Conclave (Vampire Conclave: Book 3), page 24
“It’s not necessary for you to address the crowd,” Shael assures me. “Normally only one partner makes the speech. It’s mostly just a formal greeting to the guests and to encourage them to have a good time tonight to celebrate your upcoming nuptials.”
The only bright side I see is that I won’t be the one who lies to those gathered here this evening. If what Jhann said to me at the lake house is true, the people attending this party are all leery of me. They suspect I’ll be like my father and abandon them one day, and they don’t trust me to be completely loyal to the alfar since I was raised on Earth. Jhann may be right in his assumptions, considering the apprehension most of the people around me seem to feel. But their derogatory opinions of me aren’t enough to change my mind about marrying Jhann.
As Shael and I walk across the dance floor toward the pavilion where Jhann is standing all by himself, my aunt says cordial hellos to quite a few people as we pass them by. I follow her lead, even though I don’t have a clue who most of the people are here. Julian and Alden walk directly behind us like shadows, as all good sentinels should, but considering the way people are looking behind me, I can tell they’re not quite sure about their safety around Julian. Perhaps that’s a good thing. It would certainly keep away anyone who might mean me harm. Going toe to toe with a vampire in a fight isn’t an undertaking many people would come out of unscathed.
Once we reach the flower and glass structure, Jhann extends his hand out to me as I approach him. I know it’s important to keep up the pretense that we intend to marry each other one day, so I take his hand willingly and force myself not to pull away when he leans in to kiss me on the cheek.
“You look lovely this evening,” he tells me, truly meaning what he said. “Any man who is fortunate enough to become your husband is very lucky.”
I smile at the way he phrased his statement because he was careful not to proclaim himself as being the man that I would one day marry. I’m glad to see that he’s sensible enough to realize that I have no intention of ever going through with a joining of our two houses. He may have made some good points about why I should change my mind, but a marriage between us will never take place. At least I know he won’t put up a fight when the time comes to officially end our engagement.
“Queen Shael,” Jhann says, as he keeps ahold of my hand with his and bows slightly to my aunt, “you look as radiant as ever tonight.”
“Always the flatterer, Jhann,” my aunt says with a pleasant, if somewhat guarded, smile. “I’ll take your compliment as long as you promise to look after my niece this evening.”
“I will do my best,” he pledges, meaning every word. Jhann looks at me and says, “I think it’s time we greeted our guests and thanked them for coming here to be with us tonight.”
“You lead. I’ll follow,” I say, freely giving him control of this event because I have no idea what’s been planned.
As Jhann turns away from me to face the crowd of people, I glance at Julian as he walks over to stand slightly behind me on my left side. He doesn’t look happy about being here, but he knows as well as I do that I need to keep up the charade of my engagement to Jhann in order to buy us some more time to find a way to make him human again. As far as I’m concerned, this is just a necessary step that has to be taken in order for us to get to where we truly want to be.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” Jhann calls out, signaling with a raised hand for the orchestra to stop playing their instruments so that the gathered crowd can center their attention on us. “Thank you all for coming to celebrate my engagement to the lovely Princess Sarah Moonshade,” he says to them in a cheery voice. “We both hope that you enjoy yourselves this evening as we celebrate our upcoming wedding.”
“Have you set a date yet?” I hear a familiar voice ask. I look out into the crowd and see the beautiful Ireen Draconid standing beside Aron Firestorm holding a fluted glass loosely in one of her hands filled with what looks like champagne. “Inquiring minds want to know, Jhann!”
Jhann smiles good-naturedly as he replies, “We only met each other a few days ago, Ireen. At least give us some time to become more acquainted with one another before we make a lifelong commitment. I would like for Sarah to get used to being in our world first before she becomes a wife to me and a mother to Morgan.”
“Where is the little scamp this evening?” Aron asks. “I thought for sure you would bring him to meet his soon-to-be stepmother and watch the fireworks that I’ve arranged.”
