Page 6 of A Kingdom so Crimson

"And the lovely Lady Eliah Sabene," Jesri continued, his tone deliberately dramatic, ensuring the man's gaze traveled over me just as Calum's had earlier. "My orphaned ward."

I halted abruptly, my heels squeaking against the tile.

What?!The shock and anger surged through me, igniting a fierce rage in my veins.

Jesri shot me a sharp glare, signaling me to keep my composure. I curled my lip in defiance, noting that the handsome man's jaw tightened as he looked at Jesri.

"But I assure you," Jesri said, turning his gaze back to the man. "She is as much a daughter to me as Calum is like a son."

Likehehas ever sought the title offather.

We sat at the table, and I struggled to control my anger. Calum gently squeezed my hand in rhythmic pulses, trying to divert my frustration.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," the man said, his demeanor returning to calm as he lifted his wine glass. His skin was a warm hazelnut, and he had short ebony hair, looking to be around Calum's age. His suit clung tightly to his sculpted arms and legs as if any sudden movement might burst the buttons. I noticed the rough, scarred texture of his hands, hinting at a rough history.

But it was his eyes that were truly captivating: a deep emerald blue that seemed to pull me in like the ocean current and beckoned me to keep staring until I drowned in them. He smiled, his gaze briefly drifting lower to my neckline before he quickly averted his eyes.

I narrowed my gaze and forced a faint smile. He returned my look with a smirk and took another sip of his wine. I turned away, subtly guiding the direction of our silent exchange.

Calum noticed the interaction and placed his hand on my knee underneath the table, gently squeezing.

"Introducing Sir Levon Alder," Jesri said with a smirk, knowing he had won his approval with my presence. "A previous regime within the King's Court."

Calum and I nodded in welcome as the footman quickly came out with dinner, swirling the air with flavor. My stomach grumbled as a plate was placed before me with roasted pork smothered in a heavenly gravy, accented with buttered asparagus, and fluffy potatoes that melted in the mouth. My taste buds danced with each bite, relishing the savor of such rich food. It took all my efforts not to dance in my chair, almost devouring the entirety of the food, until Calum squeezed my knee again, reminding me toactlike a lady. I gave him a quick glare before slowing my pace.

I glanced up at Jesri, whose raging eyes made my food leaden. Sir Alder noticed the growing anger and helped change the density of the room, clearing his throat.

"My lady, I've heard you're quite skilled in battle," the man said with a curious smile.

I swallowed hard. "I've never been in battle," I replied, glancing towards Jesri. "But I do know how to handle myself."

"Oh, she can do more than handle herself," Calum interjected, taking a sip of his wine. "She's taken down plenty of men. And as much as I hate to admit it—" he paused, giving me a pointed look before taking another sip, "—she's managed to make me bleed and bruise more times than I'd care to count." His words drew a chuckle from Sir Alder, making my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"It's true," Jesri added, nodding in agreement. "Just this morning, I saw her take Calum down with a swift swipe to his legs." He conveniently left out any mention of my failures, focusing instead on the more flattering details.

Calum poked my thigh under the table, and I quickly swatted his hand away. I was reminded of the only time I let him in on anevaluation, only for him to pounce and tickle me so relentlessly that I ended up wetting myself. Jesri had punished me severely for ruininghisclothes. Calum was a master at finding my weak spots, using them to make me rebel as he did tonight, and he never missed an opportunity to remind me of those moments, often blackmailing me into sneaking out to our tree.

He poked me again, prompting me to retaliate with a sharp kick to his shin. He choked on his food, causing Jesri to glare at us with a growing irritation. I turned my attention back to my meal, focusing on savoring each flavorful bite while trying to ignore the escalating tension.

Sir Alder suppressed a grin. "You seem well-prepared for battle, at least enough to protect yourself."

"She's skilled with a bow, daggers, and in combat," Calum added with a grin. "She's also improving with the sword, though she still manages to cut herself quite often." I gave his leg a sharp tap under the table; I know he was just pushing my buttons. Sir Alder noticed and shifted his brilliant gaze to mine, ensuring he had my full attention.

"It seems there's a wolf hidden behind this lady's enchanting exterior," Sir Alder remarked, glancing at Jesri. "She will do well, indeed." My eyes narrowed at Jesri, and I started to speak, but Sir Alder interrupted. "Of course, I'll need to see her skills in action before making any final decisions."

Jesri nodded in agreement.

I cleared my throat. "Sir Alder, would you do me an honor and enlighten me onwhatI would do well in?" I grinned, hoping he might shed some light on Jesri's motives beyond mere wealth or fame.

Jesri shot me a disapproving look. "You heard him, Eliah. Before anything is decided, he needs to see you in action," Jesri said, cutting me off. "You already know enough." He waved his hand dismissively, effectively halting Sir Alder's response. Itightened my grip on my fork, struggling to keep my frustration in check.

"Please, call me Levon," he said, taking a sip of his wine while keeping his gaze fixed on me. "And I can assure you, my lady, that it will be something thrilling."

He caught on to Jesri's quiet implication, and I, begrudgingly, let it go. They couldn't keep me in the dark for long, and if it excited Jesri just by talking about it, it had to be something great—or horrifying.

We continued with our meal, engaging in light conversation and learning more about Levon's background and childhood. Jesri took the opportunity to mention that Levon was also an orphan and how well he had turned out, clearly aiming to comfort me with this comparison. It did nothing tocomfortthe pain I continued to carry, knowing deep down that those hopes and dreams of my parents return were fictitious and that they were no better than Jesri himself.

At last, dessert came out, and I pushed past the feeling of fullness and floated into ecstasy with each bite of the blackberry cream tart. Calum also savored each bite, knowing that these desserts were few and far between.

---