Page 39 of If the Shoe Fits (Rainbow Tales #2)

“Welcome home, Xander, my long-awaited grandson.” Then he stepped back to shout, “Our Eagle Prince has come home at last!”

The Shining Ones cheered—another unexpected welcome. Xander looked around him and sighed. So this was what it was like to be welcome. To be wanted. To be loved.

“Dancing!” King Garis cried. “There must be dancing to celebrate my grandson's homecoming!”

Not only was there dancing, but there was also food and drinks to be had.

Xander downed several glasses of wine that sparkled in his mouth and ate the most incredible food that went well with that wine.

He gorged on succulent cuts of seasoned meat, roasted vegetables, bread fresh from the oven, plump fruit, and desserts of such sublime sweetness and lightness that he never wanted to eat anything else.

And the music—it made him feel as light as the cake whose sweetness lingered on his tongue.

“Eagle Prince,” a velvety voice said.

Xander turned to find a tall, slender man standing behind him.

He was so incredibly handsome that Xander couldn't speak immediately.

Only stare. That jaw—not too bold but firm.

The cheekbones—high. The eyes—an impossible, glittering amethyst a few shades paler than Princess Levania's.

And the man's hair fell in lavender waves down his back.

Lavender. He should have looked feminine, but all that pastel and pale skin was tempered by angular purple brows and firm lips.

Xander cleared his throat. “Hello.”

“I'm Lord Zane.” The man bowed. “May I be so bold as to ask you for a dance?”

Xander stared at him.

“Oh. I see. I'm sorry. I heard you were a lover of men.”

“I am!” Xander burst into speech. Then he cleared his throat again. “I'm sorry. You're just . . .”

Lord Zane's hand went to the base of his throat. “I'm just?”

“Beautiful,” Xander blurted. “You're very handsome. I've never met someone with purple eyes.”

“Oh.” Zane beamed at him and inclined his head. “Thank you very much, Your Highness. Then would you like to dance?”

“I'm afraid I don't know the steps.”

“I'd be delighted to teach you.”

“In front of everyone?”

A gleam entered those amazing eyes. “If you'd prefer, we could dance in the garden. No one would see us there.”

A shivering entered Xander's chest, and an image of Leovar filled his mind.

Then one of Leo with another man. Had he forgotten about Xander already?

Xander glanced over the crowd of Shining Ones, not a single ugly face among them, and his gaze caught on Nevan.

His mentor was leaning against a wall, speaking with a stunning woman whose hair fell nearly to the floor in a sparkling cascade of white curls.

Nevan looked up as if he felt Xander's focus.

In a moment, he assessed the situation and then held Xander's stare. Subtly, he nodded .

Zane had Nevan's approval. But then, Nevan had never liked Leo.

“Your Highness?” Zane cocked his head. “You look sad.

I also heard you left a lover behind. Perhaps it's too soon for you to dance with another. I understand completely.” He laid a hand on Xander's shoulder and squeezed.

“I can't, however, understand what it's like to go from one realm to another. I can only sympathize that it must be disorienting on top of everything else.”

“Thank you. It is a bit disorienting.” Xander glanced at the elegant hand as it fell away from his shoulder. That single touch had sparked something inside him. “And maybe it is too soon for me to dance with another.”

“Perhaps some wine and conversation instead?”

“Yes, that would be nice. Thank you.”

“I shall be right back. Don't let another man whisk you away before I return.”

“I promise to wait here for you.”

Zane grinned and rushed away.

Seconds later, Nevan bypassed another admirer of Xander's, pushing the dark-haired man away with a shake of his head, and then he settled against the wall beside Xander. “So, you're a success with the Shining One boys.”

“I think it's my status they're attracted to,” Xander said.

Nevan made a considering moue with his lips. “And maybe your newness. But it could also be that you're very handsome.”

“Why, thank you, Nevan.”

“Don't get all big-headed on me. I like women. I have no interest in you. Not sexually. I think that's one of the reasons your mother chose me to mentor you. Yes, I know. You're so very disappointed. Don't worry. You'll get over it.”

Xander snorted, then said, “I saw the woman you were speaking to. She's beautiful.”

Nevan waved his hand. “They're all beautiful.

Here, it's only a matter of how beautiful.” He chuckled.

