Dimitri POV
Inside his bedroom half an hour later, he and the others assembled. Ariana, Sally, Bill, Louis, and Elina all looked profoundly relieved.
Bill looked annoyed. "Your brother is a piece of work."
"Irina, too," Sally asserted. "I get the sense that Queen Violette can't stand her."
"Oh, you'd be right," Elina said with obvious pleasure. "She thinks of Irina as far too grand for her own good, and needlessly cruel and spoiled."
"I bet they used to be friends," Sally contributed.
Elina grinned. "How did you know?"
"Life experience," Sally said wisely. "And Lothair dotes on his wife, and wants to keep her happy. Her enemies would be his enemies. So, despite their protests about risking a war with Merak, the king and queen are all too happy to throw roadblocks in Luc's and Irina's path."
