It seemed Crow wasn’t the only nobleman eager to congratulate Penelope on her speech. He slowed his pace as he watched another man he didn’t know step up to speak with her. A weary sigh escaped his lips. It was exhausting playing a game of tug-o-war with everyone else who was vying for her attention this evening. He was glad that she had managed to impress so many people though. Of course, there were still a few stragglers around the edges of the ballroom who were refusing to sign the petition, but the majority of the crowd had been convinced. All that was left now was to wait and find out what his father had to say about the long list of names opposing his plan to ally with Gorm.

Approaching the knight at a slower pace, he smiled when she caught his gaze. However, the expression faded slightly when he noticed her glance toward someone else: Cedric was hurrying to finish giving his signature so he could catch her next. A twinge of annoyance made the viceroy clench his jaw, and he hurried to meet her before her former suitor could even take a step away from the table. After what the male knight had done to her earlier, he wasn’t about to let him get between them again.

When he reached Penelope, he stopped a respectable distance away even though he wished he could sweep her into an embrace. “That was incredible,” he shook his head, still in disbelief that such a compelling speech had come out of her mouth. “My gods, love, you really know how to keep a man on his toes, don’t you? I had no idea you could speak like that.” His gaze wandered to the table again, where Oliver and Dimia were now organizing a queue because so many people had come over to sign the papers. Whatever the king had to say about it, the petition was going to be a powerful collection of voices in favor of ending the war.

And, better yet, Penelope’s role in the party was over.

Sidling a little closer to the knight, Crow casted her a coy smile and spoke in a low voice, “You know, now that you’re done, we don’t have to stick around any longer… Want to get out of here and celebrate without the audience?”