“You may be attracting attention not because of your Shining One beauty, but instead, the rugged masculinity gifted to you by your human father.

That's rare here—all those muscles. But, as I said, I wouldn't know.”

“Because you like women.” Xander grinned.

“Yes. But I'm not blind. In fact, I noticed how hesitant you're being with Lord Zane. That's why I'm here. I'm still your mentor, after all. As your mentor and your friend, I advise that you fuck Zane.”

Xander gaped at Nevan for a second before hissing, “Do you truly expect me to jump into the arms of a new lover already?”

“No, kid. I know you better than that. Again, that's why I came over here. Your mind is probably full of guilt and doubt right now. You feel as if you should be loyal to the lover you left in the human realm.”

“And you think I should forget him.”

Nevan sighed and sipped his wine. “Never forget your first love.”

“First?”

He looked at Xander. “We always think our first love is also our last. So great is the emotion.

But years from now, you will look back with fondness only and realize that it's called a first love for a reason.

It's an introduction to the emotion. Not a stopping point.

Although it is the hardest one to get past. I recommend moving on as quickly as possible, Xander.

It's the only way to stop brooding in a situation like this.”

“What do you mean, 'like this?'”

“You're separated. That, irrationally, makes you more attached. If Leo were here, it would be easier for you to see that he is not as wonderful as you remember. You'd move on faster. But with only his memory to go by, that is much harder to do.”

“Do you think he is moving on?”

Nevan glanced to the left.

Xander followed his stare to Lord Zane, who was approaching with two glasses of wine.

Nevan held up a hand, and Zane inclined his head. He downed a glass of wine and set the empty glass on a tray that was floating by. Smiling at Xander, he turned away.

“You see? He's a good man. He won't pressure you.” Nevan motioned at Zane. “There are a lot of good men here and none of them need you to pretend to be a woman so they can be with you in public.”

“That's not fair. Leo never asked me to do that. It was your idea!”

“Easy, kid.” Nevan held up his hand. “I get it. You are fresh from his lips, and the taste hasn't soured yet. Would you like to see him?”

“What?”

“I can give you a glimpse. Just a glimpse, mind you. But it will be real.”

“Yes! Yes, I want to see him. ”

“All right. Don't get your pants bunched up your ass. Come with me.” Nevan set his glass on a floating tray as he walked off.

Xander hurried after him.

Through the winding corridors they went, fairy lights casting their illumination from somewhere above.

Plants rustled as they passed, and the scent of night flowers tried to soothe the Prince.

But he was too anxious to see his lover.

Xander ignored the lovely scent and soft lights, focusing on Nevan.

And then they were in a luxurious sitting room.

Nevan led Xander through it and the bedroom beyond.

At last, they stopped in a small, unadorned space, only big enough for three people at most, and that's if they were standing.

The only thing in the room was a silver bowl full of water, set on a plinth.

“Dip your finger in the water and think of Leovar.” Nevan wrapped his hands around the bowl. “See his face as clearly as you can.”

Xander followed his mentor's instructions, closing his eyes to picture Leo better.

Only a moment passed when Nevan said, “There he is. Go on, have your look.”

Xander opened his eyes.

Leo was sitting on some stone steps, his head in his hands. He looked terrible. Xander's heart clenched to see his pain. But just as he was about to tell Nevan that his love had been proven true, a man walked up to Prince Leovar.

Xander went still.

Leo raised his face. His expression conveyed despondency at first, but then it went blank. He stood up and looked the man over. Leo started to turn away, but the man took Leo's hand and pulled him back. Leo fell. The man caught him. And then that man kissed Xander's prince.

Holding his breath, Xander waited for Leo to push the man away. He didn't. Instead, he grabbed at the man and kissed him back.

Xander jerked away, his hand disrupting the water and the image it contained. “No. He wouldn't do that.”

“I'm sorry, kid. Pain makes you act oddly. He's just trying to get over you.”

“No, Leo loves me. He wouldn't do that.”

“He thinks you're gone. He's just—”

“No!” Xander roared. “Stop it, Nevan. Don't try to excuse his behavior. Just stop!” Xander raced out of the room.

Nevan didn't follow him, and Xander was grateful for that. It was his first night in the first realm. He should have been in that room with all those dancing people. Instead, he had seen something that he couldn't recover from. Something that kept him from returning to the celebration.