“He did,” she said, surprising me. “He gave it to his son, who happens to be the heart-changer who made the charms Powell used. He came to the palace pretending he was you.”
I had never even known Powell had a son, but that was the least important part of Mina’s news. “He used his magic on you, didn’t he?”
Mina slid her arms around my waist. “He tried. But there is no magic strong enough to change how I feel about you, Alan. He ended up in prison, and the constables learned enough from him to find and arrest Powell, too.”
Though I no longer feared Powell’s interference in my life—without the forge, and despite his marriage to my mother, there was no connection between us—it was still freeing to hear that he had beenfound and arrested. Knowing that the maker of the charms was also in jail was even better. “I’m glad they are locked up.”
“So am I.” She leaned back, her eyes meeting mine. “Why didn’t you come to the palace, Alan?”
I raised a brow. “How was I supposed to get in without an invitation before the ball? I’m surprised I convinced anyone to deliver the box to Sam.”
“If you had given your name, the guards would have delivered you right to me.”
“Now I’m mad that it never even occurred to me that I could just give my name. I would have greatly preferred to speak to you before the ball.” I lifted a hand, tracing the edge of Mina’s necklace, my fingertip brushing against her skin as I followed it down past her collarbone and to the upper slopes of her breasts.
She shivered beneath my touch, her breathing growing faster. “We’ve already slipped away from the ballroom. We could sneak back into the palace through a different door.”
I grinned and kissed her. “I don’t think the guest of honor is supposed to disappear from the ball.”
Her fingers laced together behind my neck, pulling me back for another kiss. “I don’t think the ball serves much of a purpose now, so I don’t care.”
With Mina pressed against me, I didn’t care either.
Then a whistle from the terrace above us interrupted. I looked up and recognized Prince Noel.
“Come on, Mina, people are starting to wonder where you are!”
She didn’t look away from me or release her grip, keeping our bodies close. “Let them wonder, Noel.”
“Mama said she’ll come looking herself if you aren’t back in the ballroom in the next five minutes.”
Mina’s arms fell. “Affenala save us.” She turned around to glare at her brother. “Tell Mama I’m on my way.”
With a careless salute, the prince turned and sauntered back toward the ballroom.
“So much for disappearing.” Mina turned back to face me. “It looks like it is time for me to introduce you to my parents.”
I offered Mina my arm, but after half a dozen steps, what she said and what the words meant merged in my mind. I stopped.
She tugged on my arm. “Alan? What’s wrong?”
“Your parents are the king and queen.”
“Yes,” she said slowly, clearly not understanding why I had stopped.
“You want to introduce me to the king and queen.”
She pressed her lips together. “No. I want to introduce you to my parents.”
I understood the distinction she was making, and suddenly the weight of meeting Mina’s parents was more daunting than meeting the monarchs. “What if they don’t like me?”
“They’ll like you.” She leaned in to kiss my cheek. “Trust me, Alan. You have nothing to worry about.”
???
Mina’s parents greetedme with a degree of enthusiasm that shocked me and had Mina rolling her eyes. I almost managed to forget that they were the king and queen. After a thankfully brief conversation, Her Majesty chivvied Mina and me off the dais and we joined the dancers.
Though she grumbled about it, Mina admitted that she ought to dance with a few other people. I understood.
