Page 28 of The Prodigal Prince

Fiona didn’t know how to answer him.

Yes, his father held the title, but Fiona knew the reality of Mac’s heritage. Would he retain the title once the queen knew about it?

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I don’t know how the rules work in Islas del Sargasso.”

Or Eyjania. Wasn’t that where Mac’s biological father hailed from?

The door from the outer hallway opened. “Who’s ready for dinner?”

Fiona turned to see Mac walking in. She blinked. He looked... good. Really good. She knew the clothes had something to do with it, as did the lack of beard, but he also held himself differently than he had the day before.

He exuded a different kind of confidence than she’d seen from anyone since the next to last time she’d seen him. When she’d told him about Gray, there had clearly been something going on, but before that...

Prince Maximilian had a kind of swagger.

But now it also seemed tempered somehow.

“Me!” Gray jumped down from the chair and ran toward him. “I’m hungry!”

Mac laughed and swung the little boy into his arms much more easily than Fiona had in a long time. “Me, too.”

Laughing, Fiona followed them into the hallway, closing the door to their suite behind her.

For a building this large, the walk really didn’t take that long.

They didn’t go to the queen’s quarters like they had the evening before. Instead, they went to a more formal dining room.

The queen, Gabe, and their eldest daughter were there along with a couple of other adults Fiona found familiar, but couldn’t place.

Gabe handled the introductions. “Mac, Fiona, this is my brother, David, and his wife, Jasmine.”

Gabe’s brother? Wasn’t he the king of Auverignon?Anotherking and queen?

Before Fiona could acknowledge the introduction, Gabe turned to Gray and his daughter. “Would you like to go have dinner with Tinsley and our nanny or would you rather stay here? We’ll be talking about all kinds of boring things. They’ll have much better food and a movie afterward.”

The young crown princess didn’t hesitate to make her wishes known. Gray looked more conflicted, holding more tightly to Mac’s hand.

Mac looked down at him. “It’s all right if you want to go with them. We’ll come find you when we’re done.”

Gray nodded then went with his cousin as she skipped toward the door.

A moment later, they were seated at the table. Queen Esmeralda sat on one end. King David sat on the other. Fiona and Mac were on one side, while Gabe and Jasmine sat next to their respective spouses.

As Jasmine turned her head, Fiona noticed the green and blue streaks threaded through her hair and remembered who she was.

“You’re from Serenity Landing, aren’t you?” Fiona asked before she could convince herself to wait.

The queen consort nodded. “I lived there my entire life until I met David. You moved there a few years ago, I believe. Not long before I left. I love watching your movies every Christmas, but I think I’m a season or two behind onSeating 4 Six.”

A bit of warmth flooded through Fiona. “I’m glad you enjoy them. I enjoy making them.” They didn’t take much time and paid well for how long it took.

The doors opened at that moment, letting several staff members in.

For the rest of the meal, conversation revolved around light-hearted topics. Movies. Favorite vacation spots.

By the time dessert rolled around, the conversation had turned to the Games of the Sargasso Sea. The brothers bantered over the last winter games, held in Auverignon earlier in the year. In a year, more or less, the next summer games would be held in San Majoria as would the next one two years after that.

Esme turned to Mac as they took seats in a sitting area near a large window looking out over the ocean. “That’s what I was talking about earlier, Mac, before we were interrupted. It’s time for you to come home and take over planning the Games.”

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