His shoulders slump slightly, and I watch his lip pull down into a pout. “I just don’t like flattery, okay? I am not afraid to admit that I never learned how to take a compliment and now it’s just an all-around uncomfortable experience for everyone involved.”
“So, I shouldn’t tell you how brave I think you are and how grateful I am that you saved my life?” I ask, tilting my head. I try to keep my tone innocent, but I can’t keep the devilish grin off my face.
James starts to pull away. “Listen, I did not come here to be complimented and if that’s what you plan to do then I will go somewhere else to wait for an opportunity to assassinate the prince.”
I tighten my hold on his arm and pull myself closer to him. “I’m teasing,” I say with a laugh. “You’re so uptight.”
James exhales slowly, and I feel some of the tension in his arm loosen. “I’m a bit stressed… if you can imagine.”
“I know,” I say, the smile falling off my face. “I’m just trying to lighten the mood.”
“Your attempt is noted and appreciated even if it isn’t quite effective.” James finally begins pulling me along with him. I wonder if he has even noticed because it seems as though his mind is a thousand miles away. He leads us toward the window, and I look out while continuing tosway to see that the minute hand has moved far more than I’d expected.
I must have spent more time teaching James how to “dance” than I’d thought. It’s now five till.
James turns to me, exhaling. His breath washes over me, causing me to realize that we are standing quite close. I pull back slightly, but James doesn’t seem to notice.
“It’s go time,” he says. He moves his hand away from his hip and sticks it into his pocket.
I hesitate a second before I reach out and squeeze his arm. I hope that goes to convey how much I appreciate him, because apparently my words would only make him uncomfortable. But it’s the honest truth. At first I hadn’t known what to think of James being here, but now I don’t know what I’d do without him.
He saved my life, he is willing to stain his conscience to protect me from the plot. I don’t know what I did to deserve being trapped here with someone like him, but he certainly isn’t the person I imagined from his curt emails and meetings.
I draw in a breath as I look at him, feeling my heart pinch a bit at his worried expression. “Remember, he is just a character. He isn’t real.”
“You know, you keep saying that, but it isn’t making it much better.”
“How do you think I feel?” I sigh as I shake my head. “He is literally my perfect man, and I have to tell you to kill him.”
“That does help, surprisingly enough.”
I pull back with a frown as James glances at me. “Tell me one more time, how attractive do you find him?”
“Frederick?” I ask surprised. “He’s the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen. Just an absolute hunk with a heart of gold.”
James’s hand shifts in his pocket, I assume as he grabs the knife. “Did you ever have a dream cast for him?”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t figure out anyone who would be attractive enough to play him.”
James nods once. “I think I can do it now. After all, he is just a character. A too pretty and annoyingly perfect character.”
I pat his arm in encouragement. “You’ve got this.”
“If I get executed remember me fondly and tell my mom I died saving orphans from a fire.”
I give him two thumbs up in response as James begins making his way through the crowd to where Frederick and Naia are gliding around the center of the ballroom. Who knows how long they have been dancing. From the looks of it, they probably don’t even realize they’re still dancing or in a room full of people. They are too enraptured as they gaze into each other’s eyes.
I feel my nose wrinkle in disgust. Look at them, they’re both so perfect it makes my teeth hurt. I know they’re just side characters supposed to fall in love in the background while Moira plots… but really, they have only just met each other.
They don’t even know anything about each other. Naia has been lying to the guy the whole time, how could he fall in love with her?
It’s stupid and unrealistic, but then who would I expect him to fall in love with instead? Me? The girl who is actively plotting his murder? I haven’t really been a paragon of honesty either. And I’m still a better option than Moira was. Girl had anger issues, was blinded by revenge, and was already lowkey falling for a pirate.
Yeah, he’s probably better off with Naia, what she lacks in chemistry with him she makes up for with blind adoration…and not planning to kill him. That’s probably a big plus in any potential relationship.
I follow James at a short distance, tucking my hands behind my back as I cross my fingers. Best-case scenario, this ends tonight. We ruin the plot and are booted from the script back to our regular lives. James and I can go to therapy to recover from the trauma of plotting against Frederick and be on our merry way as barely acquaintances again.
I frown slightly. That does not seem like a happy ending to the best-case scenario. But then I shake my head, forcing myself to focus.
