“These affairs are handled by the steward,” Horatia snapped. “He is seeing to the planning.”

“Well, since I’m here now and it’s my wedding, I shall be taking over supervising the arrangements.” I was pleased with myself I got that out without gagging, and since I was on a roll, I kept going. “So let us all get briefed and after,” I looked up to Cassius, “you can give me tour of your home.”

“This is not going to work,” Cassius said to me.

“What?” I asked mock-innocently.

He studied me.

Then he lifted a hand, his fingers curled in, but his thumb extended, and with it he stroked my cheek.

Another gasp (again, I suspected coming from Domitia), as Cassius murmured, “No, it will not work, my lamb. But it will at least be amusing to watch you try.”

“I’ve decided to be married in pink,” I proclaimed abruptly, sounding slightly strangled as I forced out those words. “Yards and yards and yards of frothy pink.”

I heard Jazz make a noise like she was very much being strangled.

Cass just stared at me.

Then he threw his head back and roared with laughter.

I watched, stunned immobile at how beautiful he looked laughing, and how exquisite was the sound of his laughter.

He had not, not once in all our time together, laughed with that abandonment anywhere near me.

It was gorgeous.

Still doing it, he caught my face in both his hands, dipped his head and kissed me thoroughly.

I vaguely heard another gasp (also likely Domitia), but mostly I just smelled and tasted Cassius and his kiss.

He lifted away minutely and whispered, “Yes, it will be amusing to watch you try.”

I smiled at him.

He shook his head, let me go, looked over my shoulder and queried, “The sergeant-at-arms is waiting to attend us to share his briefing?”

“Yes, sir,” a male voice barked efficiently.

“Let us go,” he sighed, looked down at me, lifted his hand again to glide his thumb along my cheek, and then he stepped away.

I instantly turned to the Ladies Royal and quickly claimed Domitia and Cornelia by linking arms with them, stating my preferences immediately, and casting Horatia into a position she was going to have to get used to.

No one ruled a sister.

Be they king or bully.

“Let us go, have some wine, get to know one another and talk about adventures and weddings,” I bid as I moved them toward the doors.

As we walked, I sensed something even more unpleasant than the air we were breathing and cast my attention in the direction from whence it was coming.

There, I saw a comely maid standing amongst the other servants, staring daggers at me.

I did not have any experience with such.

I still knew why that emotion was aimed at me.

Cassius had had her.

And she was feeling proprietary.

Shite.

My heart pinched, my eyes locked with hers, and I realized Circe had been right, though at the time she didn’t know how right she really was.