Page 98 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 1

"It's part of the New Year celebrations," I say as I accept the cup of tea from her.

She serves a second cup to Bella. "You must be excited."

"You must be too," I respond.

"Oh, yes, absolutely. Marrying Lord Bastian is a dream come true. He's very handsome, don't you think?"

"I've never really thought about it," I admit. "He's my brother."

"Of course. Silly me." She gives me a smile that I think I'm supposed to take as a little bit ditsy, but I'm not convinced by it. Either she's lying to herself about her feelings, or she wants us to think of her a certain way. I wouldn't like to say which it is, but I'm going to have to watch her closely once we're all under one roof.

FOURTEEN

It's cold outside, and I draw my cloak tighter around myself. It had been much warmer when Eliza got married, and now I'm starting to question the sanity of vampires for wanting to get married outside. And it's only going to be worse for us.

"May I escort you to the wedding stones?" Linc says, offering me his arm.

I'm sure my whole face lights up at the sound of his voice. "You may. Lord Fallmartin did say that I'm to spend time with you today where everyone can see us." I slip my arm through his and rest my hand on his sleeve, enjoying how right it feels.

"That doesn't surprise me," he responds. "I'm sure he wants to remind everyone that House Rothorne is about to be connected to royalty. Well, more than they already are, considering Marcus is half-Fallmartin himself."

"It's a definite advantage of our betrothal no longer being secret," I agree.

"Mmm, I think you'll appreciate my asides during the wedding more than Marcus does." He nods towards his brother as we pass.

I smother a laugh. "I don't know, you and Marcus seemed close at Eliza's wedding."

"Eliza?"

"My other cousin. Lady Tyberan now. I think. I don't really understand how the title thing works."

"Oh, that's easy," he says as he leads me into the area where the stones are set up.

I raise an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Maybe not," he concedes.

Lord Fallmartin stands at the front of the stones with Bastian by his side. My brother doesn't look nearly as cocksure as he has been doing. It makes me feel for him. Up until I learned it was Lincoln I was marrying, I thought my wedding day was going to be like this too.

"Explain it to me?" I ask Linc, turning to look at him. The fact he's been at court five years longer than me is helpful when it comes to understanding how some of this works. I've done my best to learn, but it's not been that long and I can't expect myself to have learned everything yet, even if I want to.

"Hmm, so take the bride," he says. "She's Lady Ermintrude Tufflion of House Tufflion at the moment."

I nod to show I'm following.

"Once they're married, she'll be Lady Ermintrude Tufflion of House Rothorne. Unless your brother dies, anyway."

"Something that's becoming increasingly likely," I mutter under my breath.

Linc chuckles. "Let's hope not, that will create a power shift for House Rothorne that we don't want. Anyway, when Lord Fallmartin dies, if you use her first name, she'll still be Lady Ermintrude Tufflion, but you could also call her Lady Fallmartin because she'd be married to the current Lord Fallmartin. Do you follow?"

"Just about."

Eliza catches my attention with a smile, and I nod back. She seems happy with her new husband, though I wish I'd had a chance to properly talk to her since the wedding.

"So that would make me...Lady Beatrice Fallmartin of House Soveguine once we're married?" I ask, checking that I'm understanding correctly.

He leans in, his breath brushing against my cheek and making me wish we were alone. "It'll make you Princess Beatrice."