The Stains of the Crown

Chapter Sixteen

Vita and Sevas greet us at the castle gates the morning of the ball. Vita's hair, normally neat, was sticking up in odd places, like she'd spent the entire day running her hands through it.

"As lovely as it is to see all of you, I want you all to spend the day in the village. I want my servants to be able to work without distraction today." I laugh at Vita.

"We can do that. Try not to stress yourself out too much, okay?" She gives me a soft smile before walking back inside the castle. Sevas watches her with a little grin.

"We better do as she says. I'll have the servants take your luggage, and we can just walk to the village."

When we get to the village, Jovi grabs my hand, roughly dragging me away from everyone else. She pulls me into an odd little art shop tucked between two large buildings. The inside is surprisingly spacious, or rather, it would be if not for the way the art supplies leach into the aisles. Everything sits in precarious stacks. Still, Jovi leads me through to a counter in the back. She taps the bell on the countertop before grinning at me excitedly.

"Be right with you!" a feminine voice sounds from the back. A few minutes later, a woman around Finley's age walks from the back room. She has gorgeous dark skin with a splatter of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Some are darker while others are much lighter. Little white horns stick out from shockingly curly hair. A streak of blue paint adorns her left cheek. A white vine tattoo winds itself around her right arm, which holds a white and gold cane. She limps up to the counter before looking up. Her face splits into a grin when she see's Jovi.

"Jovi! Long time no see! Who's this?" she asks, looking me up and down with a smile.

"Sesa, this is my mate, Echodis. Echo, this is my artistic mentor and friend, Sesa." I shake the woman's hand, giving her a soft smile.

"Oh my god, your mate! I'm so happy for you!" Sesa exclaims, running around the counter. She pulls Jovi into a tight hug. Jovi chuckles as they pull apart.

"How's Arcast?"

"Oh, he's still being a stubborn ass about us moving, but I'm working to break him down," Sesa says with a grin.

"Well, you guys do have a successful business here, though I'd love if you guys lived closer. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"Hey, that's your fault. You missed Queen Vita's last ball." Jovi laughs.

"I had to. I'd only met my mate the day before we were supposed to come." I frown.

"You missed Vita's ball for me?" Jovi turns to me with a soft smile.

"You didn't know we were mated yet, and there was no way I was going to be gone when you would've been able to find out." I huff.

"You could've just told me." Sesa snickers.

"You've got a feisty mate, don't you?" Jovi chuckles.

"That I do. Echo, you already know why I couldn't. Besides, according to what Vita had said about what happened there, I would've been fucked if I'd shown up."

"Why?" Jovi blushes softly.

"Two of my 'exes' got into a pissing match about who I'd end up with." I hum, looking around the shop. Sesa clears her throat.

"Awkward. So, Echodis, were you a Royal before meeting Jovi?" I scoff out a laugh.

"God, no," I chuckle. "I was a Hunter. And the princess here decided to ruin my last hunt by keeping me hostage in her castle," I tease.

"Shit, really?" Sesa laughs in shock.

"One of my guards shot her. I wasn't about to let her hunt in that condition."