Neros walked so incredibly slowly that it had taken nearly three hours to give him a tour of the grounds. He asked very few questions about what he saw, only asking about Kallia. And Prim.

When the tour was finally complete, he requested the handmaiden accompany him on a walk through the gardens.

Prim clasped her hands over her stomach. “Surely the tour satisfied your desire to promenade with me?”

Neros walked at her side, Dante and Sarasha a few steps behind, a single red-uniformed Lanhami guard behind them. None of the three escorts had spoken the entire time—even Sarasha contained her unprofessional chatter. Prim supposed it made it easy given that Neros hadn’t greeted or even glanced at any of the escorts.

“I have a feeling my desire to promenade with one of the beautiful trio could never fully be satiated, even if we’d walked a thousand miles,” Neros answered in that rolling accent.

Prim raised a brow. “Most women want to be thought of as an individual, not as part of a set.” Though she didn’t really give a fuck what the prince thought and even considered Bristol might be pleased to learn he thought of them as interchangeable.

The prince’s suave demeanor stumbled. “Of course, I meant you. You are one of the beautiful trio, after all.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I find you difficult to please.”

Prim looked away as she continued her walk, aiming toward the garden as he requested. “That sounds like a you-problem, Prince. I’m easily pleased by those who know how to.”

He chuckled again as they entered the white gravel walkway of the gardens, the bright sun warming Prim’s scalp. “I’m a quick learner and a willing student, if you should ever consider giving me the honor of teaching me how.”

Neros sucked in a breath, his hand grasping his nape.

Prim blinked. “Are you okay?”

The prince rubbed his neck. “Must have been a bee.”

Prim reached up to grasp his shoulder, pulling him down. “Let me see.” A red welt was where the prince had indicated, but it didn’t look like a sting. She brushed her fingers over his neck. “Hmm.”

“What is it?” The prince didn’t make to stand up, apparently content with Prim’s hands on him. She quickly removed them.

“I don’t know.” She knew. The mark had been left by the pinching fingers of an unseen hand. “Could’ve been a bee.”

The prince straightened. “Have lunch with me,” he blurted.

Prim shook her head. “I should get back to Princess Kallia.”

Neros smiled. “Bring her. And Lady Bristol. And I can fetch Torra and Egan. We didn’t all get a chance to interact much last night.”

It would be a good opportunity to get to know Egan. There was no reason to deny him. “I’ll present your proposal to Kallia and send a messenger with our answer.”

Neros offered his arm. “No need. I can escort you and ask her myself.”

Prim turned, flicking her eyes at Dante and Sarasha. “Thank you, but no. I have escorts.”

For the first time, Neros looked at them. He only glanced quickly at the fae woman, but his eyes lingered on Dante, sizing him up.

“I insist, Lady Primrose.” He held his arm out higher.

Prim caught Dante’s eye in a warning to not say anything. But she didn’t think to do the same to Sarasha.

“The lady declined,” the woman said, wrapping her wing over Prim protectively. “In Wassalia, royals respect the wishes of those around them. Perhaps you should abide by the custom while you’re here.”

Neros’s eyes widened for a moment, then he smiled slyly at Sarasha. “Of course.” He flicked his eyes to Prim. “Please send your answer to my chamber. I will be waiting with bated breath.”

He held his hand out and Prim took it, as would be expected of her. He bowed low, giving her a lingering kiss on the back of her hand. When he stood, she curtsied in turn, then walked away with her two escorts flanking her. She knew by the absence of shifting rocks behind her that the prince and his guard stood still as they watched her go.

“I can’t tell if he’s a total asshole or simply doesn’t know how to respond to a woman not fawning all over him,” Prim said as she entered Kallia’s chamber.

Dante leaned in to whisper in her ear in the same tone Neros had used last night, “Can’t it be both?”

She elbowed him, smiling, as he took his place on the wall along with Sarasha. Then Prim explained the prince’s proposal.

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“We should accept,” Bristol said immediately.

Kallia dropped her head back. “We should,” she said in a tone that made it clear she didn’t want to. She sighed. “Have them come here.”

Shortly after, the three women were sitting in a row at the eight-seated table in Kallia’s receiving room, their usual chaises abandoned for the uncomfortable stiff chairs.

When the three Lanhami arrived, Egan again sat across from Bristol and Torra across from Kallia. Neros, however, took the open seat next to Prim rather than across from her.

“Thank you for joining us,” Kallia announced to them all.

Torra laughed brightly. “No need for that, Princess. We’re well aware our brother forced your hand.”

Neros shrugged unabashedly. “We’re here to get to know one another, are we not?”

Prim ignored the prince, who had turned toward her. She kept her mouth shut as Bristol attempted to get Egan to speak, but the young prince was shy. He answered all questions in as few words as possible and asked none of his own.

Torra interrupted often to add more information to Egan’s lackluster responses, like when he’d answered that his favorite pastime was playing the piano and she’d added that he had been known to move people to tears with his music.

