The blonde woman watched as Darius straightened, his posture tightening. His hands dropped stiffly to his sides, fingers curling once before relaxing.
Serena glanced between the two, catching the flicker of surprise that crossed Darius' face and the quiet, unmistakable disappointment in Livia's eyes.
Serena would have excused herself, but doing that would get her lost in this huge castle. She waited with bated breath, tugging at her sleeves, waiting for someone to speak.
"The cooks said you'd be here," Livia began slowly.
Livia looked Serena up and down before looking at Darius. Serena studied the other woman. She wore a tight-fitting bodice, with a skirt to match, and her hair in a simple bun. She had just gotten back from horse riding.
Darius stepped forward, glancing at Serena one last time before he went over to Livia. She bit her lower lip and folded her arms, suddenly feeling like an intruder at someone else's table.
"Would you join us for dinner?" Darius asked.
