“No, I mean”—Zadyn shakes his head—“he’s a siren.”
My look of confusion prompts him to elaborate.
“He is High Fae,” he explains. “But each bloodline has its own set of unique gifts. His line, Queen Ilspeth’s line, is descendant of ancient fae water nymphs, also known as sirens.”
“And what do they do? Lure people to their watery graves?”
“In some cases, yes. Their power lies in their ability to influence. They can seduce you with a single thought. Bend you to their will without lifting a finger. They’re dangerous.”
It makes sense. Everything about him made me want to run screaming and also tear his clothes off and lick him head to toe at the same time.
“Relax.” I pat Zadyn’s chest. “I didn’t fall for it. We have sirens back home, too. We call them narcissists.” I chance a look toward the patio, but Kai is already gone.
The rest of the night passes quickly. I people-watch from Zadyn’s side, occasionally locking eyes with Jace and cursing myself every time I do. But then again, he isn’t helping, looking all brooding and beautiful in his sharp uniform with his hair brushed back off his face to show off those elegant, proud lines and liquid gold eyes.
Ugh, I have to stop.
“I need a drink,” I mutter to Zadyn and head toward the refreshments table. Turning too quickly, I nearly collide with a bouncing sister-princess.
“Cousin,” she says excitedly. “I want you to meet someone. This is our special guest, Prince Kai of Vod.” Her arm is crooked through his as she beams up at him terrifically.
Kai’s eyes have a deviant glint in them. He bows low, gently lifting my hand to his lips. My body shivers in pleasure. His answering smile tells me that it was no mere coincidence.
“Is there something wrong with your eyes?” I ask innocently, batting my lashes. This knocks his concentration, halting whatever siren magic he was trying to work on me.
The princess giggles, a delicate hand over her pouty pink lips. “Forgive me, my Prince. This is my dear cousin, Lady Serena Accostia. She’s just arrived at court from the north.”
“The pleasure is mine,Lady Serena. I hope I will be blessed with the opportunity to get to know you over the course of my stay.”
“Kai, I absolutely forbid you from monopolizing her.” She pulls her arm from his, only to slide it through mine. I look down at her, an inch or two shorter than me. It’s nearly impossible not to like this version of my sister. “She is, after all, my kin—it’s only right that I be the first to have her all to myself.”
“Have no fear, Princess, I’m a patient male.” He gives me another shark smile.
“I will, however, spare her for a dance. You are our guest of honor, after all,” Sorscha quips.
“A charming welcome gift indeed.”
The princess gives me a gentle shove and an encouraging smile.Good dancer,she mouths to me, then turns to Zadyn to pour her honey in his ear. Kai wordlessly tows me to the dance floor and wraps his arms around me.
“I’m not your welcome gift,” I clarify as he pulls me tightly into his warmth.
“I wouldn’t dream of objectifying you in such a way.” Heknits his eyebrows together, his lips curled slightly in amusement.
“I know what you are,” I warn him as the music picks up. It reminds me of a polka—lively, fast-paced, and exuberant.
“I’m many things, my love. You’ll have to be more specific.”
“A siren. I know that you’re a siren, so I would appreciate it if you would stop with that seductive eye thing you’re doing.”
“I’m not trying to seduce you.” Leaning in so that his lips skim my ear, he whispers, “But when I am, you’ll know.”
Before I can protest, he’s whipping me across the floor, the air leaving my lungs so fast I struggle to keep up. He lifts me and tosses me around like I’m a feather, and I suppress a laugh because, honestly, it’s kind of fun. The princess was right. Kai’s dancing skills make the grace of the other fae look second-rate.
By the time the dance is finished, people have stopped to watch him and his impressive maneuvers. That’s when I notice we are the only two left on the dance floor. I can feel my cheeks heat under the gaze of a thousand foreign eyes. And when the last note of the song plays, triumphant and final, he pulls me to a stop and lifts our joined hands high in the air, presenting me. The crowd erupts into wild cheers and whispers of awe. Kai beams at his adoring public.
Without sparing me a second glance, he jerks me forward into another spin and releases me, walking in the opposite direction and leaving Jace to catch me around the waist before I hit the ground face-first.
“Impressive,” he says sarcastically as I struggle to right myself. “Did you keep hitting the Poison after I told you to be careful, or are you always this uncoordinated?”
