Page 32 of Legacy of Glass
Olivia gave him a sideways look that he didn’t like.
“Another apology,” she said, as if that was a bad thing.
He frowned before swiftly turning the expression back into a smile and giving an extra enthusiastic wave to compensate. If only he could go back to their first meeting and start all over again. Or better yet, if only he’d never gone walking behind Manor Row at all. If Olivia had been a complete stranger at the ball, they would surely have gotten off to a better start—one in which the Legacy aided their connection instead of abandoning him completely. Maybe then, Olivia wouldn’t make him so uncomfortable. Maybe she wouldn’t have the ability to worm under his skin and make him behave unlike himself.
“The apology is sincere, whatever you may think,” he said, wishing he didn’t sound so stiff.
Olivia turned her large, luminous eyes on him, their expression clearly unconvinced. He bit back a retort. It was hardly the time or place to begin an argument with his new betrothed.
They finally reached the end of the road, passing through the great gates in the outer wall of the palace and riding into the enormous courtyard beyond. However, the walls provided no privacy. They were merely exchanging one crowd for another.
Members of the court stood gathered together in front of the palace steps, and they turned as one to watch the riders arrive. Unlike the people of the city, they didn’t cheer or call to the prince and his betrothed, instead watching quietly as they rode through the courtyard. The prince led Olivia down the right side of the palace, grateful that they would have the chance to dismount away from the scrutiny, at least.
From the stiffness of Olivia’s riding stance, she felt the same. She wasn’t even attempting to smile at this crowd as she had done at the previous one.
Their honor guard melted away, and the two of them were alone when they reached the smaller courtyard between the back of the palace and the stables. Julius leaped from his mount and moved straight to Olivia’s side, reaching up his arms to help her dismount. He would show her that he knew how to be charming, with or without the Legacy’s help.
She accepted his assistance silently, sliding down the side of her horse until her feet hit the ground. When she looked up at him, the two of them were so close their clothes brushed against each other.
“Is there sincerity waiting for me here?” she murmured, referencing his earlier comment about his apology. “I’m not so sure about that yet.”
He stiffened, unsure if it was her words or her proximity that put him on edge.
“We’re all doing the best we can with a bad situation,” he said, heat rushing through him. “A situation that was not of my or my family’s making.”
“Thank you for the reminder that this is all my fault.” Her breath came sharper, her chest rising and falling and her cheeks flushing.
Julius stared down into her eyes, caught by their bright spark as the rising storm of heat between the two of them grew. He needed to calm the situation down—a skill at which he usually excelled. But as usual around Olivia, he couldn’t find the right words. He couldn’t find any words.
It was Olivia who broke the moment. “I’m already well aware of how you feel about having me as your betrothed. You don’t need to keep reminding me.”
For a strange moment, Julius wanted to tell her she was wrong. That she had no idea how he felt about their betrothal—sham or not. But then he remembered himself. He couldn’t afford to be shackled to the girl from the hill for the rest of his life—too much rode on his ability to fulfill his role at all times.
At the same moment, he realized that she didn’t even know the worst of it yet. He hadn’t yet relayed his parents’ orders about their supposed shared affection. She wasn’t likely to receive the news well now. He should have been more careful about keeping the conversation amicable.
“Regardless of how either of us feel,” he said carefully, “the public has formed their own impression of our situation.”
“I heard,” Olivia said, and he told himself the sensation in his chest was relief that he wouldn’t have to spell it out and not hurt at her sour tone. She really didn’t like the idea.
He skipped straight to the important point. “My parents informed me this morning that they intend to lean into the public perception rather than publicizing the case of mistaken identity. So they want us to…”
He trailed off, not quite able to say the final words.
“They want us to act the part?” Olivia asked incredulously. “Are you serious?” Her breathing sped up, her face growing panicked. “This is difficult enough for me as it is without adding anything more. I know nothing about life at court.”
“I’m sorry it’s so difficult to pretend any attraction to me,” he said, the words coming out more coldly than he’d intended.
He almost flushed at making his offense so obvious. As if he didn’t seem awkward enough already.
Olivia looked up at him, an arrested expression on her face.
“I didn’t mean…That is…I wasn’t trying to say…” Her face turned red, and she floundered to a stop.
Julius expected to feel a spear of triumph at not being the one flustered and stumbling for words for once, but instead he felt guilty and disappointed in himself. What had happened to his resolution to show her his famous charm? Wasn’t he supposed to be capable of putting anyone at ease?
With yet another flush, he realized that he was practically standing with her in his arms, her back trapped against the horse. For someone who made him so uncomfortable, she fit neatly inside his arms.
He stepped swiftly back, putting some distance between them. She stepped away from her horse more cautiously, her movement a signal to the grooms who had been hanging back. They rushed in to take the horse’s reins, and from the smirks on their faces, they hadn’t missed the accidental embrace. Julius and Olivia were playing their part well enough already.
