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I started to join her, but Lachlan held up a hand. “You’ll forgive us for staying to greet the others. Tradition.”
“Tradition,” Bain echoed.
I shot Ciara an encouraging smile as she released me, my hand clammy from how hard she’d been holding it. She motioned for Bain and MacAlister to join her, and I fought the urge to go with her despite Lachlan’s words. I relaxed a little as two of our guards followed. There would come a time when she would be on her own at the Infernal Court, but this first night, I knew she needed the extra courage.
Shaw and Roark moved beside me. I doubted their slightly protective stance was a coincidence. It seemed I had inherited two bodyguards in Ciara’s absence.
“So, are they friends, or do they hate each other?” I whispered to Roark when Lachlan went to speak with one of his men. It was always impossible to tell where Lach was concerned.
“So you noticed.” He grinned down at me. “A little bit of both. Bain and Lach tolerate each other’s existence a little better than some of the other courts do. The Astral Court should be arriving from Prague shortly.”
I hung back when they did, asking more questions under my breath and wishing I’d done more to prepare.
Aurora, the Astral Court’s crown princess, was as beautiful as her name, her dark-brown skin offset by the deep amethyst shade of her column dress, which was the same color as her jewel-bright eyes. She spoke warmly to Lachlan, her hand touching his arm lightly every now and then. He actually returned her smile, leaning closer to speak with her in a low voice, and something twinged in my chest. I forced myself to look away, and my gaze collided with one of her companions. He grinned nervously at me. They looked enough alike that it was clear they were related, but he had none of the princess’s effortless confidence despite being her equal in beauty. Instead, he occasionally shuffled his feet and sent anxious looks in my direction. They had fewer guards than the Infernal Court but more courtiers. Something about that put me at ease.
“Who is that?” I murmured to my companions.
“Sirius,” Shaw answered this time. “Good guy. A bit young.”
Considering how old they were, I couldn’t imagine what young meant to them. He looked about my age, but for a fae, that could mean he was twenty-five years old or a hundred. Before I could ask more, the Hallow Court made their appearance.
It was immediately clear why Roark had mentioned heaven. While the guards who accompanied them ranged from burly to squat, the royals and the courtiers simply looked like angels. The two fae at the head of the group shared the same rich mahogany hair and deep amber eyes, and both had high cheekbones. The woman’s features, delicate and lovely, were complemented by the airy summer dress she wore, its long skirt dusting the ground. Her male counterpart was equally handsome with a wide, strong jawline and broad shoulders that strained under his gray suit jacket. They didn’t walk so much as float across the marble floor like their feet didn’t need to touch the ground.
“Oberon. Titania.” To them, Lachlan inclined his head.
“Twins,” Roark whispered.
It took effort to look away from them, but when I did, I frowned. The rest of their retinue hung back in two distinct lines: courtiers and guards.
“Where are their penumbras?”
“They don’t have them,” he explained. “Only the true firstborn would be granted one. It’s rumored their parents decided either might claim the throne. No one knows which was born first, so they still both claim the crowns, though everyone assumes it’s Oberon. They’re the oldest among us.”
Oberon was the one Ciara had referred to as “ancient,” but she had failed to mention his sister. My hands balled at my sides as she stepped forward to greet Lachlan with a kiss on each cheek.
“Titania.” Lachlan stepped away quickly.
She bit her lip a little as she grinned at him, the gesture so unabashedly coquettish I felt a stab of jealousy. “It’s definitely been too long, Lach.”
I hated the way she said his name. The familiarity that oozed off her tongue. Which was silly, since they’d probably known each other for centuries.
But how well did they know each other? Was she his type? Her bountiful curves and delicate features were a clear contrast to myself—and the way she held his attention so easily. I could never do that. I was so preoccupied that I didn’t notice Oberon looking at me.
“And who is this?” His voice was warm and rich, like liquid gold itself poured from his lips.
My mouth nearly fell open, and I barely managed to hold it closed.
“You mean my newest acquisition.” I bristled at the casual ownership in Lachlan’s voice as he stepped between us, breaking Oberon’s eye contact. “She is lovely, isn’t she?”
I twisted my ring around my finger, torn between not being rude and hating how he spoke of me like I wasn’t here.
Lachlan swiveled toward me, the grin on his face stretched as though he was forcing it. “Cate Holloway, allow me to introduce Oberon and Titania.”
I forced myself to stop gawking and speak. “It’s a pleasure.”
Despite Lachlan’s careful positioning between us, Oberon stepped smoothly around him and took my hand. He lifted it to his lips. “I hope we can get to know each other.”
There was absolutely no mistaking what he meant. A flush swept over my body at the implication. Maybe he looked at every woman like he wanted to worship her. Maybe that’s why his court was associated with heaven.