They have a princess? Where? I should have known they were only entertaining themselves with me.
“Daphne isn’t a princess,” Hart mutters, eyeballing me. “She’s our queen.”
A flush heats my cheeks at his words. Nash’s eyes narrow as he steps back, allowing me a direct path to the ballroom. I make it three steps before my heart pangs in my chest. I haven’t even left them a note.
I make eye contact with Nash as I stand next to him. “Your princess, whomever she may be, is a lucky woman.”
Theo tilts his head to the side. I need to escape before I break down in front of them and thwart my rescue plan. “I hope you have a lovely sundown,” I tell them before hurrying inside the open doors of the grand room. The two males at the doors bow low and one holds out his hand. Um, what does he want? Gold? Does one need to pay to enter the Charming and Cinderella ball? A thick white envelope appears in my hand, with a gold wax seal bearing the initials PC. Oh, wow, okay, an invitation—that makes sense. Can’t have any riff-raff turning up to witness Charming’s claiming.
The guy on the left takes my fake invitation and unfolds it. He raises a brow at me. I offer him a smile. The other guard rings a large bell, causing the entire ball room occupants to freeze and stare at me. “The Kingdom of Feathers and Starlight presents its daughter, Andromeda.”
A collectiveoohcomes from my audience.
The kingdom of where? And trust the genie to give me a name I’m not sure how to even spell. I will stuff his wispy ass into that lamp for eternity.
I decide to forgo the curtsy, given my propensity for falling over when I multitask. Instead, I stare down my nose at the fairy folks like I am above them. More than a few males eye me with hunger, while a large proportion of females sneer at me. What annus are we living in? Have we not learned to build each other up?
I descend into the crowd as they make room for me and this enormous dress that sparkles under the candlelight. I forgo any berry wine and even bypass the sausage. My stomach is in knots as I search the room for Gwyneth. A drum roll echoes through the room and the crowd squash into the edges as my sister and Charming take to the floor and begin to dance. She’s in a magnificent golden gown that shimmers as Charming guides her around the room. If I am the night, then she is the sun. Together, we can conquer the realm.
I edge through the crowd, never taking my eyes from my sister. Her face is cold and passive as stone, but her eyes scream her anguish. If Charming had an ounce of compassion, he would recognize the pain he is causing and release her from his clutches. But you can’t expect self-obsessed assholes to become reflective souls and be considerate of other people’s fate and happiness. Other couples join in, and I refuse many offers from suitors wishing to dance and win access to my floof. No, thank you.
A big hand lands on my waist, pulling me onto the dance floor before spinning me toward him and grabbing my hand.
“Oh no, I don’t dance.”
A smirk pulls at his lips. “Now you do.” The next tempo, I’m dancing with Theo. “So the Kingdom of Feathers and Starlight?” he says as he spins me in a circle.
No, no, no. I can’t have any of the knights redirecting my attention. “That’s right.”
“What is that like?”
I look over his shoulder and keep Gwyneth in my sight. “Um, you know, full of feathers and stars.”
“Like your dress?”
“Sure.”
“And your horse has wings because he comes from the kingdom of feathers?”
“Yes, all the creatures have wings.”
“I see. All the creatures?”
“Yes, the mice, the frogs, the horses are all flying about.”
The music picks up speed and my feet get a little tangled. Theo wraps an arm around my waist and holds me against him to prevent me from falling over. His nose skims my collar bone, causing a little shiver to dance down my spine. To think I believed these knights were mine, and Theo goes nuzzling the first pretty female he dances with. His head snaps back and a wicked grin splits his lips.
“Do you have a lucky male suitor back in your kingdom?”
I blink at him and consider kneeing him in the nuts. As far as he is concerned, his female is sitting upstairs in his chambers like a good little maiden. “No,” I snap. “But make no mistake, I am unavailable for seduction. I have other matters that need my attention, and perhaps you should be mindful of the promises you may have made to your own female.”
He draws me tighter against him. “I am intensely curious where you gained a flying horse, Daphne, and why you are wearing the night like you own it. Please tell me you didn’t make a wish.”
I jerk in his arms and try to scramble away. It’s no use. I might not look like myself, but I haven’t gained the strength to break free of a dragon when he holds me in his clutches.
“How did you know?”
“Other than the way you slid off that horse? And the nervous way you entered the ballroom?”
