Chapter 814

Two brothers stand in the door, one a lovely man who I suspect is lying to his Luna. The other, terribly corrupted by the god of Darkness in exchange for the immense power to protect his people. Both of their gazes move immediately to me.

I set my shoulders back, putting on my Princess Cupcake persona a little more than I did when I was alone with Pippa, and call on my years of Princess lessons as I slowly dip into a deep, formal, old- fashioned curtsy.

"Well?" I ask, my head bowed low. "Elias, Gabriel? Will I do?"

"You're beautiful, Ariel," Elias says, crossing the room with his brother as I raise myself back up. Eliasi gives me a soft smile before he dips into a low, low bow - the kind I know from my lessons is only used in Atalaxia for members of the royal house.

"Yes," Gabriel says, studying me, his hands slipped deep in his pockets. "I suppose you will do, now that you're dressed correctly, and not as a man. Or a slut."noveldrama

I go a little still at that accusation, only my lessons with Faiza stopping me from either laughing boldly in his face or slapping him hard across the cheek. Or both. Probably both.

"Pippa?" Gabriel calls, turning his head to look for her. "Isn't there a crown that goes with this? And jewels?"

"Yes!" She scurries away to fetch it.

"Our grandmother's crown," Gabriel says, turning his eyes back to me, narrowing them a bit. "A great Princess of Atalaxia. I hope that you will endeavor to live up to the honor bestowed on you by wearing it." "I will try," I say, quite soft and gentle, going to my knees before this Prince as Pippa comes back and reverently hands him the crown. I demurely lower my chin so that he can place the on my head. It's heavy, and when I turn to look in the mirror I see that it's a gorgeous, elaborate crown, studded with diamonds and sapphires.

But even as I admire it, my heart sinks. Because I miss my simple rose-gold crown, the one that marks me as a Princess of Moon Valley. The one my mom picked out. The one that Jackson once told me he thought was pretty.

"And the necklace," Gabriel says next.

I raise myself up, my eyes going wide when I see the diamond choker in Pippa's hands not only because it's absolutely dripping in diamonds but because -

"Yes," Gabriel snaps as Pippa steps forward and lifts it to my throat. "The necklace will cover your shame until I can cover it with my own mark."

I do my best to contain my horror as Pippa works at the clasp, loosing a slow breath, my hand gripped tight on my wolf's fur as she snarls at the thought.

When Pippa steps away, Gabriel offers a hand. "Come, Luna," he says, his voice low and serious. "It's time for you to be presented to your King and court."

There is a loud murmur of conversation as we approach the ballroom, my hand held neatly high in Gabriel's as he escorts me, Elias and Pippa following close behind.

I glance over at Gabriel as we walk, my wolf anxiously walking back and forth in my soul, a low whine in

her throat. Because on a physical level...I mean. I get it. I understand what my grandmother the Goddess was thinking.

A great ball of self-hatred forms in

my stomach as I take in Gabriel's broad shoulders, his trim waist, the way he carries himself with utter

confidence. My wolf gives a

little huff as I consider that Jackson

is taller - but then again,

someone

being taller than Jackson-would be...absurd.

Still, I can't deny it, especially as I look up into Gabriel's regal, fine-featured face with those cheekbones so high and sharp they could cut glass, those shining blue eyes damn it, but he's hot. Less pretty than Luca, less

contained-ferocity than Jacks, but...gorgeous.

Gabriel flicks his eyes over to me, a smirk on his lips almost like he can tell what I'm thinking. I snap my head back to the front, clenching my jaw, because that's impossible at this point, right? I haven't accepted our bond, so there's no way that he could be beginning to sense my thoughts, my feelings.