“Lord Prince,” I returned, sweet as honey. “Should I curtsy now or wait until you’ve destroyed more tables?”
He took another step closer. I tracked his movement, noticing too late that his eyes were burning with suppressed anger.
“More tables,” he whisper-growled. “Are you trying to entrap my brother?”
“What?” The question hit unexpectedly hard. “I… What?”
“He’s changing the music.” Emrys’s hands twitched at his sides, the effort of restraint obvious. The tincture must’ve been wearing off.
I was so surprised I wasn’t quite certain how to respond. Except my rising frustration made me less inhibited than normal.
“And…?” I snapped. I waited for an answer, but he just fidgeted. “What does the music have to do with entrapping your brother? He askedmeto dance. Not the other way around,Lord Prince Emrys.”
Instead of answering, he clenched his jaw. He looked me over, focusing first on the jewelry, then drew in a deep, ragged breath.
My breath hitched as his gaze lingered, making heat rise low in my belly. My hand rose to the necklace.
He cleared his throat and then said haltingly, “You look beautiful.”
The jarring change of subject struck me momentarily speechless. He was always volatile, but this felt like a new type of storm brewing inside him. And since I knew that his rage was armor, I couldn’t help but wonder what had hurt him today…
So even as my heart fluttered at the compliment, I worried for him. “Thank y—”
But Emrys was already gone, vanishing into the crowd as quickly as he’d come. Typical. Everyone parted for him like shadows fleeing a firestorm.
I stared after him, stunned, my pulse still racing with a breathlessness tightening my chest. The familiar tingling of my magic, like a thousand tiny sparks, danced beneath my skin. It was desperate to burst forth and touchhim with what little peace it could. And if I were honest with myself, I knew I wanted the same thing. I wanted to soothe the beast so he wouldn’t have to fight so hard all on his own.
But not here. Not with so many watching.
His walls were up, but the slightest hint of his emotions had seeped through as he’d stammered out that compliment. He was actually upset that Nisien was changing the music.Why? It seemed an absurd thing to be concerned about since the music had been playing for hours already. I might’ve thought he was a lost cause, had I not witnessed the real Emrys shine through the curse’s storm. Despite his volatility, the peeks of the man underneath showed someone worth trying to understand.
Nisien returned and took my arm in his, firmly, possessively, the way a man might stake a claim—but it was all a show. Just like our matching outfits, just like this dance.
“You look regal, Lady Isca.”
I smiled, this time without hesitation. With him, it felt good to be seen. “Thank you, Nisien. Though we both know regal isn’t the best word to describe me.”
“And I still don’t care, Isca.”
The way he said my name, title-less, struck my heart with all the force of one of my silly sibling arguments with Tegil. But there was something careful in the way he said it, too. Like he wanted me to know that he was still holding my feelings with the gentle care of a good friend.
Our relationship had changed—there was no going back now.
Nisien led me to the center of the area where space had been cleared for dancing. The moment we took up our positions, a soft, lilting tune, slow and easy to follow, began to drift from the musicians’ instruments.
“Your hand,” he said.
I gave it to him.
His palm, warm and reassuring, rested lightly at the small of my back as he guided me with quiet confidence. After a few fumbles on my part, our bodies swayed in tandem to the music.
Nisien looked down at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, with a comfortable, genuine smile. “Now, left foot back.There. You’re dancing.”
I didn’t feel foolish. I didn’t even feel nervous. Just…comforted. He was not the flame that threatened to consume me like his twin. Nisien was the hearth that promised comfort. Nisien was…a friend?
When the dance ended, the cheers and applause faded, and the stars began to twinkle overhead. I found myself walking beside Nisien beneath the sycamores again.
“You’ve been dazzling all day,” he said, brushing a fallen petal from my shoulder. “The court has never looked more alive.”
