CHAPTER 132: STEALING GLANCES

Jenna was so co consumed by her tears, that she paid no heed to Lois when she decided to leave for a moment. The young woman had said she needed to wash her face or something. Jenna didn’t quite listen, she was breaking inside.

Rhane had been in front of her, helped another woman, then walked past her. Jenna felt her worst fear was coming to pass. Rhane was going to leave her... he wasn’t going to choose her.

Jenna sniffled, she didn’t want to cry or cause a scene, but also she wanted to get rid of everything she was wearing. It was while Jenna was holding back her tears, she didn’t notice Percy making a fool of himself in the crowd.

"He is a funny one," Olivia giggled, pointing at Rhane. "He speaks of cro..." The girl’s voice faded, and she hiccuped.

Jenna didn’t care either. Everyone was having fun except for her, and it made her sick to her stomach. It was only when Olivia ran away that Jenna raised her face.

This time she was really going to cry. Why was everyone leaving her all alone?

"Oli-"

"Shh!"

A sharp, trembling breath escaped Jenna’s lips, she looked at everyone in the room. Their attention was on Percy. It was then she understood what had happened.

"...Breathe now..."

Jenna closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath. She wanted to turn around and really hug Rhane. Her heart had been ripped apart when he walked past her. She wanted to hit him, pretending to be angry but just to hug him.

Before she could turn to say anything, Rhane slipped away like a shadow. Jenna turned around only to find him standing by the corner, saying something to Percy.

"He must have lost his mind, that one." One of the maidens pointed at Percy with disgust.

"I hope he doesn’t come for me!" another spat, shaking her head.

Jenna sighed, poor Percy, she thought to herself. Her mind went back to the short moment she’d just shared with Rhane, and she smiled.

He didn’t walk past her because he no longer wanted her. It was because everyone was watching, and she should have thought that first. Jenna pressed her lips, she wasn’t some young girl who had never been courted by a man. She didn’t know why the feelings were different and stronger when it came to Rhane.

"You should relax, Jenna." She advised herself. Taking a quick glance at Rhane, he was now talking seriously to a member of the council and nodding.

Jenna brought her hand up to her face and inhaled. She still remembered how it felt to be squeezed by Rhane.

"Jenna! There she is..." Olivia arrived, dropping her hands to her knees. "I tried to look for help, but I couldn’t find Lois..."

Jenna tilted her head, wondering what the girl was talking about.

"What help?"

Olivia pointed at Rhane, "That man... he looked like he was going to grab you..." the girl rubbed her arm and shivered.

"I don’t like the way he looks at us... like we did something to be punished for."

Jenna gave the girl an awkward laugh, "Maybe he’s a good man," she replied. Shifting the conversation, she asked, "And Lois?"

"I don’t know!" Olivia raised her hand tiredly, like the weight of so many kingdoms was on her tiny shoulder. "She is the fearless one, but she isn’t here... that’s strange." The girl looked around the place once more.

"Lois doesn’t leave gatherings like this on her own."

Jenna shrugged. When she turned in Rhane’s direction, he was staring at her, a quick glance and he turned.

"More wine!!" Jenna heard her father order, and he was cheered by other councilmen who seemed to be enjoying their time.

"I’ll go over there! I heard the man tells wonderful stories."

Hart was surrounded by most women, they all laughed and clapped at every word he said. Jenna knew Hart wouldn’t have any problem with getting a woman’s attention, he has always been the man who knows how to tickle a woman’s wonder, both with his words and actions.

While Gerald shared a drink with every woman, making several attempts to bring his face in their space.

It was chaotic inside, and everyone was having a great time from Jenna’s angle. From the corner of her eyes, she watched Rhane.

Though some of the women tried to approach him, they didn’t in the end. They stood around apprehensive. The young man wasn’t smiling, neither was his aura welcoming.

"Jenna! I brought us a drink." Olivia handed a glass of wine to Jenna. "Nana asked me to take just this and nothing more. But for you... this."

Jenna sniffed the drink, it was indeed alcohol. She lifted it to her lips, same time her eyes fell on Rhane. This time their gaze lasted more than a second, with Rhane gesturing with his eyes for her to drop the wine.

Jenna raised it up, and he blinked once. She turned and handed it back to Olivia. "I’m fine... I don’t need wine now."

"Really?" Olivia sipped her juice. "I will set it aside for Lois."

As they stood there watching everyone laughing and drinking, a small noise was heard from the side. One of the servants carrying a laden had turned it on Rhane’s shoe.

"Oh!" Olivia gasped. "Poor servant, he’s going to get it."

Rhane patted the servant on his shoulder, then walked over to Jenna’s father. After speaking in hushed tones, he quietly left the room.

Jenna’s eyes followed Rhane, she waited for Percy to come over and tell her what had happened, but instead Percy went to stand between her father and Nikolai.

"Do you think the scary man is going to forgive that poor servant?" Olivia continued, sucking the last drop from her juice. "The poor boy... he’d only started serving here... now he’s going to be punished."

Jenna wasn’t paying attention, her eyes were searching seriously for Rhane.

"If only he had stayed in the kitchen and not served people. Clumsy, clumsy Percy." Olivia sighed, "I’ll go return this cup... do wait for me."

"What did you just say?" Jenna raised her brows, deep in thought.

Olivia pushed the cup forward, "I will return the cup, do you want me to bring-"

"No... not that, about the clumsy..." her voice trailed.

Olivia clapped her hands together, "You mean the kitchen servant? Percy... he’s coming over here... and is alive?" The girl frowned.

"Maybe the scary man let him live!" The girl sucked her teeth before turning to leave.

"Mistress,"

Jenna turned to meet the young man she gave a letter a few days ago. "Oh! She meant this Percy!"

"Master asked for you to come to the hallway," the young boy whispered, then quickly went on his way.

Jenna turned along with him, making her way towards Lady Rachel. She met the woman dropping an empty mug of ale with a heavy thud.

"Lady Rachel... I’ll need to change this dress," Jenna said, "I can barely breathe..."

The woman waved her hand dismissively, "Go ahead... go on..."

Jenna didn’t wait to hear any more, she quickly dashed out of the place in search of Rhane!