Page 11

On the table, two sets of plates, glasses and cutlery have been laid out. And seated at the head of that table is Prince Lux.

As I enter the room, he stands up too quickly and his chair scrapes loudly against the floor. “Eden,” he breathes.

Biting down a smile, I curtsy before accepting the seat that he pulls out beside him.

Heavy bootsteps sound over my shoulder as Phillion takes his place against the wall. Thankfully, Lux doesn’t seem to mind my escort as he pours me a glass of wine.

After returning to his seat, he gestures for the servants to begin serving dinner. “How are you finding your room?” he asks while bowls of seasonings are placed between us.

“It’s lovely, thank you. You weren’t lying about the view here in your letters. The sunflower field is beautiful.”

“You must enjoy them while they last.” He pours himself a drink. “The flowers have done well this year, but the weather will turn soon. I’ll make sure to take you out there before it gets too cold.”

“I’d like that,” I reply before a plate is lowered in front of each of us. Pasta in a divine-smelling sauce makes my face light up. “You remembered?” I beam at Lux.

“Of course I did,” he laughs. “You practically gave me the recipe in your letters. How could I not serve it for our first meal together?”

My heart soars. In one of his letters, he’d made a joke about how he was going to prepare a feast of chicken pies in the hopes that I would appear, and I made sure to tell him all about my actual favourite food in my reply. Pasta shells in a cheesy milk sauce with tiny chunks of bacon.

I never thought he’d actually have it made for us.

“Lux, this means so much to…” My voice fades as a third plate is placed opposite me.

Lux glances at it, confused, while another servant hurries to place a third set of cutlery and a goblet beside it.

“Is someone else joining us?” I ask.

His brow dips. “Not that I am aware—” He’s cut off by the sound of the door behind me swinging open.

Lux’s smile drops. Behind me, boots thunk against the wooden floor, but instead of marching towards the empty seat, they stop by my side. “You are in my seat, princess,” a deep voice says.

“Castor,” Lux sighs.

I tilt my head back to find the dark-haired prince looming over me. He’s dressed as he was earlier today, in the same creased black shirt. As I stare at him, a sweet floral scent brushes my nose, like women’s perfume.

Somehow, I doubt it’s his own.

“Castor, if you insist on joining us, just take the other seat,” Lux grumbles.

“I do not want the other seat. I want my seat.” His gaze falls to me. “Move, princess.”

For a split second, I’m about to stand up. But then I stop myself. The seat opposite me is perfectly usable and empty. If Castor wants to join us, he’ll have to sit where his brother tells him to.

“You should listen to your brother,” I say, but I can’t quite keep the fear out of my voice.

Castor must hear it as his lips twitch. “Should I now?” He presses his hands against the armrests of my chair.

“Castor,” Lux warns again. “Sit down.”

“I will,” he murmurs, “after Eden learns to respect her hosts.” Before I can stop him, he hoists me out of the chair and over his shoulder.

The room turns upside down. Hair falls over my face while his citrusy scent attacks my nose. Screaming, I claw at his back.

“Castor, get your hands off her!” Lux’s chair crashes down behind him.

Castor laughs. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” He releases me for a second, and I scream, almost tumbling face first to the floor before he catches me.

“Stop this,” Lux yells. “Put her down!”