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"Let me guess," I tease, hoping to lighten the tension, "you made this particular bottle with your endless skillset?"
He chuckles and shakes his head. "No, but it is one of my favorites." He pours two generous servings and slides one of the long-stemmed glasses toward me.
I swirl the wine around, detecting hints of raspberry and rose. Taking a sip, I lick my lips and smile up at him. "It's lovely."
There's something in his gaze that has my heart racing; like there's something he's refraining from saying, something he's afraid to tell me.
"Where is everyone? They sort of disappeared." I say, claiming a stool on the other side of the butcherblock island, not able to stand the sexually charged silence between us.
"They probably went upstairs. My parents spend quite a bit of time in the music room."
"Is that where Nyx's musicality comes from?" I ask, letting my eyes wander around the room, taking in more of the stunning craftsmanship.
"My father is more proficient at the piano than Nyx, granted he's been playing far longer than my brother." Atlas hops up onto the counter and rests his back against the top cabinet. "My mother enjoys reading while he plays. It soothes her, sometimes even puts her to sleep."
"Does she have trouble sleeping?"
"We all do, for different reasons."
His answer lodges inside my throat. I grip the stem of my wine glass to keep myself from touching him, even if it's with the sole intention of comforting him.
"Atlas, I – "
Footsteps approach and I turn my attention to the arched doorway in time to catch a woman with long, dark hair and piercing green eyes enter. I recognize her from the portrait Atlas had done of her, but seeing her in the flesh, knowing what power she has humming underneath her fingertips, has my heart thundering inside my chest. I slip off my stool and stand to show her respect, but it's as if she doesn't see me – her eyes are fixed on her oldest son. A small smile creases her lips, and she makes her way to embrace him.
"It is good to see you," she says, and I'm taken aback by how soft and gentle her voice is. From all the stories I've heard about her, and being well acquainted with her three sons, for some reason, I thought she'd be taller and have a more menacing sounding voice. Wrong for me to assume that of her without having met her, but that's what I imagined she'd be like. She seems sweet. I suppose I don't have anything to worry about.
She releases her son and whips toward me, her sugary disposition gone, replaced by skepticism. She takes me in and just like Atlas, doesn't give me any insight into what she is thinking. Maybe I was originally right to be cautious and have a referential fear of her.
"Mother, allow me to introduce you to Princess Ilaria Shaye Kitarni of Midori. Princess, this is my mother, Princess Soraya Delaney Harland." The formality of Atlas' introduction doesn't ease my nerves, but it does remind me that I don't need to shrink in order for her to accept me.
I roll my shoulders back and smile. "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness," I dip my head. "I've heard a lot about you."
"All good I hope." She tilts her head ever so slightly, her curiosity piqued.
"There you are!" A man's voice startles me, and I nearly drop my glass. "Your brothers said you weren't able to come." His smile is so bright and genuine, it brings one to my face. From the portrait, I immediately recognize Rafe Harland, and see where Finn's personality comes from.
Atlas hugs his father, patting his back three times before pulling away. "You should know better than to listen to those two. I wouldn't miss Harvest Fest."
As if Rafe has just realized I'm also in the kitchen, he turns the full weight of his attention toward me. He extends his hand, offering me the same wondrous grin he flashed Atlas, and says, "You must be Princess Ilaria. I'm Rafe Harland, the boys' father."
I slip my hand in his, making note of the callouses that match his sons' hands, and return the warm greeting. "It is truly an honor to meet you. You have a lovely home."
Rafe releases my grip and rests his arm across his wife's shoulders. "We've made a lifetime of memories here, so I'd say it's been a good fit for our family."
"I hope you all are hungry," Soraya says sweetly. I see the exact moment she dons the hostess crown, because I used to do the same thing when we threw parties in Midori. "I believe my brother and his family just arrived, so we'll be ready to eat shortly."
I'm now just noticing the kitchen smells exactly like Finn's when he's in the throes of making dinner. My stomach growls and to mask the sound, I ask, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Everything is done." She smiles at me. "But if you really want to busy your hands, you can help Eris set the table."
With a quick nod, I slip out of the kitchen and help Eris set the table while Soraya directs Atlas, Finn, Nyx and Ronan to bring all the tantalizing dishes she has prepared to the dining room. Smoked fish in a bed of vegetables, herb encrusted rack-of-lamb, roasted potatoes, mushroom puffs, freshly baked rolls with garlic butter slathered on top as well as not one, but two pies: one apple, one blackberry. To say she's outdone herself is an understatement. It smells divine and I can't wait to sink my teeth into every single dish.
With King Soren's family all accounted for, we take our assigned seats. Not only has Soraya prepared a mouthwatering feast solo, but she also somehow managed to handwrite place cards in jaw-dropping calligraphy. I'm sandwiched between Atlas and Eris, which I don't mind. Soraya is to Atlas' right at one end of the table while Rafe, Finn and Nyx take residence to her right. Across from her, at the opposite head of the table, is King Soren. To his right is his wife, Esme, who looks pretty damn good for someone who is ill, and his youngest son, Viggo, who can't be more than twelve years old. To his left are Ronan and his only daughter, Petra, who I was told earlier is sixteen.
"Now that we're all present and accounted for," Soraya kicks off the family meal with a toast, holding her glass in the air, prodding us to match the gesture. "Every year, we gather to celebrate Harvest Fest. Here's to another year of peace, prosperity and freedom. To King Soren, may his reign never end."
Everyone echoes her toast and sips on their drinks before digging into the feast spread across the dark wooden table. I find dinner here is just like it is at the rowhouse, where everyone takes a bit of everything, with Finn taking charge of making sure those plates get filled. It's so interesting to see what traits each brother has gotten from their parents. So far, I've noticed Finn gets his looks and sweet disposition from his father, but his cooking, baking and hosting skillset from his mother. Nyx's musicality is clearly a gift cultivated by his father, while his spunk and sarcasm are from Soraya. Atlas' looks come mostly from his mother, and he clearly has her cunning mind, but I see traces of the laid back and romantic nature he tries to hide echoed in his father's mannerisms.
