Page 51 of Wicked Queen

“Don’t start,” I warned him. I’d confided to Edward and Belle about Anders’ crush on me. “Sarah was trying to sink her talons into him. I had to save him. She needs to know.”

“Do you want to tell the ice queen?”

I frowned.

“I mean ice princess. Clearly, you are the ice queen.” He bowed slightly and I smacked his shoulder. “Where’s your husband? Why don’t we make him do it?”

As we turned to watch the dressage event, a skill I couldn’t fathom the point of, I was about to tell him that Alexander was on his way. Instead, we came face-to-face with him.

“Oh, he’s here,” Edward swallowed, adjusting his bow tie.

It was obvious from the look on Alexander’s face that he’d been here for a while.

Chapter 18

Alexander

The afternoon fog lifted when I spotted Clara and sunlight flooded the tent. It felt more like a portent than a miracle, giving who she was speaking to, however. I ignored a number of greetings as I weaved through the crowd. I had no interest in drawing attention to myself. Deeply rooted jealousy, the type that wasn’t easily weeded out, drove me towards my wife and brothers.

They were laughing. As Anders left, Clara and Edward put their heads together and whispered. A vise gripped my heart, but I squared my shoulders and continued towards them. Anders hesitated midway between them and me, looking over his shoulder. But he didn’t turn around.

That’s right. She’s mine.

I willed him to keep putting distance between himself and her. Unfortunately that sent him colliding with me.

“Anderson.” My salutation was a half-step above a growl.

He responded in the same tone. “Your Majesty.”

“You do realize that’s a title, not an insult?” I brushed a piece of lint off my sleeve and his eyes zeroed in on it. Did he know that’s what he was to me? An inconvenience? An annoyance?

“Of course, sir,” he added.

“You were speaking to my wife.” Meeting his eyes was like looking into a mirror. I’d never hated my own reflection so much.

“I was talking to a friend,” he corrected me. His right hand clenched into a fist.

This time I wasn’t rising to the bait. Fighting him would only give Clara more doubt. Enough people had nearly come between us—Anderson included—I didn’t need to drag one there.

“Find another one,” I advised him.

His nostrils flared as he shook his head. Pushing past me, he got in one last dig. “Edward was right about you.”

What the hell did that mean? I didn’t bother to ask. Clara might not see Anders as a threat but he wasn’t an ally either. I couldn’t afford to allow him to mess with my head.

I’d lost Clara to the crowd during our exchange, and I found myself searching a sea of hats looking for her. A few feet away the crowd parted, revealing her and Edward just as they turned in my direction.

I didn’t catch what Edward said but I seized the moment, strolling up to them. Leaning down, I kissed Clara, earning a murmur from people surrounding us. Her hand fluttered to my wrist and when I drew back, her eyes questioned me.

“You just missed Anders,” she said softly, her words an olive branch. A reminder.

There was nothing to hide and nothing to fear.

“Actually, I didn’t,” I said stiffly.

“Alexander, are you…?” She trailed away, seeking help from Edward with a pleading look.

“It was a long morning.” Capped off by walking into a scene from my nightmares. I kept that bit to myself.