Neros leaned close to add his own commentary in a low voice only meant for Prim. Like when he said people had cried for his playing, too, but only because it hurt their ears. That had actually made Prim smile--which he noticed and continued his self-deprecating remarks.

The lunch dragged on for hours, and by the end of it, Prim was actually laughing with Neros, Kallia was carrying on a boisterous conversation with Torra, and Bristol was still failing to coax a personality out of Egan.

Prim stood to excuse herself, needing to get to her lessons, and Neros rose with her, all eyes on them both.

“Excuse me Prince Neros, Princess Torra, Prince Egan. I have other duties I must attend to.” Prim curtsied low.

Neros remained standing. “May I escort you?”

Prim shook her head. “That is very kind, but no, thank you. I can manage with Dante and Sarasha.”

The prince took note of the escorts still against the wall. “Very well.” He bowed, kissing her hand.

Dante didn’t attempt to stay in the room during Prim’s lessons with Helena. In fact, he wasn’t even in the hallway waiting for her when she finished. Sarasha alone escorted her to the armory where Prim worked with Jacques on sparring and throwing and swordplay. Then she returned to her room--Dante still missing--to clean up a bit before returning to Kallia.

For some reason, Sarasha slipped inside instead of waiting in the hall. After she had defended Prim from Neros, the handmaiden didn’t feel the need to ask her to leave. Sarasha looked over her room then plopped on the chaise, satisfied that there was no threat, as Prim dragged a cool washcloth over herself.

“I think the brother is more attractive, but I can see the appeal of Dante,” Sarasha said suddenly.

Prim refrained from telling the guard that was inappropriate. Not to mention she didn’t give a fuck what anyone thought about her feelings for Dante. She also refrained from telling her he and Blukke weren’t actually brothers.

“Is that why you’re not interested in Neros? Because you’re hung up on him?”

Prim finished wiping herself down. “Why would I be interested in a man who will only be here a month?” She had no reason to tell the fae Dante’s time here was similarly limited.

“Maybe he’d stay. He’s not the crown prince. He could stay here with his brother. Or instead of his brother. Maybe he could marry Kallia.”

Prim laughed. “Surprisingly, marrying my best friend wouldn’t make him any more appealing to me. I daresay it would make him less appealing.” Prim flung herself down on her bed--the chaise occupied--wanting a bit of a respite before returning to her duties. “Where is Dante, anyway?”

“He didn’t say.” Sarasha sat up, looking over the back of the couch at Prim. “I think he likes you, too.”

Prim snorted. How observant.

“I caught him clenching his fists and grinding his teeth a few times Neros was getting a bit too friendly with you.” The fae wagged her brows at Prim, eliciting another laugh. “Anyway—back to Neros. I think he’d make a better match for Kallia than Egan.”

Prim couldn’t imagine why. Neither one of the princes seemed to be a good match for Kallia. Egan was about as interesting as a bowl of flour and Neros seemed a bit preoccupied with Prim. If any of the Lanhami royals were a good match for Kallia, it would have been Torra. But of course, such a match wouldn’t produce an heir.

“Well, it doesn’t matter because he’s ineligible. He’s still third in line for his own throne.”

Sarasha smiled slyly. “Not for long.”

Prim stared at the ceiling. Even when Prince Tigan’s second was born, Neros would still be fourth in line and still ineligible to take a foreign throne. At least Torra would move to fifth and be able to marry her fae back in Lanham. The princess seemed like she deserved that kind of happiness. Really, everyone deserved that kind of happiness.

A knock rang through the room followed by Dante’s voice calling loudly enough to hear through the thick door. “Just letting you know I’ve returned. I’ll be right here if you need me, Lady Primrose.”

Sarasha wagged her brows at Prim again. “I heard him call you that little nickname yesterday. You can let him know he doesn’t have to act like that for my benefit.”

Prim ignored the fae’s words, leading her escort out to greet Dante with a warm smile and a subtle squeeze of his hand. Prim returned to Kallia, who no longer hosted the three foreigners. The women decided to spend the rest of the evening outside, enjoying the lovely weather, then attended another dinner at which Neros took the seat next to Prim and kept his attention on her.

Tonight, he made no comments about wanting to get to know her better or learning how to please her. He leaned close to speak of Lanham and his siblings--those here and at home--and continued his questions about Kallia and Prim, now adding in some about Bristol. He didn’t do it in an aggressive way; he was actually being a charming conversationalist.

Just as during their lunch, Prim found herself laughing and enjoying him. Kallia was enjoying herself with Torra, too, though the Lanhami princess attempted to bring Egan into their conversation at every turn. He had no one else to speak to--Bristol had abandoned her attempts to get him out of his shell and instead focused on some nobles on her other side.

The women were having such a good time that they remained in the great hall long after the rest of the higher table emptied, most of the lower tables with them. Bristol was the one who finally suggested Kallia retire, the nobles she was talking to having left. Neros kissed each of the women’s hands as he bid them goodnight. Torra shook their hands. Egan only nodded. Pathetic.