Page 51 of Measure of the Stars

“Wes.”Wes shook his hand firmly.

Leo smiled.“Just Wes?”

“Wesley Bradnell-FitzRoy Leonhart,” Delauney said.“He’s my...we’re...”

Leo’s brows raised.“Oh!You mustreallycare for him if you accompanied him here,” Leo told Wes.“Perhaps we should retire somewhere private to catch up.”

“To hide, you mean,” Delauney said.

Leo gave him a pained look.“Is it hiding if I want to speak with my brother and his new man?”

“Yes,” Delauney said promptly.

“Have pity on him,” Wes murmured, eyeing Delauney’s parents as they cooed over Peter.“I would.”

“I like your fellow already,” Leo said.His face went, if anything, paler still.“Spirits help us, they found the king again.”

It was Wes’ turn to reach for Delauney as Delauney’s parents returned, bustling up with a skinny young man with a tint of red in his pale hair.The only sign of his title was a signet ring on his right hand, but this was undeniably King Adrien, the man to whom Wes had signed a pledge of loyalty during his ascension to the throne.Wes tried to draw back, unnerved, as King Adrien greeted Leo and took Delauney’s hand.

“Have you seen Sabre yet?”King Adrien asked Delauney, smiling at him as though they were fast friends.

“He’s in the garden, I think,” Delauney said.

King Adrien’s eyes shone.“That makes sense.I saw Laurent heading in that direction a few minutes ago.And who is this?”he asked, turning his bright smile on Wes.

“Wesley.”That wasn’t Delauney’s voice.It came from behind Adrien; a low, unfamiliar tone, rough-edged and laced with dominance.Wes’ gaze snapped up involuntarily, and he felt the air leave his chest at the sight of the stern, older man standing at Adrien’s back.

Adrien turned around.“Oh, Captain.Have you already been acquainted?”

“Something like that,” Wes said, as Captain Ferrin, Wes’ older brother and the head of the king’s personal guard, met his gaze.

“Your majesty,” Ferrin said, “allow me to introduce my brother, Wesley Leonhart.”

Chapter Eleven

Delauney had neverseen Wes go so cold before.It was like watching a living person transform into a statue in the span of a breath.The light in Wes’ eyes died.His expression went stiff and wooden, and he straightened to attention like a proper soldier.Pain flickered over Captain Ferrin’s face before he, too, underwent his own, subtle transformation.They stared at each other like wooden pillars, a chill running through the warm ballroom.