“Miss Jocelyn?” I asked.
She nodded to the man beside her. He wore a finely crafted vest over his blouse, which bore a broad design of roses. He smiled.
Josie said, “I beg your pardon, sirs. I was pushing Her Highness’s things into her chamber, and I ran into His Royal Highness.” She glanced back at him. A slight nod encouraged her to remain. “He asked that I bring him to her.”
“You’re doing great,” he told her. His attention went to me, and lightning could have crashed to emphasize the moment we locked eyes.
Hurrying his return, the Palace Herald appeared beside the Prince and announced,“Presenting, His Royal Highness, Prince Sameer Azarii IV, of the Chalke Empire.”
My heart panged at confirmation of his importance and at his face. He wasgorgeous.Insanely so. He was leanly built and possessed by a flawless, sun-kissed complexion that, while identical to his father’s, made me feel strange and possessed myself. And his air. His very air of confidence! It was all but an effort not to commentate crudely upon how drawn I felt.
“Yes, thank you,” the Prince said to his employee. He was happy again, admiring what I hoped was my own presentation. “You. You must be my Svana.”
I stood abruptly. “Your Highness! I did not realize–I–” I fled around the table and dropped into a slightlylessembarrassing curtsy than the one I’d given his father. “Ahem. I did not realize I would be seeing you today.”
He chuckled, and the sound illuminated the entire room. EvenYosifwas plagued with a smile.
Both of the Prince’s brows rose as he said, “Not to be dramatic, but God has been too kind to me, should you truly be my Princess. No, I must be dreaming,” he said.
Mr. Adeline got out of his seat to close the hall doors. He gave a small bow to the Prince as he did it, then returned to the table and began to stack his things neatly.
“Adam,” the Prince said.
“Good afternoon, Your Highness,” Adeline returned. “You’ll be happy to know that I can confirm this is the Princess.”
“It’s true,” I said carefully. “I am she.”
The Prince was pleased. He rolled his shoulders into a casual sort of stance. “And here I expected your father in your father’s chair. It’s not often I’m wrong. My. You are every bit of striking. Aren’t you?”
“You humble, Your Highness,” I said.
“Father, do you see how stunning this woman is? How lucky I am.”
My cheeks lit so crimsonly with his compliment that I parroted my words. “You humble me, Your Highness.”
“I see her,” the King replied.
“Please.” His Highness bowed in response; jewels on his hand and wrists glinted as he came up. “Call me Sam. We will be married, and very soon.”
“...Sam,” I practiced. “That feels wrong.”
Sam grinned widely. “Love, I would’ve come twice as fast had I known you were here.” He smacked the back of his hand to the figure arriving next. “Cyrus, have you seen my wife?”
Beside him, the man who approached scoffed, and the noise broke the fantasy, trading my excitement for brutal shock. I became aware of his presenceandhis identity all at once.
“Evergreen,” I said.
The lord from the marketplace. He shot daggers at my acknowledgment before I fully processed the fact.
“You’ve met?” Sam asked.
Cyrus nodded. The Prince went to pry, but then the King said, “Excellent, Sameer. Now. If it’s all the same, I’d like to have lunch before nightfall, please. We’ve beenquitebehind.”
“Of course, Father,” he said. His eyes left his friend to rediscover mine. “Ah. The ball!” he said with a snap. “Right!”
“The ball?” I asked.
“Yes, the ball,” Sam said.
