Page 126 of Journey to the Elderoak
“Sorry, Thorne,” Astrid said. “I had asked Ava to accompany me to get some fresh air.”
Ava smiled as they approached the group and caught Thorne’s eye. He looked at her with suspicion but kept quiet.
“So, Ava,” said Aelerion. “What do you think of Eorhan? Of Monterre?”
She instantly liked him. “It’s beautiful. People are kind here.”
“Monterre does have some of the most welcoming fae.Much more pleasant to be around than those astral bastards,” he said, laughing at his own joke. “If they give you any trouble, let me know. I’ve been wanting to go toe to toe with Orion for centuries.”
His queen gave him an exasperated look and grasped Ava’s hand. “We’re so happy you’re here.”
The dinging of a glass chimed through the ballroom noise, the volume lowering as the music paused.
“If the guests would make their way to their tables. Dinner will begin shortly,” Vivienne announced.
The crowd moved as the attendees trickled to their assigned tables. Some meandered outside, searching for their seats under the starry night, while Thorne led their group to a large table at the front of the ballroom.
He took his seat at the head and gestured for Ava to sit at the first seat to his right. Casimir appeared and pulled out her chair, taking his seat next to her after assuring she was comfortable. Raine sat to the right of Casimir, Soren and Astrid on the other side of him. Quinn, Jorrar and Kai took their places across from them.
As Raine lowered in his chair, he leaned over and whispered, “What haveyoutwo been up to?”
Astrid huffed a laugh under her breath as Ava rolled her eyes.
Jareth strutted to the table and took a seat right next to Kai, followed by his parents. Next to them sat Aelerion and Thalia, irritation on Aelerion’s face at the astral royalty stealing their assigned seats.
Thorne leaned forward to address them, “Orion, I had the seating chart arranged with care.”
He scoffed. “No one tells me where to sit. Besides, we are too curious about the new princess, we just had to be close.”
“This is going to be bad,” Soren whispered.
Orion looked at her across the table and sneered. “Good to see you too,” he said sarcastically.
Ava felt Jareth’s eyes on her and tried to ignore him as she scanned the table. Raine was watching Casimir out of the corner of his eye with concern. Likely pleading internally for him not to flip the table when his brother inevitably said something horrific. Casimir’s hand moved to her leg, as if he was trying to protect her from any discomfort.
“Ignore them,” she whispered. “They’re going to try to rile you.”
He looked at her and leaned in. “I’d rather be back in that alcove right now,” he whispered back as his hand moved higher.
His thumb traced circles over the fabric on her inner thigh. She shifted in her seat, squeezing her legs together. “I’d rather be back in our rooms…doing other things…” she replied.
“And what might those other things entail, princess?” he crooned in her ear.
Thorne cleared his throat and gave the two of them a pointed glare as he sipped his goblet of wine. Casimir removed his hand and winced at her brother before looking away.
The first course—a blended root vegetable soup topped with basil—was placed in front of them, the scent of herbs and spices tickling Ava’s nose. Though her stomach was still in knots, she was starving and scooped a bite into her spoon, humming to herself as her taste buds were overwhelmed with flavor.
“So, Ava,” Orion said across the table, evoking cautious looks from the others as they waited for the insults to leave his mouth. “How is it we never knew about you? Thorne has been king since Vardan and Aurelia died and no one knew there was a long-lostsister.”
Ava set down her spoon. “My mother escaped into the human world while pregnant with me and I was born there. Ididn’t know about any of this. Apparently, no one else knew she was pregnant besides her father.”
“Ah yes. Lord Pellas. Your grandfather was an insufferable bastard. He was supposed to send Deidamia back to her realm…and yet he abandoned us…to protect you.” He gave her a withering look.
What Orion didn’t know was Pellas hadn’t abandoned them; he knew Ava was the only one who would have enough power to banish the daemon queen, so they fled to raise her in safety until she could return to Eorhan.
Aelerion interjected from down the table, “It doesn’t matter, Orion. That’s in the past. She’s here now, so we must move forward.”
Orion waved his hand. “Yes yes, I know. You can’t fault me for being curious,” he replied as he sipped his wine.
