Manon's Child

Part 32

Elide's POV

Lorcan and I tumble away from each other, pulling on the first clothes we can find. Lorcan's dressed first, and he pulls open the door to find Aelin, smirking like a cat. "What are you doing here?" he growls almost incomprehensively. 

Aelin just smiles. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want a warning that your queen is travelling around her own land?" Aelin asks condescendingly.

"What do you want."

"Court meeting. Started five minutes ago. You're late, and it's your own home. How Lord-like of you," Aelin said, straightening and somehow managing to look down on him.

I can feel Lorcan's temper rising, and I push him out the way, stepping in front of my queen. "Aelin," I say, unsure whether to bow. I sink down in some awkward little pose, the question written on my face.

Aelin laughs, though not meanly. "Don't bother bowing, Elide," she smiles. Then she says, a wicked gleam in her turquoise and gold eyes, "Lorcan seems rather cranky today. I know that's just part of his sparkling personality, but I just wondered if he was -"

I refrain from whacking Aelin, going bright pink as she finishes her sentence. "Aelin!"

"Sorry," she says, laughter in her eyes. "I couldn't help it." She straightens, regaining composure. "As I was saying, the entirety of the Court of Terrasen is assembled in downstairs, and every single person is waiting for you two." With that, she slams the door in our faces.

A moment later, she says through the door, "Oh yeah, you're servant told every one in the room what you were doing. Or implied it very strongly."