13

Rosalind

The guests had gone home now, and my family and I were seated at our long dining table. I was looking down on my lap while Axel casually crossed his arms in front of his chest.

I secretly glared at him to get him to place his arms by his side. He seemed confused at first, but he eventually complied. He straightened his posture and bowed his head in respect.

“So...you’ve found your mate?” Desdemona asked in a bitter tone. I looked up from my lap and peered towards her.

“Yeah,” I trailed off.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and appeared to be unamused. “You’re not even going to introduce him to us?”

“Mmh, yeah,” I cleared my throat. “This is Axel of the Silver—“

Axel nudged me at my side, causing me to pause. The realization dawned on me. That’s right. I shouldn’t disclose his real identity to anyone else.

“This is