The Princess and the Guard (Book 1)

Forty-Five

Juliette glanced around, involuntarily trying to find where Noah was. Unfortunately for her, he knew how to blend into a crowd.

In fact, she realized as she looked around, she didn't see any guards anywhere, but there had to be more than Noah and whoever escorted Odette. There were easily two hundred people here.

Clenching her hands into fists, Juliette watched Odette flutter around with a grin on her face as though she didn't have a care in the world.

"Your Highness!" a voice said.

Juliette jumped, turning as a middle-aged man walked up toward her. His hair was iron grey and combed back, and he wore an expensive looking suit that couldn't have been very comfortable. Juliette tried to place who he was as he bowed.

"You're looking well, if I may say. It's so good to see you."

"Thank you. I'm happy to be here," she replied, smiling and hoping he couldn't tell she had no idea who he was.

"May I introduce you to someone?" he asked, nodding his head to the side.

Juliette nodded politely, still smiling. She followed him as he started toward one of the tables where people were seated. She sifted through her mind the different pictures of the various members of the court and House Leaders. She was pretty sure he was one of the representatives from House Atworth.

The man rested his hand on another person's shoulder, and the young man seated at the table stood up, dressed in the typical fashion for a member of the aristocracy. His smile deepened when he saw Juliette, taking her in.

Juliette immediately bristled.

"This is my son, Ransom West."

"West, please," the young man said. He smiled, his teeth perfectly straight. He politely reached for Juliette's hand. Unlike his father, West's tie was loosened, his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, and his jacket was slung casually over his shoulder. "A genuine pleasure, Your Highness."

Juliette smiled. "Likewise."

"Why does the queen keep a gem like you hidden away?"

Juliette blinked. Laughing, she hedged. "Um... what?"

"West. Perhaps Her Highness would like something to eat?" the man suggested, his eyes hardening.

"Well, it seems to me that if Her Highness did, she could ask herself." West winked at Juliette, patting his father on the arm. "Besides, there's an endless string of servants around. That's what their job is, and I would hate to rob them of that pleasure. Your Highness." West dipped his head in half a bow before disappearing into the crowd.

"My apologies, Your Highness," the man said, the muscles in his face taught. "My son is a bit flighty."

Juliette pressed her lips together, not sure what to say. She politely excused herself and crossed to a table with appetizers. Daring to glance behind her she saw West mingling with a few young girls who seemed much more interested in touching him than talking to him.

Odette appeared beside her, like a snake slithering through the sand. She looked perturbed as she loaded her plate with several mini cakes.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp.

Juliette hesitated. "Yes."

"You seem to be quite the topic of conversation," Odette continued, delicately licking the frosting from one of her fingers. Her lipstick didn't budge.

Juliette paused with a crystal glass in her hand, her eyes twitching. "Me?"

"Yes, you. What I can't figure out is why. I know you almost blew the entire..." Odette waved her hand behind her, "thing back on the horse, so why is everyone singing your praises?!" she hissed, keeping her voice low. Her voice was tense, her onyx eyes glittering with hatred, yet she managed to keep the sweetest smile on her face as if they were in casual sisterly conversation.

Juliette blinked slowly. "I almost blew what thing?"

"The walking down the pathway on the horse! I saw you, getting flustered on the saddle and almost causing a stampede."

"A stampede? With two horses?"

Odette scoffed, stabbing a piece of pastry in a way that made Juliette jump. "Just try not to freak out about nothing again, okay?" She set her plate down and stalked off into the crowd.

"Wouldn't dream of it. That's your job," Juliette muttered to herself.

"Older sisters. Can't live with them, shove them back where they came from, am I right?" West shook his head, stepping up beside her and filling his glass with more punch. He pulled out a small flask out of his pocket and poured a dark liquid inside.

Juliette's eyebrows twitched. "You have an older sister?"

"No." West scoffed. "But I've gone out with a couple girls with older sisters and..." he trailed off, shuddering. "They're never fun."

Juliette nodded slowly. The urge to badmouth Odette was strong, but she didn't want to risk word getting back around.

West jerked his chin. "I take it you don't ride all that much."

With a grimace, Juliette shook her head. "No, not really. I think I've only ever ridden one time before, but it was so long ago I don't even remember."

"Eh, well. You're beautiful so I doubt anyone was paying attention to how you were riding," West added casually, taking another drink and looking at her over the edge of the glass.

Juliette froze. Did he just call her beautiful? She'd never been called that before in her life. He must have been teasing her. "Oh, well, hopefully. I mean hopefully that no one was paying attention to how I was riding. This was more of Odette's thing. I couldn't care less about ceremonies."

"Oh come on, don't tell me I'm the first guy to ever tell you you're beautiful," West said, completely ignoring the second part of what she said.

Juliette's lips parted, but no words came out. No, actually. Noah had called her beautiful before. Or, at least he'd called her pretty. Or that she looked nice. But it was basically the same thing.

West seemed amused, but then he sobered. "Hm. Well, you're beautiful, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise." He winked at her again before downing the rest of his drink and disappearing back into the crowd.

Juliette glanced around, relieved to discover Odette was in deep conversation with a group at the other end of the gardens. Her eyes settled on a tier of cupcakes, and she quickly snatched a plate.

Making sure no one was watching her, she grabbed two of them. Ducking through the bushes, she secured them in a little crevice in the wall and covered them with a napkin.