“Nothing,” I replied.
“What did the ladies say?” he asked.
“They only said that you were very handsome!”
“Handsome?” he said, unconvinced.
“Yes,” I swallowed. “Yes. And one said you were nice, but she would…Please do not make me say it.”
He cracked, breaking into a low chuckle. “Oh! Your face!” he cried. “The look on it!”
“...What?”
Cyrus relaxed, refolding his arms. “I was messing with you, of course. I’m a gentleman, I assure you.”
“What iswrongwith you?” I croaked, gathering and throwing my dress at the ground. “Are youtryingto send me to an early grave?”
“What’s the problem?” he asked. “It was funny!”
“Funny towhom?We are out here all alone, and I am a lady!”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I was terrified!” I cried. “Oh, my god. My life flashed before my eyes!”
“I’msorry,”he repeated, still amused. “I thought it was funny. You were so worked up. It was a poor joke but a needed one. You reallyshouldreconsider disappearing into the forest with strange men. Icouldbe ill-intended, and you are…very….” He paused.
“...Very foolish?” I waited for the end of his thought.
“Naïve.”
I flailed my arms. “I amnotnaïve!” A chill wind passed between us. “Fine. Perhaps I am. At least I’m not aliar,”I said.
“I’ve neverliedto you,” he replied.
“Maybe. Maybe not. Who’s to say? But youdidlie to the Prince, and he is your self-defined best friend, so I am not hopeful for my fare.”
“I did no?—”
“You said you didn’t know who I was in the square. Yes or no?” I asked.
“I was having an off day,” he explained. “What were the dances like?” he asked.
“The dances?”
“At your ball.”
“Are youevadingthe accusation now?” I asked.
“You want my answer? Give me yours!”
I stewed. “…I only dancedonce. It was fast. Too fast. I hated it.”
“With Sam?”
“Yes, withSam,” I said. “It would have been strange to entertain anyone else, yes? And even if I wanted to, no one evenspoketo me without his direct instruction to do so.”
“I lied to Sam in a moment of panic,” he explained.
