouble with Barbeau,” the king told him.
“Only a bit of trouble,” Damien promised, taking Evelyn’s arm to lead her away.
“What was that about?” Evelyn whispered.
“Nothing,” Damien muttered.
“You realized we both have red hair?” Evelyn repeated.
“Sometimes I forget you’re the king’s daughter.”
“Liar. You call mePrincessall the time. So does Leo.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a compliment when he says it.”
“Hey!”
“Hush,” Damien ordered as they approached the noisy table.
A large man with dark hair and a full beard raised his glass of wine to acknowledge Damien and Evelyn. “Captain Fontaine!” he called out in a deep voice.
Cheers erupted from around the table. Additional glasses lifted into the air, and wine sloshed to the floor.
“Lord Robert.” Damien bowed. “I must introduce you to Princess Evelyn.”
“The Connolly girl!” the Lord of the Taste Court announced. “You’re the one born after the war. You don’t look like your siblings. Must be the hair.”
He’s very drunk. I like him already.
“It’s good to meet you, Lord Robert,” Evelyn said. “I heard you met my brother, Rowan, on the border a few years ago.”
“Yes, yes, he was a good lad.” Lord Robert tried and failed to focus his eyes. “I suspect he’s playing king while the rest of you are here?”
“He is. We’re all hoping he hasn’t burned down the castle yet.”
Lord Robert laughed uproariously, as did many of the other people around him.
I’m not certain they’re sober enough to knowwhythey’re laughing.
“My wife is home with the children because our youngest is still nursing,” the lord continued. “But it’s difficult to destroy a manor with Taste magic!”
“How many children do you have, Lord Robert?” Evelyn asked.
