“How have you been?” Faiza finally spoke up quietly, and he zeroed in on her immediately, as if he’d just been waiting for the excuse. I was forced to hide my smile before they noticed.
“I’ve been fine,” he replied with a slight smile, before tilting his head to the side, “Though the city is much less interesting without your presence.” His brow quirked upwards while a smirk grew on his lips.
Faiza blushed again, looking down and biting her lip, before looking back up, a new bravery on her face. But as she opened her mouth, another voice sounded from behind us.
“Ah, I see your guard duties have seemingly been extended to the other ladies as well now, Brokk.” The king stepped up beside his guard, and I caught myself before I could glower at him.
High King Azurill was dressed in his colors, with a dark blue jacket embroidered in silver and bedazzled with diamonds across the high collar. Diamonds had also been used in the design of the jacket, accenting the embroidery, and covering the shoulder caps in rows that hung off the side andshook as he turned to look at us directly. The white shirt he wore underneath was unbuttoned unfairly low, exposing part of his chest, along with a bit of the mysterious tattoo that slithered down from his neck. A silver vest with blue ties rested atop it, pulling the outfit together.
Faiza and I both curtseyed, though I grit my teeth through it. When we rose, the king was smirking slightly, eyeing us both.
“Have the ladies of the realm forsaken their own guards now?” He joked, making Brokk roll his eyes, while I gave an overdramatic gasp, putting a hand over my heart.
“I would never hurt poor Alfrikr in such a way!” I played into his joke, hoping this was the kind ofauthenticitymy poor guard had meant. I turned my head back to Alfrikr, “You mustn’t listen to such lies, darling. I think the High King is merely the jealous sort.”
I turned back to face the king with my brows raised and a smirk on my own face. “I think having two of hiseightdates tonight, paying attention to another man, has hurt his feelings.”
Faiza giggled hysterically beside me, trying to choke the sounds back as she covered her mouth. Brokk’s mouth had dropped open while he blinked quickly. Azurill, however, had an unexpectedly delighted look upon his face. Those blue-green eyes positively lit up as he stepped closer to me, and his smirk grew exponentially.
“Would you not be hurt, Lady Jacinth?” He rumbled, his voice lowered so only I could hear him clearly. “To see such lovely women here to see you have shifted their attentions?”
I leaned closer, fluttering my eyelashes at him coquettishly, as I whispered, “Perhaps, if my ego was so delicate as yours.”
His head tipped back on a full laugh, and I noticed another man with icy blue hair, containing only the slightest tinge of green, blinking even more rapidly than Brokk at the sight. He shifted closer, as if curious, but kept his distance. It took me a few seconds to place him as the younger prince, Ruri.
When Azurill finished laughing, he smiled at me and bowed his head, “Well, since my ego is so clearly delicate, you must make it up to me with a dance, my Lady.”
“Oh.” It was my turn to blink now. There was a lot of that going around, apparently. “I…”
I swallowed hard. I had, of course, practiced dancing with Sienna before coming here, and despite the fact that I had yet to actually dance in front ofpeople, I was looking forward to the act itself. Dancing had always been my favorite as a child, and I’d kept the gracefulness gained from my countless lessons and hours of practice.
But to dance withthisman?
It would taint everything I loved about the freedom dance offered. My eye caught on Lord Carnelian, who was hovering around the edge of the room, watching me with calculating eyes.
I hardened myself. Ula’s life was on the line, after all. There was more to this than just my own vengeance. I would need to get close to him to enact that anyway, so I needed to get used to his presence sometime.
There. Perfectly acceptable reasoning.
“Of course, Your Majesty.” I nodded, taking his hand. “I would hate to have you absent your own competition to recover from such a blow.”
He chuckled deeply, leading me to the dance floor with a large hand on my lower back that warmed my skin even through layers of fabric. He leaned his head down to whisper in my ear, and the chills that spread over me from the disgust of having the mastermind of my family’s murder so close could at least pass as being affected by him in a more sensual manner.
Which Iwasn’t.
“I can’t say many ladies have dared to speak to me in such a way. At least not ones who actually want to win. Only ones like Faiza who couldn’t care less,” he said, his question quite implicit.
“Hmm. Is that so?” I asked, not giving an answer to an effect to see where I could lead the conversation.
Give little, take a lot.Sienna’s instruction rang in my ear.
“Yes,” he countered, sweeping me into his arms as we began to dance. Our hands clasped together, with one of his resting on my waist, while my other lay on his shoulder. I relished the movements, enjoying the feel of my slippers brushing the dance floor, but I couldn’t lose myself in the dance, not when I had other things to focus on. But it unfortunately seemed like he wasn’t going to say more.
Otherworld damn him. I had to get him talking.
“Well, fret not, Your Majesty.” I smiled winningly. “I’m certainly not here for no purpose.”
His eyes met mine as we twirled around the other couples dancing. Teal clashing against pink as we stared at one another, neither looking away. His lips tilted up, and he huffed softly, even as we moved in sync across the floor.It was too easy to dance with him. Some partners just clicked better than others, and I was furious at how naturally we moved together.
