He takes a couple of steps closer. “No, it’s much more important.” He bends his head toward mine, whispering, “A business proposition that I hope an adventurous woman like yourself would find amenable.” I’m about to ask what he means when we both notice at the same time that the entire room is staring at us. So much for not making a scene.
“Damn,” Dietan mutters. He seems to recover smoothly, standing straight and flashing a carefree smile to the crowd. But then, to my utter horror, the prince gets down on one knee and holds up a shiny ring.
What the hell?I feel like I’m dreaming. My jaw drops, and I quickly shut it in embarrassment.
But this is not a dream. It’s a damn nightmare. Dietan looks up at me with hope on his handsome face. For the whole hall to hear, he says, “My dearest snarky barmaid, Aren of Evandale, will you do me the honor of becoming my bride?”
It takes a moment for everyone around us to realize what’s happening—me, too, for that matter—and a hush falls, grinding the music to a halt with a screech of strings. It’s as if everyone has stopped breathing. From the corner of my eye, I catch Ophelia and Sonja grinning.
But Dietan barely moves. He doesn’t seem bothered in the slightest. He just gazes up at me with those sea-and-sky eyes. “I realize this is just my signet ring, but I’ll make sure you get a real one later.”
I can feel heat rising in my cheeks as I look down at him. His face is so handsome—vulnerable, even—as he waits for my answer. My heart beats so fast I can’t think.
A prince on his knees is a sight to behold. No one moves. No one breathes. I’m frozen in place. My heart is hammering in my chest, and my hands are cold.
Dietan clears his throat once more. “So, will you? Marry me, I mean?” Then he has the audacity to wink.
The rat bastard.A business proposition, he had said. I exhale. This isn’t about love. This is some sort of plan he’s concocted. I want to slap him. Instead, I clench my fists and reply, “Absolutely not.”
Chapter Fifteen
Dietan
Well,that’snever happened before.
No one speaks, even as the door slams shut in Aren’s wake. All eyes turn to me, and everyone is undoubtedly wondering: has anyone ever declined a prince’s marriage proposal?
Someone coughs in the awkward silence.
This is not how I expected things to go. Granted, maybe I should have told Aren about my plan beforehand. But I’d felt such a rush of emotion upon seeing her again after our conversation this morning—and I must get my mission underway.
She’s perfect. Despite the smallest of pangs in my heart, I’m sure she’ll be relieved that she won’t have to marry me after all!
I’ll settle her with enough gold that she never has to wait another table in her life, and she can marry whomever she chooses after this adventure. She’s clearly made of steel; she can handle anything the mission throws at us. She’s good company, too, and would keep me on my toes for the journey.
More than that, I need someone whose heart I can’t break. I’m pretty sure Aren despises me.
But my racing thoughts feel hollow like perfectly concocted little lies. Perhaps I’m just as terrible as the men who wanted to use her…but in less dangerous ways.
I scramble to my feet. “Aren, wait!”
I rush after her into the rain, splashing through the streets. She’s headed to her tavern, and I catch up just as she disappears through the doorway.
But the moment I step into the Raven’s Beak, a mug comes hurtling at my head—
I duck at the last second, and the mug shatters against the wall.
The tavern is empty, since everyone is at the party at the town hall. Aren stands behind the bar, keeping a barrier between us. Even from this distance, I can see how her eyes shine.
Oh, crap.
I drag a hand over my face.What have I done?
I didn’t mean to hurt her. How could I? She doesn’t even like me. Of course, I still assumed she’d say yes to my proposal—or at least hear me out. I’ll clarify that I’ll pay her for her trouble, and she won’t actually have to marry me. The idea came to me after she told me she never wanted to marry anyone—not even a prince. She said she wanted nothing more than to travel, did she not? It’s a win-win all around.
“Don’t you dare humiliate me,” she howls with wild eyes. I’ve never seen anyone so furious with me.
“What do you mean? I have no intention of humiliating you,” I say, holding my hands up, attempting to calm her down. “I honestly didn’t expect this reaction. People usually love me. I thought you’d be happy.”
