Chapter 152

[ 1,274 words ]

Arabella Toussaint:

I turned my attention toward the table and immediately became aware of how so many people were staring at us. Not just Theodora and Jasmine. Guests at the nearby tables had gone suspiciously quiet too, their attention repeatedly drifting toward the King and the woman sitting comfortably on his lap.

Maybe I had underestimated how scandalous this would look.

Lucien, however, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. His arm remained around my waist as he reached for his fork, and continued eating as if nothing unusual had happened.

I looked at his plate and then remembered the piece of roasted mutton I had abandoned because of him.

I poked a finger into his chest. “Excuse me. I left my mutton roast over there for you. Where is my plate?” Lucien paused with his fork halfway to his mouth.

For a second, he simply stared at me. Then he rolled his lips between his teeth, clearly fighting back a laugh. He signaled one of the attendants standing near the royal table. “Bring her a plate. And make sure she gets her mutton.”

“Lots of it,” I added before the attendant could leave.

That did it. Lucien lowered his head, and his shoulders started shaking with mirth, while I settled more comfortably against him, snaking my arm around his neck.

The attention around us slowly began to fade as conversations picked up again. I could feel his family watching us, but I didn’t bother turning their way.

My plate arrived soon after, loaded with roasted mutton. Lucien shifted me slightly on his lap so I could reach the table more easily, then returned to his own meal.

For the next few minutes, we simply ate.

At some point, while listening to one of the men across the table speak, Lucien reached toward the fruit platter and picked up a grape. I assumed it was for him until his hand appeared in front of my mouth.

I glanced at the grape and then at him. He was still listening to the conversation, apparently expecting me to eat it. He nodded when our eyes met.

Holding his gaze, I slowly parted my lips and took the grape from between his fingers, letting my lips brush his fingertips before I pulled away.

My eyes landed on Amy who looked from Lucien’s fingers to my face, then her gaze shifted to her mother as if silently asking whether she was seeing the same thing.

Theodora’s pleasant expression never disappeared, but she reached for her wine and took a longer sip than necessary. When she placed the glass down, she immediately turned to Aliya and resumed their conversation.

Jasmine’s face was harder to read. She kept her attention on her plate, calmly cutting into her food.

Ah. Poor girl. I couldn’t blame her. I wouldn’t be thrilled either if my fiancé had another woman pressed against him, her ass rubbing against his thigh.

I was reaching for another piece of mutton when Bradley appeared beside Lucien and bent slightly toward him.

“Your Majesty, the Alpha of Silver Ridge is on call. He is asking for your attention for an urgent matter. He says it’s important.” Lucien sighed and looked at me.

I stood with him, expecting him to let me go. Instead, he turned me around by the waist and made me sit in his chair.

“There.” Before I could ask what he was doing, he leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I’ll be back soon.” Then he followed Bradley away.

I watched him disappear into the crowd before slowly turning back toward my plate. And that was when I realized he had left me alone in the lionesses’ den.

I glanced at the three women around me, and decided they were more like sheep pretending to be lionesses.

“As Lucien’s future Queen, even I have never sat in that chair.” Jasmine’s voice pulled my attention to her.

She sounded remarkably polite as she gestured toward one of the servers nearby but I didn’t miss the rage in her eyes. “Please get up, Arabella. I’ll have another chair brought for you.”

I looked down at the chair and then back at her. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. The King put me here himself, and I’m not moving unless he asks me to.”

Jasmine pressed her lips together in annoyance. Theodora quickly stepped in. “Jasmine is right, dear. She is Lucien’s future Queen. Traditionally, she is the only woman who should be allowed to—”

“I’m sorry, Queen Theodora,” I interrupted, keeping my voice perfectly calm, “but Lucien asked me to sit here. If he wants me somewhere else, he can come back and tell me himself.”

I picked up my fork and returned to my dinner. Apparently, Jasmine didn’t appreciate being dismissed.

Her hand suddenly appeared in front of me and dragged my plate across the table. I slowly lowered my fork. “Give that back.”

“Listen to me carefully, Arabella.” Her voice remained low, but the softness had disappeared. “I’ve kept quiet because I assumed Lucien considered you a friend, but you’re beginning to forget your place.”

“Lucien’s friend?” A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. I leaned back in his chair and looked directly at her. “Seriously? You think I’m Lucien’s friend ?”

Her face hardened.

“No, sweetheart. I’m definitely not Lucien’s friend.” I held out my hand. “Now give me my plate before I have to take it back myself.” A server hurried over with another chair and awkwardly placed it between Theodora and Lucien’s seat.

Jasmine gestured toward it. “There. Your chair is ready. Move over there, and you can have your plate.” I looked at the chair. Then at my mutton sitting in front of Jasmine. Then back at her.

“No, Jasmine. I want my plate back.”

Her brows drew together. “It’s Lady Jasmine to you. You still have a lot to learn about how you address your future Queen.”

I gave her a slow once-over. “No, Jasmine. I think you have a lot to learn. You’re not only the head warrior but apparently the future Queen as well, yet somehow, you’re still a liar.”

The conversations around us began to fade, but I barely noticed. Jasmine did. Her eyes darted briefly toward the guests before returning to me.

“Arabella, that’s enough. Whatever problem you have with me, we can discuss it privately later.” So now she wanted privacy.

“You should have thought about that before stealing my dinner.” I extended my hand again. “Give me my plate.” For several seconds, she simply stared at me. Then something cold entered her eyes.

She picked up my plate and tossed it aside. Porcelain hit the floor and shattered, sending my roasted mutton across the marble floor.

“Oops.” Jasmine looked back at me with a pout. “I dropped it. I’m sure someone can bring you another.”

Theodora slowly shook her head before turning her attention to her own food, apparently deciding she wanted nothing to do with this anymore.

Amy wasn’t nearly as good at pretending. She lowered her face, but I caught the smile she was trying to hide. I looked at my dinner scattered across the floor then at Jasmine.

Oh, fuck no.

I was on my feet before anyone could stop me. Instead of walking around the table, I climbed straight onto it, knocking aside a glass as I crossed toward her.

Jasmine barely had time to push back from her chair before I grabbed a fistful of her hair. “You bitch!” She cried out as I yanked her toward me. “How dare you throw my fucking plate away? You liar! You murderer!”

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