I feel Jhann stiffen slightly, and I know he doesn’t want to answer Aron’s question about his son’s whereabouts.
“I’m afraid he has an early bedtime,” Jhann replies, which is clearly a lie, but I’m probably the only one who can tell that it is. “He’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet Sarah before the wedding.”
“If there is a wedding,” Ireen mumbles derisively as she looks away from us and takes a sip from her glass. Her cynical comment was loud enough for most everyone to hear, which more than likely was her intention all along.
“Please, everyone!” Jhann says, drawing the crowd’s attention away from Ireen and back to us. “Enjoy yourselves and come say hello so Sarah can get to know more of you personally.”
Jhann raises his hand again and looks toward the orchestra in a silent bid for them to continue playing their music for the party. Slowly, people resume dancing and mingling with each other, but it’s only Ireen and Aron who accept Jhann’s invitation and walk over to us.
Ireen is a statuesque beauty with dark red hair. She’s wearing a form-fitting black dress with a flared bottom that only seems to make her look that much taller.
“Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind, Sarah?” she asks me with a come-hither smile. “It’s not too late you know. I’m still available, at least for the moment.”
“Thank you for offering yourself to me a second time, but I’m afraid I will have to decline … a second time,” I tell her.
Ireen shrugs her delicate, porcelain white shoulders. “Suit yourself. If you find Jhann lacking in certain areas, I’m always available for a sordid affair that makes these stuffy old alfar cringe. But do you want to know a secret about them? Behind closed doors, they love hearing the racy details about scandalous affairs and imagining the pair together in compromising positions. They may act holier-than-thou, but everyone enjoys hearing about lurid liaisons. It might even make you seem more approachable.”
“More approachable?” I ask, disregarding everything else Ireen said as rubbish because her crassness is simply meant to get a rise out of me. It was only her last statement that held an ounce of truth in it. “Why don’t people feel like they can come to me?”
“They simply don’t trust you,” she states, again speaking the truth.
“You can thank your traitorous father for that assumption about you,” Aron says scornfully. His hatred of my father is palpable, but I get the feeling it’s not just because my dad chose to live on Earth instead of accepting his birthright to ascend to the alfar throne. “If it wasn’t for Shael, House Moonshade would have crumbled after he left and House Firestorm would now be the ruling family.”
“Well, thank goodness she was strong enough to prevent a travesty like that from happening,” I reply, letting my temper get the better of me. “I would hate to see where you and your father would lead the alfar if Firestorm was in power.”
Aron smiles at me cruelly. “Don’t count me out just yet, you filthy half-breed. I might just have an ace up my sleeve that will ensure someone with better qualifications and pure alfar blood ascends to the throne one day.”
“Over my dead body,” I snarl, knowing he’s talking about himself.
“If that’s what it takes,” he growls back. Aron turns on his heel and swiftly walks away.
“Well, well,” Ireen says with an openly amused look on her face, “you are a little spitfire, Sarah. Perhaps I shouldn’t, but I do like that about you. Just so you know, my offer still stands if you change your mind. I like my lovers to have a little spunk, and I think you and I would fit quite well together.”
Ireen walks away to follow Aron back through the crowd, leaving me angry and speechless.
I want to hit someone, particularly Aron Firestorm, if at all possible.
“Are you all right?” Julian asks me as he takes a step closer to my side. “Would you like me to take Aron into a dark corner of the garden and teach him some manners?”
“Even though I would enjoy you doing that,” I whisper back, taking in a calming breath, “it’s probably not the best course of action.”
“The Firestorm family has always been jealous of the power House Moonshade possesses,” Jhann tells us. “I wouldn’t take anything Aron says to heart. He’s a blow hard and just likes to cause trouble when he sees an opportunity.”
As I look out at the crowd of partygoers, I spy Nadia walking toward us. I can tell she’s worried about me. Obviously she saw the altercation I just had with Aron.
