Page 42 of Lore of the Wicked Wood
“Veros!” Atlas waved his hand and sauntered forward, but then his eyes landed on her, widening slightly. “Everinne.”
He bowed and almost fell over.
Everinne stood, moving beside her brother. Every male gaze in the room, save for Veros, tracked her movement. She leaned close to him and whispered, “Is he drunk?”
Veros flicked his wrist, checking the timepiece he wore. “It appears that way.”
“At this hour?”
His only response was to grumble in annoyance and shove his hands into the pocket of his pants.
“Aran, you remember my closest friend, Veros Auvyre?” Atlas clapped Veros on the shoulder soundly.
“Ah, yes. The Lord of Time.” Aran, the redhead who seemed the least intoxicated of all of them, dipped his head in a show of respect. “We’ve met once or twice.”
“I thought as much.” Atlas gestured to her next, trying to maintain some sense of the proper decorum that was expected of him. “Then allow me to introduce you to his sister, Everinne Auvyre.”
He nodded to the three males in front of her. “Ever, this is Aran Ruhdneah, High Prince of the Autumn Court of Faeven, and his companions, Lords Tovian and Nyxian Starstorm Celestine of Aeramere.”
Aran tucked one arm in front of him and bowed. “It’s an absolute pleasure.”
Everinne preened, tossing her dark hair back behind her, and flashing her most brilliant smile. She could get used to being treated like one of the ladies of court. Perhaps she should show her face around the palace more often, after all.
“Nyxian, my lady.” One of the fae brothers stepped forward and clasped her hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles.
Everinne forced herself not to stare at him, but he had the most startling eyes. They reminded her of pools of moonlight, except the left one had a vein of stunning blue slashing through it. He noticed her fascination and winked.
A flush bled into her cheeks when he released her.
Oh, that one was trouble.
The other brother, Tovian, captured her hand next. But instead of mimicking his brother’s gesture, he flipped her palm up and planted a kiss on the inside of her wrist, keeping his dazzling silver eyes on her the entire time.
“My lady,” he murmured softly.
Everinne damn near swooned.
They weregood.
She knew nothing about Aeramere, had never even heard of it, but she was definitely certain of one thing—these two brothers knew their way around females. She had no doubt they were well-practiced in and out of the bedroom, but it was the way they carried themselves that left her a bit flustered. They were aristocratic yet dashing, graced with smooth manners, and impressive charm. Usually she was the one who was overly flirtatious, she was the one who tried to lure males into her bed, then kicked them out before the sun rose the next morning.
But Tovian and Nyxian didn’t strike her as the kind of males looking for a quick fuck.
No, they were looking formates.
She stole a glance at Veros to gauge his reaction. He’d been her protector for so many years, and he was incredibly wary of any males who showed interest in her. At least, the ones he knew about. But Veros wasn’t looking in her direction. He was watching Atlas, who was staring at her.
The slightest tick feathered along his jaw. The golden-green of his eyes darkened, swirling with tempered rage. His muscles bunched, tense and flexed, and though his arms were by his sides, his hands were clenched into tightly coiled, white-knuckled fists. For a moment, she thought he was pissed at her for some unknown reason, but then she noticed how he cut down both of the brothers, Tovian in particular, with a look of warning.
Atlas wasn’t mad at her, he wasjealous.
Under any other circumstances, she would find envy a pitiful characteristic. Yet when displayed by Atlas, it caused some traitorous part inside of her heart to stir with warmth.
She shook off the uncomfortable sensation and adjusted her sweater, so it slid a little bit lower. Tovian’s gaze sparked like shattered moonbeams.
“Will you be staying with us long, my lord?” she asked him, sidling a few inches closer to his side.
“Us?” Atlas ground the word out, and she ignored him.
