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Everyone paused as we approached, Vincent slipping back a half-step so he flanked my left shoulder rather than standing even with me—as was custom. Hugh, Elise, and Arden quickly stood, their conversations abandoned mid-thought. Hugh and Arden both inclined their heads in a soft bow while Elise dropped into a prim curtsy. Three people I didn’t recognize were slower to respond, their eyes darting between me and the others. A man with strawberry-blond hair and ice-blue eyes stood first, his head dropped in the same motion as Hugh and Arden. The two women moved slower, carefully setting their trays to the side before offering clumsy curtsies.

As soon as they did so, I nodded in acknowledgement to Hugh. As he was the most senior Lord present, it was to him I could release everyone else from the formality. Just like always, the pomp and rigidity irked me, but I kept my distaste for it all carefully away from public perception. Vincent followed me to an unoccupied portion of the bench beside Arden, grabbing a tray of food for each of us while the others slowly resettled around the fire.

The guard quietly readjusted, moving until two of my personal guard stood behind me, far enough back to not quite feel claustrophobic. The two women I didn’t recognize kept sneaking glances at me, their eyebrows furrowing each time. The unfamiliar man was more comfortable, dropping back into a quiet conversation with Hugh about crop rotation of all things. I wished to just ask the small woman tucked into Arden’s side her name and where she was from, but it wouldn’t reflect well if I broke tradition tonight after already not bringing my own chosen omega to the introduction dinner.

It was Elise who broke the new silence first.

“Your Highness,” she said from across the fire. The small conversations died away. “May I introduce you to Tabitha? She is from the Dactis province of Tousir.”

“Nice to meet you,” I offered with a small smile. “Dactis province? Did you live near the capital, then?”

Her eyes widened. She shifted uncomfortably, her hands flexing on the tray of food that was mostly empty. Behind her, large, feathered black wings shook as she readjusted them.

“I… Um—” Her cheeks flushed a dark red. Elise grabbed her wrist, circling it for a moment. “I don’t really know how to… I mean, I wasn’t raised with how to⁠—”

Vincent chuckled. “Just treat him like anyone else here, my dear. We’d much rather you be lively and participate rather than continually panic over your words. His novelty will wear off with time, and then it won’t make you so nervous.”

I couldn’t help but scowl at him. He made me sound like I was some bizarre pet of the court. Which, I supposed, some within the ranks viewed me with about the same irritation as an unwanted canid, but it wasn’t wise to encourage such thinking from the beginning, especially with Simeon already on edge.

“I’ve never traveled to the capital,” Tabitha said after a minute. “It’s a tradition for my people to go to Persynthia’s Temple there when we reach maturity, but it was too expensive for my family to pay for the trip.”

Elise laced her fingers with Tabitha’s, reading the nervous tenor in her voice.

“I’ve heard that the temples in Marish are very grand.”

“The temples in the larger cities are,” Vincent agreed.

I said, “Most of the smaller towns have much more simple temples, though. Very few of our towns have no temple at all.”

Tabitha smiled timidly. “I am excited to be able to step foot in them.”

She ducked her head, her blush still a deep red, and Elise quickly murmured something in her ear.

I didn’t push for more conversation, letting Elise alleviate Tabitha’s nervousness instead.

My eyes caught on Amaria as she quietly took the remaining tray of food, tucked it against her hip, and then walked back toward the tents.

Had Amethyst awoken?

I frowned as Shelby sat on the other side of Vincent. Her gaze met mine, and she shook her head. “Reuben hasn’t gotten a chance to eat yet. He’s certain she won’t wake until the morning.”

I resisted the urge to run right back to her and fall asleep against Reuben’s trunk again.

Hugh cleared his throat and offered a quick introduction of the man nestled beside him.

“This is Joseph, Your Highness,” he said.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Joseph said excitedly.

I mirrored his excitement with a large smile. “You as well. Welcome to the Marish court.”

13

AMETHYST

The dream suffocated me, held me down until I shook with stress and fear and shame. Finally, I shuddered awake, unable to quell the scream ripping up my throat.

Get him off. Get him off.