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The high lady blinked. The look of astonishment lasted but a second before she mastered herself once more and rolled her shoulders back. “My prince, while you always seem in excellent conduct, this,” she waved her hand in my direction, “commoner, is beneath you.”

“You called her Lady Neve a mere moment ago. As did I, a prince. Surely, those words mean something?” Prince Vale kept his tone smooth and polite as he spoke to her, and he smiled pleasantly at her.

“Only because Lord Roar insisted upon it.” She hissed, and I couldn’t miss the derision in her tone. “He raised her well above her station, and now he has left her! Why do you think that is, my prince? Do you believe being seen with this fae is in your best interests when my own daughters would make suitable mates?”

For a moment, Prince Vale did not speak. Though his back faced me, and I could not see his face, the hard set of his shoulders hinted at his frustrations. On her other side, Lord Riis looked taken aback as well.

Lady Qiren had garnered all the eyes on this side of the table. I supposed that while I was mortified, I should just be happy that the king and queen and Prince Rhistel remained occupied with the vampire, and that other lords and ladies in the hall sat too far away to hear.

“While your daughters are lovely and any lord would be lucky to rule with them at his side,” the prince spoke softly, “my father is arranging matches during this Courting Festival.”

“He would listen to you. You are a respected warrior, the Sword of Winter, and the strongest Aaberg heir. And yet, you choose her?” Lady Qiren shot up from her seat. “This is a slap in the face to the noble ladies your family forced to come here.” Without so much as another glance at Prince Vale, the highborn lady marched off.

“Where is she going?” The king twisted our way.

I shrank back. Food had not even arrived, and the king had already pinned his ire on me.

“Lady Qiren needed to speak with her daughter, Aenesa,” Lord Riis came to the rescue.

“Ah, very well.” King Magnus glared at me once more but servants brought the first course, and the queen took that moment to claim her husband’s attention.

While servants gave the rest of us meat and vegetables with a side of a flakey sort of bread that I’d never had, the vampire prince drank a goblet of blood.

I hadn’t thought about Anna in hours, but now I found myself pleased she wasn’t here, serving as the vampire’s meal.

“Rebel blood.” Lord Riis leaned closer to Prince Vale and me.

“Pardon me, my lord?” I asked.

“You’re watching the vampire drink. Surely wondering who would have supplied his meal. The rebels did. They were drained of a few cups each before they fought, which normally would not be necessary. However, with a vampire in residence, the king thought it prudent.”

My stomach twisted, but I tried to remind myself that this would be good for the plan. As bad as I felt for the rebels, if Anna wasn’t part of the prince’s meal, she would have a lot more energy. She would need it when we ran.

Prince Vale leaned over and took my hand, kissing me on the cheek. At his touch, butterflies erupted in my stomach.

“We will not speak of the rebels, Lord Riis,” the prince said. “The trial troubled Lady Neve’s heart.”

“I suppose that most fae from the country are not used to seeing justice being served.” Lord Riis waved a hand in dismissal.

The meal progressed, and the conversation drifted to more mundane affairs: the price of fae wine coming in from the Summer Court, the damage to the roads that the recent storms had wrought, and the score of a recent game that had taken place in the stadium. All the while, Prince Vale caressed my arm or bestowed me devastatingly handsome smiles. Many fae noticed, the royals included, and the king reddened as he downed goblet after goblet of wine.

Something that I’d been denying had awoken that night of the ball and sitting in front of the most influential fae in the kingdom, my skin felt like it was on fire. The prince put on a show for others, but stars alive, I couldn’t help that his charms were working on me.

The courses passed, and I played along. I was just giving him an easy smile as I called for my second goblet of wine.

The servant approached, and as she poured, I took in the room below us. Many fae still watched me, though less obviously than before, Lady Qiren among them. She’d chosen to sit near her daughter, Aenesa, and two other females. Her other daughters, I assumed. All four ladies glowered my way, hating me, I was sure.

I sighed. Though Aenesa preferred Lord Roar, that really did not matter. Her mother wished for her to attach herself to a prince, and now I stood in the way. Where the highborn ladies were concerned, I could not win.

And when Prince Vale shifted his hand up to my shoulder and rubbed it, the ladies scowled harder. I turned away, facing him.

“Are you well?” he asked. “Did you change your mind about dessert? I can request the cake for you.” I wasn’t sure if it was part of the show, but his eyes dipped to my cleavage and held there for a beat longer than was polite.

My mouth dried up at the thought of him cupping my curves, and I swallowed, trying to wet my tongue. “I’m fine. I . . .”

I trailed off, catching something behind the prince.

The vampire stared at me intently, and my stomach churned as he leaned closer to the king and whispered something in his ear, always maintaining eye contact with me. The king twisted, saw his son’s hand on me, and frowned. He’d done that many times over the course of the meal, but this time it was harder, crueler. Just like when the vampire threw me a wink.