A Princess in Theory (Reluctant Royals #1)(71)

“I’m fine,” she said.

He nodded, then took her arm gently. “A Thesoloian celebration can last for days, but I’ll have you out of here in a couple of hours, just in case you stop feeling fine.”

“I think I can handle a dinner,” she replied curtly, then they stepped into the dining room and she regretted her attitude. The dining room was huge, with cantilevered ceilings and rich tapestries hanging from the walls. The long dining table on a raised area, clearly for the guests of honor, was on the other side of the room. To get to it, they had to walk a gauntlet of people who were apparently all there to meet Naledi.

“Here we go,” he whispered, brushing a caress over the back of her hand, and then they were off. After the first ten people, Ledi barely remembered shaking anyone’s hand or kissing anyone’s cheek. She couldn’t recall a single name, and she didn’t know what she was laughing at when people joked—she simply followed Thabiso’s lead.

“My my, you look just like your mother!” an older man said, after nearly cutting off circulation in her hand. All of the older people she’d met had said something similar, although there was no consensus on which of her parents she resembled more. She smiled and nodded, but all she could think of each time someone mentioned it was that they’d known her parents better than she had.

“Yes, Ledi is surpassingly beautiful,” Thabiso said, clapping the man on the back heartily enough that he dropped Ledi’s hand. He ran interference for her constantly, stepping in every time she was at a loss for words or overwhelmed. “They’re about to serve the salads. We should get to our seats.”

He tucked her arm in his again, and though Ledi had resented the gesture before, she was fairly certain he was holding her up. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since they’d descended onto the main floor, but it could have been days given how many hands she’d shaken and how tired she was. She didn’t want to lean into him, but she was a practical woman and he was the nearest source of support. She leaned.

“You’re doing very well,” he said in the same tone a teacher would use when giving out participation trophies.

She laughed and even that small action left her feeling a bit unsteady. She stumbled and Thabiso stopped and looked down at her. “Ledi. You do not seem fine.”

“I’m not,” she admitted. “Can we sit down?”

He led her to her seat, near the head of the table, and the other guests began to follow suit.

The king and queen were already seated, and she greeted them with as much energy as she could muster. Her head was spinning and she wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“There we go,” Thabiso said as he helped her into her seat. He was so gentle with her that she had to close her eyes against it. Perhaps a bit too gentle.

“Don’t tell me she’s pregnant!” The queen’s indignant whisper jolted Ledi’s eyes open.

“Mother,” Thabiso warned.

“Is that what this is all about? Honestly—”

“I’m not pregnant,” Ledi said. She was too tired and out of sorts to feign politeness. “I know how to use a condom correctly, but I also have an IUD in case of accidents and just had my period. Need anything else cleared up? Want me to pee on a stick for you?”

“Naledi,” Thabiso choked.

The king picked up his glass of wine and took a hearty drink. The queen regarded her with a strange look that Ledi ignored.

She wondered if that’s what everyone thought. That she had entrapped him with a baby, or some other soap opera nonsense. The thought distressed her, then she remembered that they were actually pulling off something even more audacious and she smiled. She wasn’t pleased to be his pretend betrothed, but having that secret felt like a special fuck you to his parents, who were doing their best to make her feel unwelcome.

“You’re smiling,” Nya said as she sat down beside her. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself.”

“I’m feeling a bit ill, but I think it’s just the jet lag,” Ledi said.

Nya’s smile faltered. She reached into her purse and handed Ledi a small bottle. “Can’t have you feeling out of sorts. It’s a local cure-all. It should help with any queasiness and fatigue. Take one with some water.”

Ledi scanned the ingredients before opening the bottle, shaking out one of the giant capsules and swallowing. When she tried to hand it back, Nya shook her head. “I have more at home. I’m sure you’ll need it, since the next few days are going to be very busy for you. Take one in the morning and one before bed.”

“Thanks,” she said.

Ledi began to feel better shortly after, but as dinner progressed she started to wonder if maybe Nya had slipped her a hallucinogen.

Is this really my life?

She was fairly well versed in international cuisine, but the variety of rich stews, tender meats, and desserts that ran the gamut from sweet to sour was like some kind of fairy-tale feast. Ledi considered herself an awesome server, but she had nothing on the palace waitstaff. At times it felt as if food was appearing by magic in front of her and her dirty plates were disappearing into the ether. She half expected one of the candelabras to start singing and offer her a treat by the time the last dish was taken away.

Nya helped her navigate through Thesoloian society from one side, pointing out important people and providing gossip about others. The king and queen sat across the table, occasionally asking questions of Ledi that were either purposefully insulting or only sounded that way because of cultural miscommunication. Ledi was fairly certain it was the former, though; she only spoke English, but was fluent in shade.