“It ishisfamily I shall bear,” Lilac pressed, driving her reluctant point home like a stake into Garin’s chest, spitting the words as if she could convince herself they were true. “His crest, his monarchy, his children.” Lilac leaned over the chair arm, her breath ghosting his cheek. Garin turned his head to her as if he could not help it, his challenging glare daring her closer. “At least this man, whom I’ve never met a day in my life, has offered to fight for me. My hand and my kingdom. It seems it is the very least I can expect from him. This is what you wanted for me, after all.”
Lilac was nearly in his lap. Her pulse throbbed in her ears—her throat,between her thighs, and in her clit. Everywhere else she felt that inescapable heat.
Barely thinking straight, she sat back. Garin made to follow, but she placed a single finger against his chest. “So, why are you here? What more could you possibly want from me?” Her voice dropped to a viciously sultry, sarcastic whisper. “What do you want so badly that you’ll willingly risk all of your scheming and hard work?”
His gaze pierced her chest like a barbed arrow. “I want to feel your pulse beneath my tongue, Eleanor.”
Heat charged her core with a desirous ache. She winced and swallowed a whimper, muscles tensing at the fire that flooded her—just as the sound of the room came rushing back.
“Lilac?”
26
That voice.It was familiar. Dreadfully so.
She hadn’t noticed him, didn’t know how much of their conversation he’d heard, but by the nervous smile on his face, it didn’t appear he’d heard a word at all. A gentleman in a deep red coat embellished in silver filigree and buttons stood before their table, his hands clasped behind his back as he folded into a rigid bow.
He blinked and frowned as he took her in, as if just noticing her ruddy face. Lilac wiped her nose and offered him a wide, frantic smile. The newcomer’s eyes flickered over to Garin, who greeted him with a murderous glare.
“Rupert! What a surprise.” Lilac stood and gave him her hand, desperately forcing herself to think of anything but leading the guard from the old coat closet to her bedchamber a year ago, tonguing him deeply with one hand down the front of his trousers and a bottle of claret in the other. Rupert was a decade older and well-liked among the ranks. He was sweet, at least kind enough to keep his mouth shut about the things they did, and hadn’t been released by her father—to her knowledge. But the last time they’d snuck off was the last she’d seen of him. “W-where have you been?” she stammered. “You weren’t sent to La Guerche with the rest?”
“No. I’ve, erm, actually been on leave. Traveling out west. Le Conquet isquite beautiful this time of year.” Rupert kissed her hand as she studied him. She hadn’t known their guards to simply take leave. “I returned several days ago.”
“Everyone just departed under Father’s watch,” Lilac whispered, taking her seat. “France has been scouting out east. There’s been a skirmish or two. Nothing large-scale yet.”
“So I’ve heard. I stopped through Paimpont on my way,” he added.
“Then why are you here?” she demanded, Garin’s words echoing in her pounding ears.
Rupert laughed, thrown by her intensity. “Lilac, I?—”
“You have addressed her by her name twice now,” Garin interjected. “Her pet name, nonetheless. She is your queen and you are her foot soldier, are you not? You will address her as‘Majesty’.”
Rupert leered at him, as if offended by being addressed by someone who appeared younger, but stopped at the look on Lilac’s face. She shook her head minutely, so he bowed instead. “Your Majesty, I honor my duty. That’s why I’m here, I hoped to catch the others in time.”
“You’re leaving, then?”
“At dawn,” Rupert confirmed. “The armorer briefed me upon arrival.”
No one should have briefed him without Lilac’s or Henri’s knowledge. Seething, she looked out at the floor; her father was swaying, sandwiched between her dancing mother, a shit-faced Helena, and giggling Gertrude. He didn’t seem suited to attend to any business matters after touring the castle with Garin.
Displeased, Lilac studied Rupert and wondered where he’d acquired such a fine coat. “And what of your armor? Your weapons?”
“I’ll acquire them from the armory before my departure,” he said with a dismissive wave of the hand.
Garin leaned forward. “Has there been an escalation?”
“None that were mentioned,” Rupert responded, then curtly redirected his attention to Lilac. “When I heard there’d be a feast, I knew I couldn’t miss the opportunity to congratulate you. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I couldn’t bear the thought of letting the night pass without asking you for a dance.”
Immediately Lilac felt lightheaded, a crawling heat radiating off to her left—from Garin. “That’s kind. I’d love to share a dance with you, but youremember those silly fraternization laws.” It might be entertaining to watch Garin squirm, but she wouldn’t chance it for Rupert’s sake. Plus, she wasn’t done interrogating the vampire. “I’m afraid I must refrain.”
“Ah, well yes. That’s the thing.” The guard turned to look at a woman perched on the corner of the table where Piper, Yanna, and Isabel sat. She was the one who’d laughed as Gertrude and Agnes had commented on Albrecht’s lateness in the foyer earlier. She had a kind, round face, her plump cheeks and eyelids dappled high with a wash of peach, her hair tucked high in a playful bun over a chartreuse chiffon gown.
The woman gave them a coy wave before courteously returning her attention to Piper.
“My mother Emma is a countess from Vannes.”
“TheCountess of Vannes?” Garin said, tearing his simmering gaze from Rupert and craning his neck.
