But, it was the times she was alone that made me completely sunk on her. Acting as her guard and hanging back, I had a unique perspective as to the woman she was, and after two months of seeing that, my heart was hers.
All of me was.
I think I knew it from the moment she went off to cry alone at her pain of losing Darius so she didn’t upset anyone else or turn them against him.
I’d never seen anything so tragically beautiful, her big green eyes dulled for once and red as she hugged herself and tried to believe everything was okay. The young noble was a moron, as any man would be blessed to have a fraction of the love she had for him, and yet, he was letting it go.
It left me conflicted. I hated she hurt, but there were only so many she could truly love and she had several interested in her. If Darius didn’t fix this, that was one less to compete with.
Horrible, but such was life. She had the heart to love many, but everyone had realistic limits.
After that kiss though, I didn’t care if I was one of a million if I was hers. Even if it was a small sliver of time or her attention, I now understood how nobles offered themselves up completely for the right princess. I would for her.
“Why are you not with Inez?” Kristof demanded when he saw Vitor and I arrive with the others for his bachelor party.
“Women only,” I told him, shaking my head when he went to object. “Hanna is pretty damn old, and several of their ladies are, which we both know are their hidden female noble guards. I also know those from our previous coven who are attending and they like Inez very much. She’s safe.”
“Good evening, and welcome to the best bachelor party ever,” James greeted, smiling brightly as he rubbed his hands together. “I will be your cruise director. We are starting this evening with some casual, but tasty, grub before all the fancy, fancy of the weekend. We ask you hold off drinking until later in the evening as we have lots planned and clear heads are needed for some.”
“It’s going to be awesome,” Simon agreed, about bursting with excitement. I really liked the young shifter, and he was completely loyal to Inez, one of her closest friends even, so I made sure to always look out for him when I could.
We started at Salt Lake City where one of the resorts was having a huge cookout for the party. They told us all the families and kiddies were eating at one of the other places for the night, so it was just us.
Once, not all that long ago, guests from other courts would be looking down their nose at the burgers and ribs, but now everyone appreciated it.
It was sad it took the apocalypse for people to truly appreciate what they had, but it gave me hope for the world now that it had a reset.
Maybe?
“I’ve never had a smoked burger before,” Sebastian, Jaxon’s father, said as he took another bite. “It’s quite good.”
“They are,” Jacob agreed. “I’ve never seen such a large rib rotisserie for grilling and smoking. I wonder if we can find another or ask Princess Inez for one, along with those boilers I saw her chef and his staff using for crabs and shrimp.”
“I don’t know about the rotisserie, but we found a whole warehouse of those boilers,” Jaxon told them. “I’m sure she’d be fine with it.”
“Yes, she is fine with much,” Sebastian chuckled, shaking his head. “She could be the most spoiled and greedy princess with all she has, and yet, she’s always allowing more and more.”
“She believes generosity breeds generosity,” Vitor said. “And given she only deals with certain people and covens, she’s right. Even your own cunning and sly princess has moved past the normal court hoops when dealing with Inez. I’ve never known Nora to be cruel when not deserved, but sometimes all it takes is another person to drop the bullshit for others to do the same.”
“Mostly, it’s because Inez doesn’t care what people think of her,” Kristof explained. “She doesn’t care if people whisper she’s a fool for being nice or look down at her that she’s being stupid. It does not bother her one bit. As long as people keep their end of the deals, she truly ignores what is said.”
“That sounds like a lack of pride, mate,” Ceawlin cut in, looking amused just to have snuck into the party and ruin some of the fun for Cerdic.
What an asshole. He really was Cerdic’s evil twin.
Kristof shrugged. “She knows who she is, and those of us who love her know. She’s not insecure to worry over pride. She values integrity and her morals more.” He narrowed his eyes at Ceawlin in warning when the man opened his mouth. “She has not screwed over or sold out one person who didn’t deserve it. How many princesses can say that and accomplish so much?”
“How many of us can say that?” Sebastian echoed. “And it’s not because she has others do the dirty work. No, she refuses to allow it and finds another way.”
James chuckled. “Yeah, and she punches you if you even suggest it or test her.”
“Yes, she is rather violent,” Ceawlin drawled.
“Like you didn’t deserve it, you git,” Cerdic drawled. “Stop shitting on my princess because she’s not interested in you. Identical looking we may be, but we’re not the same people and she prefers me. Get over it.”
“You sound jealous because I got the last one,” Ceawlin purred.
Cerdic focused on this twin and burst out laughing. He kept laughing
