Page 37 of The Promised Prince
“Right.” Trev tugged on his suit jacket and made his way to the center of the room where the three women stood at the bottom of the stairs. He couldn’t let Renna distract him. He needed to stay focused on Seran.
His father had already collected Queen Mariele and walked with her toward their table at the head of the room. Arriving before the princess, Trev bowed. “Your Highness.”
He offered her his arm, and Seran glided forward, wrapping her long fingers around his forearm. He took a deep breath.
I can do this. For Albion.
“Princess Seran,” he began, lightly covering her hand on his arm with his own as they walked. “Were you able to get settled?”
“Yes, thank you.” Seran smiled up at him graciously. “My room is very comfortable, and your staff has taken good care of me. I already feel welcome here.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Trev responded, but he was distracted. Behind him, Drake’s overly pleasant greeting to Renna made it difficult to focus.
“Miss Degray, I am Officer Drake Vestry. May I escort you to dinner?” Drake asked.
“Of course, Officer Vestry,” she said, sounding a little too pleased, in Trev’s opinion.
“I’m so happy to finally meet you.” Seran’s smooth voice cut into his eavesdropping, jolting Trev’s attention back to the woman beside him. “We’ve been engaged so long, but it hardly felt real until I saw you today.”
“Yes, it definitely feels...surreal.”
As they walked, Trev strained to hear Drake and Renna behind him. He should return Seran’s polite conversation, but his curiosity was powerful.
“Do they always go to this much trouble when guests arrive?” he heard Renna ask.
“When the guests are as breathtaking as you.”
I’m going to kill Drake.
“You know none of this is for me,” Renna said, as if to shrug off his praise.
“Actually, it is. I spoke with the head of the royal staff and specifically told them you were coming. When they thought it was just the princess, they had leftovers planned for dinner.”
Renna let out a laugh, and Trev’s fists tightened.
She responded, “Well then, as the guest of honor, I demand a seat next to you at dinner.”
Trev turned just in time to see Renna’s full smile on Drake.
It’s going to be a slow and painful death.
“Don’t you agree?” Seran’s voice broke into his thoughts for a second time. She looked at him expectantly, and he realized that she must have been speaking to him. He hadn’t heard a single word.
“Yes, of course,” Trev managed.
King Carver and Queen Mariele walked in front of them, reaching the royal table in the center of the great hall first. The queen gathered her turquoise dress in her hands, sweeping it to the side as the king helped her into her seat. Trev followed his father’s lead, pulling the chair out for Seran. Trev sat to the king’s right with Seran taking her place beside him. Seran’s friends flanked her other side. Queen Mariele sat to the king’s left. Drake pulled out the chair next to Renna’s mother and gestured for Renna to sit down. Trev caught his friend’s eye, giving him a warning look.
Once the head table was seated, the rest of the guests found their seats at the surrounding tables. Chairs scraped against the floor, and hushed conversations whirled around the room as everyone waited respectfully for dinner to start.
The servants appeared with the first course—chilled strawberry bisque—and laid a bowl before each guest. Renna eagerly grabbed her spoon and dipped it into the cold liquid, bringing it up to her lips. Her eyes closed with the first taste, savoring the flavor.
“This is delicious!” she said, mostly to herself. She reached her spoon in for another bite and closed her eyes again, repeating her sounds of satisfaction.
Trev hadn’t even lifted his spoon yet. All he could do was watch her.
“You seem to be enjoying it,” Drake said, amused.
She smiled sheepishly. “I’m enjoying it a little too much, aren’t I?”
