I didn’t make the rules. “Don’t hurt yourself trying to understand me, Kyros.”

“I’ll just be happy when you stop wearing pantsuits. Please tell me it’s over at the end of the week? I can handle two more days. Not an entire month.”

“You’ll have to wait and see.”

Kyros growled.

I placed a hand on my hip. “Don’t get growly with me. I’m not messing with Safina for anything. All your siblings will gang up on me, and I still have Francesca’s fashion show to get through on Sunday.”

And the fifth exchange after it.

“I’m looking forward to Sunday night,” he said.

I shifted, suddenly remembering the six gazes boring into my back. “It’ll be a… real party.”

He groaned. “Gerome just sent me another meme. I’ll let you get back to your meeting.”

Snorting, I said, “Okay, see you tonight.”

Disconnecting the call, I avoided the gazes settled on my face as I sat again. Glancing up, I rose my brows. “Something wrong?”

Their faces were smooth. I saw those expressions on their faces all the time. Just not usually directed at me.

Dame Burke was the first to break the tension. “That was Kyros—crown prince of Clan Sundulus?”

I nodded. “Correct.”

Sir Olythieu met my gaze. “How close are you with Sundulus?”

My own gaze cooled. “Close enough to be invited to their innermost meetings. What are you implying?”

The six oldies exchanged looks.

Lady Treena watched me from beneath hooded eyes. It was the look she gave me before trumping me in Scrabble. Her vocabulary was legit. “Basilia, the way you just spoke to him…”

“And I’m still not certain what your question is,” I answered mildly. “Stop beating around the bush.”

Mr Dithis broke first. “Is what we just heard an act or is it real? You were discussing a television show? You scolded him like a child.”

I did?

“Don’t get growly with me,”Dame Burke quoted.

Shit. I did say that.

In my defence, it was really hard to remember others were in the room with the state Kyros and I were in.

Maybe I should just tell them about the mating thing.

One look at their hard faces decided it for me.

“Some of it was an act,” I said. “Not all. Your experiences with them have led you to believe they’re all monsters. That’s not the case.”

It was like I’d slapped them. Mrs Syrre reeled back.

“Led us tobelieve,” Mr Hothen said.

I straightened. “Yes, led you to believe. And you can’t be blamed for that. That’s what they wanted you to think. So you’d obey without question.”