Chapter 17

The dining room is laid out in a completely different way to when Bastian and I had breakfast, with the large table set with six places and a large centrepiece of roses dominating the centre. The whole thing seems rather extravagant, but I already know better than to question it.

"This is your seat, miss," one of the servants says, gesturing to a chair next to Eliza's.

"Thank you." I reach out to pull it away from the table, but he beats me to it.

I take a seat, straightening out my skirts so I don't crinkle them. I'm sure Jemima will be able to remove any wrinkles that appear, but I'd prefer not to make work for her unless I have to.

Gleaming cutlery sits at each side of the placemat, filling me with apprehension. I have no idea what any of them are for, and fear I'm going to make a fool of myself if I use them incorrectly.

The doors open and Bella appears with a mousey-looking man in tow. "This is my new cousin," she says off-handedly to me. "This is my second husband." She doesn't look particularly pleased about her relation to him, probably because she has designs on Prince Marcus. I suppose if she does want to marry him, then she'll have to get rid of her current husband, and something tells me that vampires aren't fans of divorce.

The man smiles. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Beatrice."

"Likewise..." I trail off, realising I don't know his name.

"Thomas," he responds. "Lord Thomas Vermouten."

"Lord Thomas," I say with a dip of my head.

"You don't have to use his title," Bella says as she takes a seat. "Uncle Gerard won't."

I don't know how to respond to that and let my mind wander back to my day in the library. Time passed surprisingly quickly, but I feel like I learned a lot, even if I don't think much of it is going to be useful right now. Maybe I'll feel differently once I'm able to put all of the pieces together. The only thing I'm really certain of is that I'm looking forward to going back to the library tomorrow, and not just because I'll get to discover more about what I am and how vampire society works.

Bella helps herself to some of the wine from the jug at the centre of the table and leans back in her seat to drink it, while her husband sits stiffly by her side. There's a strange atmosphere around the table, as if the four of us are waiting for something.

My unformed question is answered when Lord Fallmartin strides inside with Bastian in tow.

The other three get to their feet, and I realise I should do the same. I try to make it look elegant, but I'm pretty sure everyone notices me lose my balance for a moment. It isn't just history I should be learning, but etiquette as well, at least if I'm not going to make a fool out of myself. Maybe I should ask Linc for help with that. Or Marcus. Though he's the crown prince, I doubt he has much time to spend teaching his new cousin about court etiquette.

I push the thought to the side and focus on the situation at hand. If I can't make it through one family dinner, then I've got more of a problem than I think I do.

"Sit, everyone," Lord Fallmartin says as he takes his position at the head of the table.

Bastian makes his way to the other end of the table beside me. He doesn't seem to have any of my nervousness and looks as if he was knowingly raised for this position. And it's not just in one way either, it's everything. The cut of his suit and the way he wears it, the slight smile with a hint of arrogance in it, and the way he scans the room as if he's trying to take in everything around him and work out what his next move is.

Lord Fallmartin stays standing and gestures for the servants to come forward with identical goblets, placing one down in front of each of us. I don't need to ask to know what's in them. The sweet smell of the blood makes my mouth water and I can feel my gums tingling where my fangs want to come out. It's impossible to deny what I am when I react like this.

"I wish to make a toast," Lord Fallmartin says. "This Golden Moon was a prosperous one for us. There is a new heir to House Rothorne, a marriage contract for Eliza, and several requests for betrothal for Beatrice."

I freeze. "Betrothal requests?" The moment I say the words, I wish I hadn't.

"Several, from some excellent Houses," Lord Fallmartin replies, a hint of pride in his voice. "But I think we'll be able to catch a bigger prize. By the next full moon, we should have a betrothal signed and sealed for you."

I blink a few times, trying to process what's happening.

I look at Bastian who is doing what he can to avoid my gaze.

"Say thank you," Eliza whispers, bringing my attention back to the situation at hand.

I clear my throat. "Thank you." The words taste like ash in my mouth. How am I supposed to be grateful for a betrothal to someone I've never met? Where the only purpose is a political agenda I don't understand. I've never been sure if I would marry, but I always hoped that if I did, it would be for love.

Now that possibility is being taken away from me as easily as my humanity was.

If one thing is clear, it's that I need to learn how court politics work, or I'm going to end up trapped in more ways than one.

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