Page 34 of Veil of Shadows

Lucille’s lips flashed scarlet in the lights when she nibbled on her lower lip. “Any time you would like it, my prince, I would be happy to serve you.”

My fingers tightened in my lap at her blatant come-on, but beneath the table, Jax’s hand settled on my thigh. I nearly jumped when the heavy weight and warmth of him touched me. But just as quickly, he removed his hand.

“I’m sure our chefs could be tasked with something such as that. No need to exert yourself,” he answered easily.

Lucille’s eyes widened, but it was her only reaction to his slight.

Across the table, Alec caught my eye and winked. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he next mouthed,I told you so.

Flustered, I hastily spread my napkin over my lap.

Wine began being poured by the servants, everyone’s goblets getting filled, and I used the distraction to study the nobles present even more.

Since the families on board this ship weren’t of stag origins, I couldn’t help but wonder if the queen was favoring those Houses for her son’s wedding. It wouldn’t surprise me, since it was rumored that mixing powerful shifter blood could result in stronger offspring. Or perhaps they felt that mixing shifter Houses would form better alliances among the nobility.

Whatever the case, similar to most of the females, the males had also donned their House rings on the third finger of their right hand. The aqua gems were the same cut and color for each house since they were all Stonewild fae, but the animal prints upon them reflected their unique shifter magic.

“Elowen, was it?” Lady Aerobelle called from farther down the table.

I glanced her way, just as Jax corrected, “Lady Elowen.” He reached for his wine glass and gave her a pointed look.

Her lips pursed, and she regarded me with a barely concealed sneer. “Is she truly a lady if she’s not of noble birth?”

“She’s a lorafin,” Jax replied easily, his tone deceptively calm given the flickering in his aura. “She’s more powerful than any female here, and if that doesn’t demand respect, I don’t know what does.”

“You’re a lorafin?” Aerobelle looked down her nose at me. “I didn’t know any existed.”

“Well, now you do,” I replied and reached for my wine. My gaze didn’t drop as she stared at me.

“Sothat’swhy the prince has you here.” Her look turned smug. “You must be very useful to him.”

Her subtle hint that the prince was merely using me smacked me in the face, but before I could bite back with a sharp retort, the same older male who’d spoken with Jax when we first entered the room cleared his throat.

“Now, tell me, my prince, what else do you know of the Osterland Exchange?” He leaned forward, obviously eager to speak of it more with the prince.

Plates began getting filled as Jax was pulled into a discussion with the older male.

Several of the others began talking about the Ironcrest Ball, set to take place after the Matches. Like the Centennial Matches, the ball only occurred every hundred summers, and most on the continent were looking forward to it.

While I was curious to hear about previous Ironcrest Balls held throughout the centuries, I paid more attention to Jax’s conversation. I was tempted to tell both of them that the Osterland Exchange had resulted because ofme. Lordlings Himil and Messepire had only signed the document because of the king’s promise to use his lorafin, but I didn’t bother declaring that.

Boasting of such a thing would only make me look desperate for approval or would be proof that Jax was only keeping me at his side because I wasuseful.

Instead, I began to eat and sip my wine between bites.

Everyone else dug in too, and my gaze darted to Alec. He’d changed for the meal into a navy coat with an emerald sash. A ring graced his finger as well, showing a rack of antlers stretching across the gemstone. So hewasa stag shifter.

“What a delightful trip it’s been so far,” Alec called jovially when a lull happened in the conversation. “And, Lady Elowen, it’s truly lovely that you could join us. I’m sure your knowledge of Faewood will be needed while we attend the Matches.”

Jax’s nostrils flared in his direction, but I inclined my head at Alec. “I would be more than happy to show you around my home kingdom and share what I know.”

I took another sip of wine, but my pulse thrummed more in my neck. Jax’s aura had kicked up again, even more so when Alec gave me a sultry smirk, and I truly realized that Alec was right—the prince was not happy about his friend’s flirtations.

“And do you think a similar exchange could take place between the other kingdoms?” the older male asked Jax again, apparently determined to keep his conversation going with the prince about the Osterland Exchange. “Perhaps between Stonewild and Faewood? Or Ironcrest and Mistvale? The waterfalls in Ironcrest harbor so much magic. Imagine if a river was diverted to allow such magic to be used in the other kingdoms. The possibilities would be endless.”

The conversation carried on, and Jax sat stiffly. He ate bites as he was able to, but most of the time he was answering questions of those around him or thwarting off more flirtatious comments. And he kept getting roped into conversation with the older male who was so fascinated with the kingdoms sharing goods that he practically dominated Jax’s attention.

It wasn’t lost on me that Jax’s sea lobster remained barely eaten.

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