Page 48 of The Promised Prince
She blinked back her tears. “It will be fine. I know my place and it’s not with Prince Ezra.”
“You know your place?” he confirmed.
Renna nodded.
Mangum let out a heavy breath. “Fine.”
Renna jumped into his arms.
“We’ll keep this just between us,” he said, patting her on the back. “But I’ll be watching you closely.”
“Thank you, Mangum.” Renna pulled back from the hug. “Thank you for understanding.”
He blushed and looked away, clearing his throat. “Your mother is waiting for you. You better go in.”
Renna took one deep breath then rapped her knuckles against the wooden door.
Cypress opened the door with the same disapproving look she always wore. “Your mother has been waiting for you.”
“I came as soon as I could.” Renna stepped around the maid. She found her mother sitting on a red velvet chair, reading a book.
“I’m glad to see that you supported Seran on the outing today. I worried after last night that you would be uninvited.”
Renna sighed. Her mother couldn’t even make it through one sentence without bringing up her missteps from the night before. She couldn’t even imagine what her mother would have done if Mangum had told her about Trev.
“Mom, I think you’re looking at last night all wrong. My behavior only made Seran look that much better. Isn’t that the point? To make Seran look good for the prince?” Renna smiled, hoping to soften her mother’s mood.
“You embarrassed yourself and me. I’m concerned that if you keep behaving that way, King Carver will call off the wedding.”
Renna clenched her jaw. She was pretty confident that, with everything at stake in his conflict with Tolsten, there was no way King Carver would call off the wedding. But there was also no way to convince her mother of that.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better.”
“I would appreciate that.” Mariele stood, walking to the balcony’s open doors, her arms folded over her chest like she was trying to keep her emotions locked inside. Renna hoped that the scene last night hadn’t spun her mother into some sort of episode.
“The soldier you met at Wellenbreck,” her mother said, her face to the window. “Is he here?”
How could she answer this question without worrying her mother? She considered her words carefully, then replied, “No. The soldier I knew at Wellenbreck is definitely not here.”
In a way, that was true. The man she thought she knew, the one she had dreamed up a future with, didn’t exist anymore.
“How are Seran and Prince Ezra getting along?” Her mother’s countenance cheered.
“Delightfully,” Renna muttered.
17
Renna
Renna had successfully avoided Trev and Seran all last night at dinner—sitting across the room with Joniss, her back to them. She was proud of herself, dodging the happy couple like a soldier would his enemy during war. Not that she was at war. Well, maybe she was at war with her heart, but nevertheless, she still considered last night a success.
There was no way to avoid them the next morning during the palace tour, though. At least her mother was there as a buffer. Renna did her best to hang back with the queen as they weaved their way through the kitchen, sitting rooms, dining rooms, and offices.
Trev’s palace tour included inconsequential details that no real tour of a palace would have, especially when amazing paintings and artifacts from before Desolation were displayed all over. He had this great way about him where he could keep a straight face even when he said the most ridiculous things.
“See this closet?” He opened a door in a high-ceilinged hallway, revealing cleaning supplies stacked on the shelves inside. “This closet has the sturdiest shelves in the entire palace.”
Renna shook her head. She couldn’t believe he was actually behaving this way in front of her mother and Seran.
