“Your Highness,” one of the legionnaires says.
I tear my gaze away from the mural and continue on. We pass suits of armor and twisting sculptures of humans contorted into painful positions as they grapple with gods or monsters. More murals of battles line the walls.
When we turn down another hall, I stop again. In front of us is a massive skull. “Is that…?”
“The only known dragon skull,” one of the men says. “The emperor found it when he was a child.”
Above the skull is a mural of an enormous red dragon. Its jaws are open as if mid-roar. Dangerous pointed teeth glint in the flickering lamplight. Wings fan out from its long scaly body. They stretch so far they don’t fit on the canvas, but I can imagine how expansive they would be.
“I see you’re admiring my father’s favorite painting,” Caiden says as he struts toward us.
He’s dressed in black and silver. His jacket and trousers are designed to fit him perfectly and for a moment, my heart flutters at the sight of him. Thankfully, I regain sense quickly. Caidenhas always been handsome, but tonight, he’s every inch the storybook prince that might sweep you off your feet.
When he reaches me, he smirks as if he knows exactly what I was thinking. “Whatever you do, don’t ask him about it. He’ll spend the next six hours telling you stories about dragons.”
The legionnaires on either side of me bow to their prince, and Caiden waves at them dismissively. They rise, then turn to leave.
I return my attention to the painting, wondering if that’s what dragons really looked like. “He saw them?”
“He says he did. But there isn’t anyone else alive to contradict him.” Caiden sounds bored. Like he’s heard his father recount tales of his past far too many times.
“Are you calling your father a liar?” My brows rise.
“I’m saying he’s a good storyteller.” He offers his elbow.
I grip his bicep and take my place beside him like I’m supposed to.
“I assume you’ll be on your best behavior tonight.”
“I assume you will be as well,” I counter.
“I’m not sure if I’m impressed or annoyed that you’d risk anything other than blind obedience after our dance lessons.”
“You have made your point more than clear, but I’m still a princess. And while you may threaten me, I know I hold value to you and your empire.”
“As long as you know your place, we won’t have any problems,” he says.
I clench my jaw, swallowing what I really want to say. I’ve pushed him enough already. I need to be on his good side, earn his trust. “I’ll follow your lead.”
“That’s all I ask.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek and remind myself that the better I play along, the closer I get to putting a knife through this man’s chest. Then I smile, knowing that I’m still thinkingclearly despite how attractive he is. He’s still my enemy, even if he does look incredible tonight.
Caiden guides me down the hall, just beyond the dragon skull. The double doors to a large ballroom are open. Several night legionnaires stand on either side. They bow as we approach and don’t rise until we’ve passed through the doors.
The room is large and ornate. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, sparkling with light from the flickering flames dotted between the crystals. The walls are painted black, the stone polished and smooth instead of rough like it is in the other wing.
There’s already so many people inside the room. It’s a sea of black and gray. I’m the only one in white, making me stand out even more than I already did with my fair hair. They part, creating a path down the center for us. As we pass them, they bow or curtsy. I can feel their eyes on me, following me, studying me.
We pass long tables covered in black cloth, already set for dinner. Tall vases filled with black roses and leaves decorate the surfaces. Black plates and goblets are bracketed by shiny silver utensils.
Once we pass those, we stop at a smaller table that faces the others. A large throne lined with black velvet, trimmed in silver, takes up the center. On the right side are two smaller thrones. Each of them a less ornate version of the largest one. The final seat is a well-crafted but simple wooden chair to the left of the large throne.
My pulse races, and my stomach twists into knots. “Is your father joining us?” Based on everything Caiden has said, I wasn’t expecting the emperor’s attendance.
“He’ll give you his approval tonight,” he says. “I suppose we’ll see if he still wants that alliance with your kingdom, or if he decides to send you back.”
“I didn’t know that was a possibility.” My heart thunders.
