Page 97 of Dewpoint
Apparently not.
Benson was there in the foyer when I entered and tears burned my eyes as I met his gaze. It was clear that the date was a fail from the distance between Onyx and me. He immediately clocked it and then looked back to me.
The only think more humiliating than this whole contest was the fact it was such a fucking failure in front of the man I’d been in love with all my life.
24
Sagan
Tuesday dinner was finally the last of the introduction meals. Loraviel—or Lori—was the second son of the Alpha of Sunborough. He was known as a flirt but for treating women well and loved to travel. He was a foodie and very popular on social media for knowing all the best spots around the world.
But he wasn’t a rich brat about it. He actually shined a lot of spotlights on issues not reported often in Thovudin and promoted tourism in good faith.
Butalso because Sunborough’s economy was tourism heavy as well. So it was self-serving… Just well done. He wasn’t the typical lazy Alpha’s kid.
It started fine with us talking about our time spent in Bodach since he was smart enough to play up to Treena being my best friend. Plus, I’d studied there.
I thanked him when he served me some salad and even poured me some iced tea. It seemed almost endearingly nervous that he wanted to keep busy.
Oh silly,foolishme.
I took a sip of my drink while he talked about the train system in Bodach and how impressed he was with it. Iris wasinstantlyon alert and Eloise focused instead of being bored.
I licked my lips. “What flavor tea is this?”
He did a double take and stared at the carafe before reaching for his own glass… With a shaky hand. “I’m not sure.” He took a gulp. “Not peach. Not a berry either. Plum? Something mild like that. It’s good.”
I took another sip and chuckled darkly. “Well, I can definitely taste thedrugslipped in here.”
“What?” he gasped, glancing at his own glass. “What are you talking about, Your Majesty?”
I set it down and studied him. “Smart that you had some too. Quickly had it, but your shaky hand gave you—”
“Your Majesty—Sagan, I would never drug you. It’s just iced tea,” he argued. “I don’t know what you think you taste, but—how would you even know what drugs taste like?”
“Oh, nice spin,” I purred. “Because I’ve been drugged like this before actually. I remember the aftertaste.” I tilted my head when he froze. “Do you not taste it? That almost olive oil aftertaste? I’ve had it before. Once before. The night of my parents’ funeral feast. Did you pour my drink that night too, Lori?”
“I wasn’t even near you that night, Your Majesty,” he whispered, swallowing loudly. “I don’t know what’s going on, but the food was all brought in by the staff and—”
I snorted. “You’re a shadow dragon. It would take you seconds to distort the view of cameras or anyone who wasn’t directly looking at you while you added something to the carafe. Not even—you’re old enough. Even a few years younger than me and that’s enough. Your education is—”
“You’re mistaken and there won’t be any proof of that,” he whispered as his cheeks flushed. “There’s no drug and—what you’re feeling is normal and—whatwe’refeeling is all about our dragons and—”
“Oh, you’re still going to try and go for it?” I mocked as I tossed my napkin on the table. “Bold.Stupidbut bold. I’ll giveyou that.” I chuckled as I pushed to my feet. “You were better off sticking with the line that you drank it too so it couldn’t be you. Gaslighting me that I’m not really drugged and it’s our dragons when mine was bored with you—”
“I think you are confused from your heat, Sagan,” he pushed, annoyance in his eyes.
“No, I’m not, and you’re really stupid to keep pushing and interrupting me when I’m pissed.” I swallowed a snort when he gave me a look that I was dense.
That was actually fair. He could lose his head for drugging the queen like this—so who really fucking cared if he kept interrupting me?
Yeah, actually really fair and I was being silly.
Stress and having one of your mating prospectsdrug youwould do that,
I opened my mouth to say… Something, but the doors flew open and guards came pouring in. Lori was immediately restrained and a magical cuff put on him so he couldn’t shift to get away.
He argued it was a misunderstanding and ifwewere drugged then it was someone in the castle, not him.
