Page 14 of A Promise of Peridot
I curtsied, and upon rising, my eyes slipped past the Citrine royals and caught sight of a shockingly handsome man leaning against a pillar behind them.
He was lean and tall, with glowing bronze skin, and despite his casual stance, held his arms behind him in a show of respect. The position only highlighted his cut biceps and broad, strong chest.Even at a distance I found my gaze glued to his confident, resting smile and clear blue eyes, which mirrored the shining, endless ocean behind me. Next to him stood a petite woman, maybe a few years younger than me. She was also attractive, but less magnificently so. That same flaxen hair, heart-shaped face, and stunning sealike eyes.
Although hers looked rather sad, and couldn’t seem to pull away from... I followed her eyeline, landing on Kane.
Bleeding Stones.He wasn’tthatgorgeous, was he?
His strong jaw ticked as he caught me looking at him, inky tousled hair and sleek clothes a powerful contrast to the sunny palace and blue skies around us. He turned a black signet ring around on his pinky and pocketed the hand in one smooth motion, drawing my eyes down to his long, muscular legs.
I swallowed hard and decided I’d better not answer my own question.
King Broderick motioned to the pair behind him, “Eryx, you remember our son, Prince Fedrik, and daughter, Princess Sera.”
“Yes!” Eryx exclaimed, overly familiar. “How they’ve grown! I remember when—”
“No, no need,” Isolde snipped, looking down at a single chipped nail.
Fedrik, the handsome man—not even handsome, but artfully, classically beautiful—sauntered over to greet us before giving me a warm, genuine smile and taking my hand in his. “Lady Arwen.” Fedrik bowed. “It’s a pleasure.”
He exuded cheer and ease, as if it were a mere everyday occurrence to find forty wet, windswept refugees in your courtyard, and after this little discussion he’d be off to play some kind of masculine, midafternoon sport and take a dip in the shimmering sea.
A smile itched to spread across my face—he was like sunshine.
Princess Sera offered a fluid curtsy and pinned her eyes even more intently on Kane beside me. I whipped my gaze to him to catch his reaction, but he was expressionless, staring at the castle turrets, silver eyes bored and cold.
This was the version of Kane I had first met. None of his vulnerability showing, no weakness, no warmth. Only cool and casual disinterest, with a well of deadly venom simmering just below the surface.
Eryx marched forward and motioned for Kane to do the same. Amelia moved to join at her father’s side, but he placed a single elbow out as he adjusted his belt, very subtly reprimanding her and sending her back to where Griffin and I stood. Shame painted her cheeks with a pink glow.
Unexpected ire burned in my blood. From what I had seen, Amelia was a far fiercer protector of Peridot than her father. She had been the only one concerned about the people of Siren’s Cove when the city was attacked.
“We seek asylum,” Eryx began. “King Ravenwood’s words are true. Peridot fell in the battle of Siren’s Bay, and King Gareth of Amber has assumed my throne. Onyx will be next. Citrine is a mighty and powerful force. We will need your vast army if we are to stand any chance in restoring peace to Evendell.”
King Broderick didn’t even blink. “We cannot help you.”
Kane leaned forward. “Broderick, come now—”
But the queen stepped in front of her husband, her pointed chin held high. “If I recall, King Ravenwood, you are not permitted on Citrine sands after what you did. I could have your head on a stake for breathing our air.”
Of course.
Of course Kane had done something—surely something unethical, double-crossing, and self-serving—that would land us all without safe haven.
Eryx’s boastful face had finally fallen. He actually looked a little bewildered.
“Queen Isolde,” Kane tried, as if mustering patience. “She was too young to marry. She’s just a child.”
Princess Sera went pale, her eyes suddenly fixated on her pink-hued sandals.
“That was not your decision to make.” The queen’s voice was shrill.
“She was to bemywife.”
Oh, Bleeding Stones.
“Well, I was pleased,” Prince Fedrik cut in. “I didn’t particularly like the idea of my baby sister marrying a raging Fae asshole anyway. Someone come find me when he’s left the city, will you?” He gave Kane a bright smile and a hard pat on the shoulder before walking past him and descending the sprawling, milky white stairs.
Fae?Shock coursed through me like a crack of lightning.
