“A distraction?” he scoffed. “Naria, I could’ve organised you a ball. Or maybe a banquet. Or, Forge’s Flame, a walk around the palace grounds.”
“That’s not the same.”
“This isn’t safe. You are a princess,” he argued. “Andmyfuture wife,” His tone deepened as he pulled my wrists closer. “Do you have any idea how many men I caught leering at you while you danced? What if one had tried to touch you while you were out here, unprotected,” he snarled. “I can’t keep you safe if you’re sneaking out of my palace at night.”
My throat tightened. Visions of late-night horse rides and secret meetings with a certain faery prince flooded my mind. Squeezing my eyes shut until they hurt, I shook my head.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “It won’t happen again.”
Lukas sighed and dropped my wrists. But before he could speak again, another voice cut through the roar of the tavern, followed by a panicked squeal.
“Unhand her, or you’ll have the end of my sword to deal with!” Erik charged towards us, a flustered Raena clinging to his arm.
“Naria, don’t panic! Erik will save you!” she called out, flapping her hands.
Wincing, I opened my mouth to stop them, but Lukas had already pushed away from the wall. With a frustrated groan, he turned to face them.
Raena’s jaw unhinged. “Oh sh—” But Erik’s handclamped over her mouth before she could finish.
“You two are in big trouble,” Lukas grumbled. “And you especially,” he cast a heavy look at Erik, whose tanned skin had paled to ivory, “you’ve held your position for less than a season and you’ve already betrayed your king. How could you be so reckless?”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.” Erik bowed his head as guilt throbbed inside me. “It won’t happen again.”
“You can be certain it won’t,” Lukas said, keeping his voice dangerously low. “Why, if I were anything like my father, I’d have you stripped of your title and banished. Sneaking my fiancée out to a tavern… You’re lucky I found her unharmed.”
“Please.” Pushing forward, I planted myself between Lukas and my friends. “Just stop. They did nothing wrong. This was all me.” My voice hardened as I met his gaze. “Punish me if you have to. Punish me, and I’ll never leave your palace again, but don’t let this hurt them.”
“Naria…” His brows pinched together. “You know I’d never stop you from leaving Drothmore. You’re not a prisoner.”
I winced. “I know, and I’m sorry,” I said again, exasperated. “I just wanted a rest from it all, to forget… To forget and pretend.” I clenched my fists. “But you’re right. This was reckless. We should go home.”
There was a brief silence while I felt Lukas studying me.
Eventually he sighed. “I am not like my father.”
I lifted my head to see conflict warring across his features.
“You just wanted a distraction?” he asked.
Chewing my lip, I nodded.
He glanced around the tavern, scowling at the obliviouscrowds still dancing and drinking around us. Eventually he sighed again. “I’ll give you one more hour here.”
My mouth dropped open. Behind me, Raena squeaked in surprise.
“But once I’ve sent my guards back to the palace, you don’t leave my side.” Pulling his hood down over his face, he slipped his fingers around my arm and drew closer to my ear. “And, Naria?”
“Yes?” I whimpered.
“No more dancing.”
My breath stuttered as he drew back.
“Because if I catch another man staring at you in that filthy way again, I won’t feel anywhere near as merciful.”
Lukas returned shortly after disappearing outside, having relieved his ‘small army’ of their duties for the night. When he approached our table, I rose from my seat to make space for him. But before I could find somewhere else to sit, I gasped as he caught me by my waist and pulled me firmly against his chest.
With a squeal, I landed ungracefully on his lap. The rest of the table stared with wide eyes, but the young king ignored them. As if it were only the two of us, he hovered his lips near to my ear, whispering, “I told you not to leave my side. Disobeying orders already?”
