Page 63 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 2

My cheeks flame red. "Well, yes. But I guess I didn't think we necessarily have to wait until then. That wasn't really my intention."

"I know."

"It's a shame we can't disappear to your room instead of having dinner."

He raises an eyebrow. "And risk getting walked in on by Lord Bastian? I think I'd prefer our alone time with no chance of your brother walking in. Or your cousin."

"Or anyone else, I would hope." I smile at him.

"I would too." He looks past me, his whole body stiffening, which can only mean one person is approaching.

I turn to find Bastian heading towards us, thankfully without his wife. I still haven't gotten a good read on Lady Ermentrude, and I'm not sure what to make of her.

Bastian clears his throat. "Your Highness."

"Lord Bastian," Linc says in a detached tone I haven't heard from him very much.

"I'm, erm, sorry for the other night," my brother mumbles.

"It was a misunderstanding," Linc says, though all three of us know that isn't true, it's just what we have to say in order to let this go.

Bastian nods once and then slinks off.

Lord Fallmartin catches my eye and raises an eyebrow, making me think that it isn't him who put Bastian up to apologising. He really has done it for me. A wave of affection towards my brother travels through me and I wonder if this really is going to be the start of a different side of him coming to the forefront.

"Well, that was unexpected," Linc says, taking a sip of his blood.

"He did say he'd apologise," I respond. "At breakfast. I just don't think I fully believed he was going to do it."

"People can be full of surprises sometimes."

"Mmm, and my brother more than most, considering he sprung the whole being a vampire and secretly nobility thing on me."

Linc chuckles. "Fair enough. I'll prepare for more surprises from him."

"It's probably best to." No one is paying us any attention, and I seize the opportunity to lean in and kiss Linc's cheek. "I'm sorry about your nose."

"It's fine," he promises. "It'll be better in a couple more days. Though we might want to take it easy on the kissing until then."

"Then you're lucky I like you for more than just that," I tease.

"Very lucky." He puts his free hand on the small of my back and nods to the table where everyone is starting to take their seats.

I'm a little nervous about sitting down for this dinner, but it can't be any worse than some of the ones we've had in the House Rothorne apartments.

I take a seat next to Linc, glad to find that he doesn't have a wine glass set out in his place. I suppose that's a silver lining to Bastian hitting him, even if I'd really rather that hadn't occurred.

I reach out under the table and give his hand a squeeze, glad that we get to face this together.

Lord Fallmartin and the King start a conversation that doesn't seem to involve the rest of us, while the Queen sits at the other end of the table and swirls wine around her glass. There's a part of me that wants to try and engage her in a conversation, but I don't know enough about her to know where to start.

"The dress you wore at the Yuletide Ball was beautiful, Your Majesty," Bella says from beside the Queen.

"It was," she responds. "I have the royal dressmakers to thank for it. I believe Lady Beatrice will be finding out just how good they are soon enough."

I do a slight double-take at the fact she's addressing me directly, but I take my chance. "I look forward to it, Your Majesty. Is there any particular style you think I should ask them for?"

She raises an eyebrow. "I do believe that something in the royal colours will be more appropriate than the dress you're wearing now."