Page 33 of Veil of Shadows

Despite that, everyone made a show of welcoming their prince, calling out boisterously, letting me know the leminai and wine were already flowing.

“Prince Adarian!” one of the fathers called. He gave me a curious side-eye, but nobody asked my name or paid furtherattention to me. “I’ve been eager to hear your thoughts on the Osterland Exchange, recently solidified between Faewood and Mistvale.”

“Ah, yes, that was an interesting agreement.” Jax inclined his head. “It seems the mines between the two kingdoms are now sharing diagonal tunnels beneath the borders, something never done before, but first I would like everyone introduced to my guest, Lady Elowen.” Jax gestured toward me, his eyes sparkling in cerulean shades in the fairy lights. “Elowen will be joining me to watch the Finals in her kingdom.”

“Is that so?” Lady Aerobelle’s nostrils flared delicately. “How kind of you to show a commoner such grace. Was she awarded a grant by the palace? To attend at your side? I’ve heard our dear Queen Rashelle has been organizing more charity events and grants for those beneath us.”

My jaw tightened, and it took everything in me not to scowl at her.

A few strained smiles followed Aerobelle’s stinging comments, but more than one murmured their agreement of the queen’s generosity.

But Jax’s gaze turned icy. “No, Lady Aerobelle, Elowen is not here on a grant. I personally requested that she join me.”

The female’s eyes flashed wide, her cheeks turning rosy, but everyone else dipped their chins at last in my direction and finally muttered a greeting.

But it was obvious they only did so because of the prince. If he hadn’t been at my side, none of them would have even looked at me.

Another female called out, one from the cave bear family, “Is Queen Rashelle aware that your guest has joined us?” Her tone was one decibel short of biting.

Jax gave her a devastating smile, but when he replied, his voice dripped with venom. “She doesn’t, Lady Penepee. Believeit or not, I’m a grown male who doesn’t run to his mother to ask permission of everything.”

A few of the House fae laughed, but Aerobelle’s and Penepee’s gazes turned glacial when they assessed me again.

I stiffened, but focused my attention away.

“Please everyone, have a seat,” a servant called from the corner. “Lunch is about to be served.”

House crests flashed in the lights as everyone began to sit around the massive table. One House had a snarling jungle cat—a colantha—on their crest, the other a massive bear. And House Dallinger all wore their wolves.

I paused, not moving since I had no idea where I should sit—if anywhere—since I wasn’t of noble blood, but Jax propelled me to the front of the table and pulled out a chair at the head of it. Two chairs sat side by side, facing everyone.

“Lady Elowen,” he said softly. “I would be honored to seat you at my side.”

My chest warmed even though Aerobelle leaned closer to Penepee and whispered something in her ear. Both snapped their napkins over their laps, their auras rising.

I quickly took my seat, but a flash of my temper simmered within me when even more of the House females began to glance at me with either angry or speculative looks. It was as though they were truly beginning to realize that the prince either had taken me as a mistress or planned to.

Even though Jax and I were far from anything like that, magic crackled inside me. I might have been born of commoners, but one thing was becoming entirely apparent to me. I had better manners than most of the fae here. And I wasn’t about to let them humiliate me.

Taking a deep breath, I called upon my seasons of lessons under my tutors and the playacting I’d done over the summers.This certainly wasn’t the first time I’d been in the presence of arrogant nobility, and I wasn’t going to let them run me off.

“Thank you, my prince,” I said softly to Jax.

He sat beside me, giving me a side-eye and an encouraging smile when my back straightened and my chin lifted.

But when he shifted, and his thigh brushed against mine in the process, a genuine flush of heat washed over me.

Two servants rushed forward from where they stood by the wall and held out decanters for the prince to choose from.

“The Ironcrest wine,” Jax told them.

They bowed and quickly fled to grab more bottles.

“They announced before you arrived what the main course will be, my prince,” an older female called from the cave bear House. “Sea lobster, which is one of your favorites, is it not?”

Jax dipped his head. “Indeed, it is.”

“And did you know that my daughter, Lucille, is a master in the kitchen?” The older female beamed at a willowy blond female, who gave the prince a sultry smile. “Why, I bet Lucille would love to cook for you one night. You wouldn’t regret it after you’ve tasted her creations, and she’s a master at preparing sea lobster.”

---