Page 16 of Desperately Yours

Amused, his left eyebrow twitched as if to tease me. “Oh, my dear, we’ve only just begun.” He rubbed his knuckle against his upper lip, which hid his whisper well. “It’s a ten-course meal.”

My stomach twisted at the thought. We were barely halfway through.

As if to read my mind, Bishop added, “To be honest, the next hour is usually where Her Majesty will start unleashing her traps. So, be a dear and keep your wits about you, yes?”

Appetite destroyed, I pushed my plate away. What did he mean by traps? What was I in for? I rubbed my lips together as I considered my situation. I was at the far side of the table, maybe she would forget about me. Maybe she wouldn’t pull any tricks with the three cameramen recording live to the provinces. Or maybe… my eyes met the queen’s for a split second and I swearI saw her irises burst into flames like a cartoon villain. She was just waiting for the right moment to strike.

Celani had spent most of her time engaged in conversation with Esmerey about foreign policy and domestic aid. Since she spent little time speaking to me and Sadie, I had to assume that the one remaining noble was the favorite to win.

“And what of you, young Sadira?” Celani’s voice caught my ear. “To be snatched from the poverty-stricken province of Eshein to live a life of luxury here at the palace, what’s that like?”

I couldn’t see Sadie from my vantage point, but her meek voice told me she wasn’t ready for any of this. “I’m grateful for the opportunity—”

“Speak up, darling,” Celani prompted. “The cameras can’t hear you.”

“I was,” Sadie’s volume grew, but so did the tremor in her voice, “happy to be selected, and to have made it this far is—”

“Nothing short of a miracle,” Esmerey finished for her, obviously sore that Sadie stole the spotlight.

“Esme,” Fitz’s voice held warning, “please watch your tone.”

“Oh yes,” Celani clapped her hands together, “that’s what we have seen, isn’t it? The prince doesn’t take kindly to good-natured ribbing between the classes, does he?”

Fitz’s jaw hardened, but he said nothing at first. Setting his fork aside, he leaned back in his seat as if he wanted to consider his words carefully. “What I don’t take kindly to, Miss Elderwood, is the idea that one person is worth more or deserves more because of their station in life.”

“Rich,” Celani whispered under her breath, “coming from someone ofyourstature,” she tilted her head as if to offer a tiny bow before she said, “Your Highness.” The reporter pushed her plate back and folded her hands in her lap. “You have to admit, this isn’t the lineup that was expected from you, is it?”

He wasn’t willing to be goaded by her. Head high, he answered quickly. “I pride myself on doing the unexpected.”

“But still, Esmerey was never a favorite, Sadira comes from poverty, and then you have the American,” she flitted a hand in my direction without looking at me, “who was never supposed to be here to begin with.”

Conversation stalled as the footmen retrieved plates from the table. Once the clattering and clearing finished, Fitz drew in a slow breath before he spoke. “Sadira’s economic station has never been a factor in my pursuit of her heart. In fact, it’s a boon to us all that she could lend wise perspective to inform her future king on the affairs of the kingdom from all angles.” He gained confidence as he continued. “And no, Lady Esmerey was not a favorite, but the service she provided to the kingdom in a moment of crisis showed me a side of her heart I hadn’t seen before and I couldn’t, in good conscience, let her go.” He turned his head enough to stare her down from across the table. “That being said, if she proves it was only a fluke, then I will not hesitate to end the charade.”

Bishop shivered next to me. “Brr,” he whispered under his breath.

Fitz wasn’t done. “As for the American,” his eyes met mine, and my heart skipped at the intensity of his stare, “her name is Michaela Caldwell, and she’s belonged here since the moment she stepped onto Nolcovian soil. I hope you can show that extension of respect and hospitality when you speak to her, Miss Elderwood.”

Footmen returned with the next plate in the wake of his words. Goosebumps erupted all over my skin as I thought about what he’d said. Never in the past had Fitz been willing to claim me like that. He’d intentionally left me at the back of the pack to be sure no one questioned our previous connection, and yet on alive broadcast, he made it apparent that I wasn’t there by pity or happenstance.

Hints of rosemary and lemon pricked my nose as a plate slid onto the charger in front of me. I stared at the golden and glistening skin of the roasted chicken, but found my mind was racing with the implications of what he said.

Desperately.

His short confession from earlier rolled through my mind, meaning more in this light than ever. I felt his stare again and looked up to meet his eyes. We’d joked when we were younger that we could read each other’s minds from across the room, but never in my life had I wanted that power more. On the surface, I recognized his concern and his need to protect me, but there was more. Deeper emotions that had never entered the playing field when we were young teenagers. Something that burned hotter than the many candles that dotted the long banquet table.

“Blimey,” Bishop tilted his head in order to avoid being heard, “get a room, would you?”

“Shut up,” I scolded him under my breath and cleared my throat. Bishop had to be off base. Fitz was worried, that was all.

“Look, if you’d like me to pretend to choke on a chicken bone to make a distraction for your escape, just say the word.”

I frowned at Bishop and gave a small but certain shake of my head. I didn’t plan on slinking off into the night like a whipped dog. Fitz took a risk and stood up for me, and I owed it to him to stick it out until the end.

Other than a few whispers, the banquet hall fell silent. The plate of roasted chicken looked amazing, but no one dared start before the prince or the queen.

“Well,” his mother pulled a pained expression, “if Leonidas is done lecturing our guest, may I suggest we start the next course?”

He didn’t shoot her a dirty look, but I watched it cross his features just the same. Thankfully, after the queen’s first bite, the rest of the table resumed eating. I followed Bishop’s lead and started pacing myself, considering all the food that was still coming.

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