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Standing next to one another, I was even more struck by the differences in the twins. Prince Rhistel was pale and less muscular, probably due to spending less time outside fighting battles. He still wore his gloves today, hinting that he might be delicate, whereas the younger Aaberg brother was muscular and tanned in a way that spoke of hours riding a horse or fighting battles.
“I have been known to have a light step. Light touch too.” Prince Rhistel stared at me and licked his lips in a way that made me shudder. Thankfully, he didn’t linger and turned to Prince Vale. “Brother, Warden Roar seems to be upset that you’re talking to his fiancée.”
My pulse jumped, and I twisted to see Roar, still in conversation with Aenesa and now the queen and Saga. The warden’s eyes flickered to meet mine, and in them I spotted barely suppressed anger. Queen Inga’s presence was probably the only thing that kept him from storming over.
“So,” the heir continued, “why not make it the both of us?”
I turned. My eyebrows knitted together to find his sly gaze locked on me. “What do you mean?”
“Vale and I have little in common, but irritating the Warden of the West might as well be a family sport.” Prince Rhistel grinned, as if he thought I’d be fine with his words. His gloved hand rose and he traced my collarbone softly. “Speaking with you seems to send the warden’s blood boiling. I wonder what kissing you would do?”
I gasped and took a step back.
“Go away.” Prince Vale’s voice tightened.
“And why would I?” His brother waved off his comment. “I have not gotten to speak much with the lady that threw the court into chaos. Though from our short time together I can see why so many are interested in her.” He leered at me.
“I threw nothing into chaos,” I hissed.
“You don’t think so?” The heir smirked at me in a way that made my blood heat.
“I’ve done nothing except arrive at court and attend events.” I kept my gaze on him firm and hard.
And attend a secret card game and find a hidden hallway. But Prince Rhistel did not need to know either of those.
“You’ve also tempted my brother,” Rhistel said. “That intrigues me. Do you know we’ve shared a whore a time or two? One was even a fisherman’s daughter. So familiar . . . ”
I stiffened, and at the heir’s side, Prince Vale did the same. “What did you say?”
“My dear brother here has been acting quite erratic since you arrived. Perhaps because you are Warden Roar’s, and he has a feud with the warden, not that I blame you, Brother. Nor do I disagree that she’d be worth a tumble. She’s quite pretty. Though I wouldn’t want to own her.”
My fists clenched. “No one owns me.”
Prince Rhistel laughed. “Unless you have more power than the warden, you belong to him in every way that matters. Come to think of it, you’re just a glorified whore, aren’t you, Lady Neve?”
I opened my mouth to argue when Prince Vale did the unthinkable: he punched his brother in the face.
Chapter 31
I darted back three paces, unable to believe what I’d just seen. But as Prince Rhistel wound up to punch his brother back, I knew one thing for certain. That wouldn’t end well.
I was proven right when Prince Vale caught his brother’s punch seconds before it would have landed on his nose. “Nice try, soft hands.”
The heir snarled, blood dripping from his nose. “She’s that enticing to you, is she? A commoner is enchanting you! Bleeding skies, Vale.” The word rang out in the otherwise deadly silent room and Prince Rhistel spat at his twin. The spittle marred Prince Vale’s doublet and the Warrior Bear’s eyes flashed with danger. “Father will—”
“My princes!” A tall, broad-shouldered faerie rushed forward and stuck himself between the two.
It took a moment before I recognized the copper-haired fae from his box, Lord Riis, the Lord of Tongues. Though the princes continued to egg one another on, Prince Rhistel going as far as to lunge at Prince Vale, Lord Riis was as large as the younger Aaberg twin and seemed as strong as a dragon. He held them apart long enough for two soldiers to increase the distance between the twins.
“My princes, that is unbecoming behavior.” Lord Riis said as the princes glared at him. Though most would have cowered beneath those glares, Lord Riis looked unperturbed and almost fatherly in his disappointment. Had he put himself between the brothers before? What right did he have? No one else had made a move to break them up.
“It certainly is.” Queen Inga’s imperious tone cut through the otherwise silent room as she swept over. “Thank you, Leyv, for stopping my sons from continuing to make utter fools of themselves.” Her eyes narrowed in fury. “I can’t imagine what they were thinking, sullying the Aaberg name in such a manner.”
Fully grown fae males shrank before their mother, and everyone else, save for Lord Riis, seemed to do so too. The back of my neck tingled. Queen Inga was formidable, but I got the sense I was missing something about her.
And as Prince Rhistel’s back curled inward, and Prince Vale’s eyes wrenched shut as though he had the worst of headaches, I felt even more certain that I was correct.
What was the queen doing to them?
