Page 52 of Knightfall
Everyone was back in place, chatting normally.
Quinn was messing with me again.
Stop. Or I’ll trounce you.
You can try.
Quinn’s bullshite distracted me when I should have been listening to Connor’s introduction. I suddenly found myself dancing with the man and I didn’t even know his name.
“Alright, if I admit I was distracted by your dimples, will you tell me your name again?” I smiled.
“Mateo,” he grinned.
“Mateo, I saw you talking up my sister over there. She’s pretty wonderful, huh?”
He blushed. “Do all monarchs speak this way?”
“I’ll probably get a lecture later. But … your impression?”
“She’s very sweet.”
“She is. She’s also very fond of nicknames. When you next speak with her, please call her Squack.”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m being set up?” Mateo grinned.
“Because you are. But I do need to speak with your father soon about Macedon’s interests here …”
“Are you blackmailing me into baiting your sister?”
“Maybe.”
“Your Highness, I’m honored to be included in your schemes.”
“As you should be. Oh dear, my knight’s headed over. He’ll know by my smirk that I’m up to no good. Quick, pretend I’ve been boring.”
Mateo couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. I, however, managed to look perfectly innocent as Connor cut in on our dance.
“What did you tell him?” Connor growled.
“Nothing. We simply discussed Avia.”
“You didn’t go making promises to consider him as a suitor like you did with Lady Agatha’s son Willard, did you?”
“Of course not.”
Connor rolled his eyes, made our excuses, and led me to Avia’s room for the night. Once we were inside her chamber, he proceeded to ignore me. He went right to his pallet and right to sleep.
Whoever was spellbound to stay beside me was forced to sleep in my sister’s new room with me. Her servants had moved her to a temporary room while her chamber was repaired. As far as I could tell, only the trusted servants for the royal wing knew about the change. But I’d grumbled and insisted on sleeping in the room with her. My husbands had not been pleased. Neither had Avia.
But no one had known how to handle me when I’d started screaming at the top of my lungs when they’d tried to drag me off. Insanity ploys have their advantages.
Avia had thrown a pillow at me the first night she’d given in. “You’d better not snore. And no naughty stuff with your husbands either.”
She’d eyed Connor, the husband present that first night. Connor had turned his back on us, grabbed a stack of blankets, and made himself a pallet on the floor.
“My husbands would have to like me in order for there to be naughty stuff,” I’d sighed as I clambered onto her bed with her.
Avia had grinned, “Oh, they like you. Some of them might even love you. But I think they’re even madder than I am.”
