Page 99 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 1

"Oh." I frown. "Somehow, I hadn't thought of that. It sounds odd."

"It becomes normal," he promises, putting his hand over mine and giving it a reassuring squeeze as we walk. "It took me a while to get used to people calling me Prince Lincoln."

"Mmm, and I guess that's how I'm supposed to talk to you when we're in public?" The number of people around us now makes me a little nervous about the risk of accidentally being too informal with him, even if I don't think there'd be any terrible consequences.

He grimaces. "Probably."

"Prince Lincoln," I say, sounding it out. "That's not so bad."

"Is that so, Princess Beatrice?"

I wrinkle my nose. "I think I prefer it when you call me Bea."

"Ah, so no calling you my love."

"Please, don't."

An amused expression crosses his face. "It doesn't suit you."

Members of the court fill the area around the stones. I try my best to match the people to the names I've read on the blood charts and in Linc's books, but I'm either not as good at it as I thought, or there are more people at court than I realised. I think the latter is probably true.

A woman in a dark red dress gestures to the man beside her and whispers something while looking in our direction and I swallow hard, realising that they're talking about us.

And that I don't like it.

"I think there's a downside to our betrothal being announced," I say, my voice shaking slightly.

"You're now the target of every woman who wants to marry into the royal family? And every head of House that wants her to?" Linc asks.

"What? No. I didn't even think of that. Do you think that's going to be an issue?"

He shrugs as we take our place near the front, giving us a good view of the wedding stones where Bastian waits. "Hard to say. I haven't spent much time getting to know many people at court yet. Does that make me the mysterious and handsome prince, or does it make me strange?"

"Definitely the first one," I tease.

"I don't really mind so long as that's the one you pick." His eyes crinkle around the edges, and it's clear he's in good spirits, which will probably make it easier for him to resist wine when it's offered at the banquet later. "What's your downside?"

"Hmm?"

"Your downside to our betrothal being announced?" he reminds me.

"Oh, right. It's that now we have to spend time together in public. I'd much rather be back in the library with you." And away from all of the eyes I can feel on us now.

"Good point. But I think there's an hour or so between the ceremony and when the dancing starts, we could go to the library then."

"Maybe."

"Or?" he prompts.

"Well, the House Rothorne apartments are both closer and empty. We could go there." I almost can't believe I'm suggesting it, but it's not like we can get into any sort of trouble for going there.

"It almost sounds like you're inviting me to go home with you, Beatrice."

"Pip will be there," I say.

"Ah, your dog, now that's truly how to convince me," he teases. "But we can do that. It'll save sending any servants for something to drink."

I lean against him as a hush falls over the clearing, and I turn to where Lady Ermentrude and her mother are approaching.