Chapter 527. Is Ryan Back?

The family dining room in the private quarters of the castle where Ella and Ryatt spend their time outside of their royal duties is washed in starlight and the faint glow of a chandelier. 

It’s probably edging on 9:00 PM, by my estimation. The dinner was long, drawn out, conversations yelled down the impossibly crowded wooden table. 

Now, I sit on one end, nursing a glass of scotch, while my mate sits surrounded by my family on the other end, her eyes rapt as she watches Ella’s mouth move. 

I’ve barely spoken to her in the past two hours. She was herded to a seat and immediately surrounded, and I ended up on the other side of the table from my mate, stuck between Sydney and Granger, Evander’s father. Granger eventually moved down the table as well, joining whatever conversation I was being excluded from, apparently. The kids were scooped up and tossed in bed an hour ago. It’s quiet now, which is rare for my family when we all get together. <