“What did that fool say to you?” she asks as soon as she comes to a stop in front of me.
“Nothing important,” I tell her. “I just let him get inside my head for a moment. I’ll do better next time.”
Nadia doesn’t look pleased, but she also doesn’t ask me any more questions. Her eyes briefly glance in Jhann’s direction, and I sense a moment of longing on both their parts.
“Hello, Nadia,” Jhann says. “You look very nice this evening.”
“Thanks,” she replies, causing the tension between them to suddenly become very awkward.
An unexpected source arrives to break the tense mood.
“I think it’s time for the happy couple to have their first dance together,” Agatha announces as she walks into the pavilion surrounded by a bubble of joy that I wish I had right about now.
“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Jhann readily agrees.
I don’t feel much like dancing, but I’m not sure it matters what I want. All I need to do is get through this night, and then I can go back home—not that it’s going to get any easier there. The situation in New Orleans hinges on whether or not the others are able to rescue Constance’s baby. I would much rather see the child living here in Alfheim with Nadia’s older brother and his wife than struggle to survive under Janus and Sophie’s harsh care.
I allow Jhann to lead me out onto the dance floor and twirl me around like a ballerina, causing my skirt to flare out slightly. When he brings me into his arms, the orchestra begins to play a slow song that requires our bodies to be in close proximity to each other. Still, I do my best to maintain a proper distance.
“Do you not like parties in general?” he asks me. “Or is it this party in particular that you dislike so much?”
“I’m not much of a partier in general,” I reply, feeling slightly guilt ridden that my attitude toward the festivities is so blatantly obvious. “I’ve had a really bad day, and Aron didn’t make it any better.”
“He’s a jerk,” Jhann says as if Aron’s attitude is to be expected. “Don’t worry about him. Once he gets over his jealousy of you, he’ll calm down.”
“I understand that he wants the throne for himself, but it’s almost like he hates me on a totally different level. He acts as if I personally offended him somehow and now he’s trying to find a way to get back at me.”
“Like I said, Aron has always been a jerk, and he will continue to be one for the foreseeable future. Like father, like son.”
I can’t disagree with Jhann. Aron’s father, Galan Firestorm, is definitely a crude, unlikeable person. They say that the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree, and in that father-son pairing, it’s definitely the truth. If it wasn’t for Galan forcing me to choose someone to marry that night in the ballroom, I wouldn’t have to be at this stupid party pretending that I plan to marry Jhann one day.
Thankfully, Jhann doesn’t politely attempt to make any more small talk. We dance our dance, and as if on cue, at the end of it, the night sky is filled with colorful fireworks. Normally, I would enjoy a show like this, but knowing Aron is responsible for it taints it with ill intent. I thought perhaps when he came to the castle the other day to offer his assistance in this party’s arrangements he had turned over a new leaf and was going to try to be civil to me. I should have known it was simply a ploy on his part, but to what end? What is it that he hopes to gain here tonight? I’m just not sure.
After the fireworks end, Agatha instructs me and Jhann to stand at the entrance of the pavilion again.
“I have a very special guest for all of us this evening,” she brags, looking rather proud of herself for arranging the next part of the festivities. “I thought it might be nice if the newly engaged couple were able to learn a little bit more about each other, and I was able to arrange to have someone come here tonight who knows a little bit about making people tell the truth, even when they don’t want to. I hope you will all help me welcome valkyrie Ardis!”
As if she was summoned just by the calling of her name, Ardis appears right next to Agatha in front of us. It’s the first time I’ve ever been able to see one of the valkyries teleport into an area, and I finally learn how they do it. At least, I assume the silver bracelet shaped like two feathered bird wings wrapped around her right wrist is what she used to appear in front of us. The embedded diamonds along the shaft of each feather briefly glow blue but lose their luminosity within a couple of seconds of her appearance.
Ardis stands before us holding two glowing white orbs in both of her hands, looking like the quintessential Lady Justice in her white dress. This is the third time I’ve seen her in the same dress, making me wonder if valkyries are allowed to wear anything else.
