“Ah… fine,” he replied. “Why?”
“Because they’re about to hit this marble.”
A line of Belwarks moved through the doors in a single file before turning in opposite directions, and then they filed on either side of the aisle as someone announced the Prince and Princess.
And when Nyssa and Dorian stepped through the doors, people began to whisper. The band started playing a slower song, restrained in nature as though it were leading into a great crescendo.
Nyssa was dressed in a flowing champagne tulle gown with her freckled shoulders exposed and her cinnamon hair cascading down her back. The billowing sheer tulle sleeves caught a shimmer in the light coming through the grand windows, and even Draven had to admit the Princess looked like radiant sunlight.
“Oh, fuck me,” he heard Nadir utter under his breath.
Draven pulled out of his stare and turned to Nadir, who was shooting back the entire glass of whiskey in his hand at the mere sight of her in that dress.
Bala gave Nadir’s shoulder a gentle rub. “Poor thing,” she teased with a shake of her head.
Draven exchanged an amused glance with Hagen, and Hagen clapped Nadir on his other shoulder, jolting him back and forth. “Next time I need to throw him off, I’ll bring her into the stadium,” he said.
Draven reached under Nadir’s chin to close his mouth and then slapped him on the opposite cheek, quickly making Nadir wince and break out of his daze. But as the music picked up and Dorian twirled Nyssa, Nadir swallowed hard.
It didn’t help when Dorian spun her again, and her eyes landed on him.
“How many days do you need me here?” Nadir asked once she was facing the other way, his voice almost strained.
“Two,” Draven answered. “You’re not leaving early. I need you—My Queen needs you.”
A rasp of a laugh came from Hagen. “My Queen… I’ll never get tired of hearing that,” he mocked.
Nadir ran his hands over his face, still glancing over at Nyssa as Dorian released her, and she started dancing with one of the Dreamer captains.
“Shit,” he cursed under his breath. A heavy sigh left him, and he grabbed another drink from a tray as the servant walked by.
The Dreamer twirled her fast, and the tulle flared out in a seducing spiral, fluttering and singing in the air, making every person around her pause to watch.
“She is bound to destroy me,” Nadir uttered. “And I think I would willingly fall.”
“Have you secured someone as your Second yet?” Draven asked Nadir.
Nadir frowned, the question noticeably throwing him off. “Ah… Should I have?”
“Considering the Queen will be murdering you this week, I think you should consider it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
THE ENTIRE ROOM came to a standstill when Aydra entered. Dorian couldn’t stop smiling at his sister in the black and gold gown. Low bows followed her as she entered on her own, Lex behind her. Instead of sharing a dance with Rhaif when he came in, Aydra went straight to Nyssa and Dorian, and the band picked back up.
Aydra looked around her at the people waiting on her to dance before they did. “Dance,” she urged them. “Please. Enjoy yourselves.”
People moved back to the dance floor, and Aydra turned to Nyssa and Dorian, doting on them and making them model for her. Dorian insisted on taking Aydra for a dance first before the rest of the vultures came running, but Aydra shook her head. She reached for the glass of wine in Nyssa’s hand and gave it to Dorian.
“Dorian, get your dear sisters something better than the servants’ wine Rhaif has insisted on serving here,” Aydra said, smirking at him. “And talk to your Second while you’re over there,” she added with a flick of her eyes to Corbin. “He’s looking very delicious tonight, and I’d hate for him to sleep alone.”
Dorian felt his expression falter at the mention of the Belwark. He’d hardly seen him that day, and he wouldn’t deny he was still a bit perturbed at the fact that he hadn’t been able to find him the night before, and that Corbin hadn’t even checked in with him.
Though, he would not deny that Corbin looked very delicious in his royal garb.
“Where are we going?” Nyssa asked as Aydra began to tug on her hands.
Aydra smiled broadly. “You’re going to dance with me,” she said simply.
