Sin chuckled. “I’m fairly certain Verren would have my head if I whisked you away right now.”
“Hmmm…” I said in mock thoughtfulness. “I might be willing to risk it. The last gamble I took today panned out pretty well.”
He flinched. “I thought you were going to die in that arena, Rain. I was prepared to kill every one of them if they took you from me. If you never remind me of that again, it will be too soon.”
“I’m sorry I brought it up.” Then, needing to see his smile again, I added, “I guess you’ll just have to punish me for that too.”
A ripple of arousal ran through me as his lips curled up into a feral grin, and I could feel my peaked nipples pressing against the thin material of my gown.
He pressed me tighter to his chest. “Oh, Fea Remia, the things I am going to do to you…”
“Promises, promises.”
I heard a throat clear behind me, and a voice cut through the haze of my lust.
“May I cut in?”
Dey's words were like a cold shower, and I reluctantly untangled my arms from around Sin’s neck, giving him an apologetic look. I thought he might actually kill his friend based on the daggers he was shooting his way, so I hurriedly tugged Dey out to the middle of the floor before dark thoughts became actions.
“I’m not a very good dancer,” I said as he took my hand and slipped an arm around my waist.
“Princess, you could step on my toes a hundred times, and I would still fight every male in here for a second dance.”
“You’re very good at saying pretty things,” I said, avoiding eye contact.
“The beauty of my words does not negate their truth.”
I focused on the dance steps for a bit, unsure what to even say to Dey. He made his intentions very clear, but even without my father’s involvement, I just didn’t feel anything for him. Apart from a small amount of sadness that our initial friendship may have been nothing more than a carefully constructed deception.
As the song came to an end, I tried to pull out of his arms, but he held me tight against his chest.
“I am not naïve, Rain. I saw the way you looked at Sin. Heard the way you laughed. I do not know when my friend stole your heart, but it seems you have made your choice.”
I debated a number of potential explanations, but in the end, I just nodded. I didn’t want to hide anymore. I didn’t want to pretend that Sin meant nothing to me when in reality he meant everything. Maybe my father would strike back at me for having ruined whatever he was planning with Dey’s seduction. Maybe he would abandon his plan altogether and allow me to be happy so long as I fulfilled his damn prophecy. Maybe we could drop all pretenses of him being a caring father and just get to the truth of what he wanted from me.
And maybe I would sprout wings and spend the rest of the night soaring over the ocean.
In reality, I had no idea how my father would react, but I didn’t care anymore. Sin was the only person I’d ever felt this way about, and I refused to keep sneaking around if it limited my time with him.
“I see,” Dey said, releasing his hold on me.
I turned to walk away but made it only one step before he grabbed my elbow and pulled me back to his side, a spark flaring to life in his eyes.
“Perhaps Dreisin has not told you about his past. Perhaps he has told you and you are willing to overlook it. I do know this—he has obviously told you very little about his present because you would not be with him otherwise. He is not a good male, Rain.”
And you are?
I bit my tongue to keep the words from escaping.
“I care about you,” Dey continued. “More than you know. And I have no intention of giving up. We could be happy here together. I am the king’s Foster, and you are his daughter. Our lives were intertwined before you were even born. Do you not see the poetry of it all? We belong together, here in the palace. This,” he gestured around himself, “...all of this could be yours. Ours. Eventually you will learn the truth about him, and when you do,I will be there to pick up the pieces of your broken heart. If you can trust nothing else, at least trust that I will always be here for you.”
It was a beautiful speech. A beautiful dream. It just wasn’t my dream.
“Dey…” I began, and he must have read on my face what I was about to say because he quickly spoke over me.
“Just think about it, Princess. Promise me that you will really think about giving us a chance. If you still want to leave in the end, I cannot force you to stay, but I truly believe you would be remiss not to at least consider it.”
He dropped my arm and strode briskly out of the ballroom.