The crowd claps and cheers for our visiting valkyrie. Ardis nods her head in appreciation of their warm welcome before turning around to face Jhann and me.
“It’s good to see you again, Princess Sarah,” Ardis says. “I’m thankful that we can meet under happier circumstances this time.”
“So am I,” I tell her. “Thank you for coming to celebrate with us tonight.”
“Ah, well,” Ardis begins, looking slightly guilty of something, “it gave me a good excuse to get away from the others for a little while.”
“What in the world would you need to get away from?”
“Family squabble,” Ardis replies with a small sigh. “Nothing of earth-shattering importance, just tedious to listen to.”
I can’t help but smile at how ordinary Ardis makes life with the other valkyries sound.
“Well now,” Agatha says excitedly, “what are those fancy balls you have in your hands for, valkyrie Ardis?”
“Please, just call me Ardis,” the valkyrie tells Agatha. “I thought instead of me asking the couple questions, the crowd gathered here tonight might like to be the ones to ask them questions. These orbs,” she says, handing one to me, which I hold with both hands, and then one to Jhann, “will remain white as long as the person holding them is telling the truth.”
“And if they lie?” Agatha asks, looking intrigued.
“Then the orbs will glow red,” Ardis answers.
Awesome. I’m basically taking a lie detector test in front of the most influential people of Alfheim. What could possibly go wrong?
“Oh, what fun!” Agatha says giddily as she claps her hands enthusiastically. “Then I would like to ask the first question.” Agatha turns her attention to me.
“Princess Sarah,” Agatha begins, “do you find your husband-to-be handsome?”
At least it is an easy question, and one I can answer truthfully since I view Julian as my husband-to-be.
“I find him very handsome,” I say honestly as my glowing orb remains white after my answer.
“And what about you, Jhann Nysas,” Agatha says, “do you find your future wife to be beautiful?”
“Well, if I didn’t, I’m sure almost everyone here would think I had lost either my mind or my eyesight.” Jhann laughs. “So, yes, I find her very beautiful.”
Since Jhann’s orb remains white, I know he’s telling the truth.
“I have a question,” Shael says, looking directly at me. “Princess Sarah, do you plan to shirk your responsibilities to the alfar and decline the throne like your father did?”
I have to say, I didn’t expect that question to come from Shael, but I understand her strategy behind asking it. I’m certain either Aron Firestorm or Ireen Draconid would have asked something similar in an attempt to discredit me in front of the others. But since Shael has asked the question that is on almost everyone else’s mind, she has turned the moment into an opportunity for me to ease all of their concerns.
“I am loyal to the alfar and to House Moonshade,” I state as my orb remains white. “I have no intention of avoiding my responsibilities and will gladly accept the honor of being queen when it’s my turn to rule.”
I can see people craning their necks to watch the color of the orb in my hands. As it remains a steady white, the crowd begins to cheer heartily, and I can feel a wave of relief flow over the alfar from my reassurance. When I look over at Shael, I see her smiling at me with pride and gloating just a smidgen over her brilliant move to solidify my place among the alfar as their next queen.
“Do you love Jhann Nysas?” I hear someone ask.
When I look to find the inquirer, I spot Lura Draconid, Ireen’s mother. I’ve been warned that Lura wants the throne for herself and consider the motivation behind her question to be hostile, daring me to lie.
“No,” I answer truthfully. “I do not love him, but we’ve also just met one another. This is more or less an arranged marriage, and I don’t think either one of us can truthfully say that we love each other yet.”
“I would have to agree with Sarah on this point,” Jhann adds. “Only time will tell if we can develop such feelings for one another, but I do admire Sarah’s strength and intelligence a great deal. I hope our relationship can grow stronger based on mutual respect.”
“Do you want to kiss her?” a young man around my age that I don’t recognize shouts out to the amusement of all.
