But Grace did—and though she hid her amusement behind her goblet of juice, wondering how long Jace would be able to hold out.
As the servants quietly moved about the room, setting additional dishes and pouring tea, the king took a measured sip from his goblet, eyes flicking between Jace and Aedric with a calm, assessing gaze.
Grace was delicately buttering a piece of bread, seemingly unaware of the weight of the silence that had briefly fallen between the men beside her.
But King Lester wasn't.
With an easy smile, he cleared his throat and leaned slightly forward.
"Well, this feels long overdue," he began in a warm but purposeful voice. "Aedric… I believe this is the right time for me to formally introduce you to someone very important to your sister."
Both young men paused—Jace mid-slice, Aedric mid-sip.
