Apparently, I wasn’t subtle. “Trying to see the resemblance?” He gave me a wry grin as he gestured to himself. “She’s my stepmother.”
Once again, my face responded without my permission, brows rising as my curiosity got the better of me. “What happened to your mom?” All kinds of possibilities flashed through my mind. Did the fae oust their queens? Behead them?
The prince’s expression stalled my train of thought. “She died,” he murmured, looking over my head as he pulled me back into the dance. “When I was young.”
Oh, shoot.
How did I always manage to say the wrong thing?
He led us through two steps together, then apart, which gave me a chance to look up. I caught him ducking his head. Hiding tears?
“Well.” He coughed and attempted to smile. “I’ve ruined the mood. I do apologize.”
I chewed on my lower lip. For the first time since I’d fallen into this fae world, I couldn’t dismiss them as heartless fae. “I lost my mother also,” I whispered without meaning to. Knowing he’d experienced a similar pain made me let my guard down. If anyone understood how I felt, it was him. “She was—” The familiar sensation of that magical word vomit stopped me from spilling my guts before I could say “taken.” For once, I was thankful. Prince or not, he was still a stranger. And fae. I swallowed and instead said, “Losing family is awful.”
“It is indeed.” A dark emotion passed behind his eyes, but it was gone before I could name it. He straightened his shoulders. “Speaking of family, are you related to Soren?”
I snorted. “No.”
“Ah.” He lifted his chin, looking past me in the direction we’d left Soren. “Something more romantic, then.”
I laughed so abruptly that I choked. Coughing, I shook my head until I could speak. “Definitely not.” I waved a hand to underline my words.
“I see.” He laughed.
My face heated. That denial had been too emphatic.
“I’m just visiting,” I explained, aiming for a more relaxed tone. Remembering that annoying blood-signed contract and Soren’s request, I added as casually as I could, “I got here yesterday.”
It sounded stilted.
If the prince noticed, he didn’t show it. “I won’t hold your staying with him against you.” He winked like it was a joke. “How have you found our fair court and the folk here?”
I smiled. He couldn’t have set me up to lie any better. “I haven’t actually seen much of it,” I said, which was technically true. Then I added what Soren had asked: “We stayed in Soren’s home both today and all of yesterday.”
“Is that so?” Prince Caius murmured with a calculating glint in his eye. It vanished a second later with a grin. “Well, then. I shall have to give you a tour. You’re my guest now, and as a guest of the royal family, you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”
“That sounds... great,” I managed, but even lying, I struggled to sound enthusiastic. I didn’t want to behisguest or Soren’s or anyone else’s. I just wanted to find my family.
Now that I’d completed Soren’s mission, would he tell me what he knew, or would he make me wait until nine o’clock?
I sighed as we floated across the dance floor. It wasn’t even an hour into my two-hour commitment.
The prince tapped my forehead, where I unconsciously frowned. “You seem upset.”
“Oh, sorry.” I forced a smile that was all teeth. “I have a lot on my mind.”
“Anything you want to share?”
I hesitated. I could brush him off and wait for Soren to help. But he might know absolutely nothing. Or I could poke around on my own, starting with this prince. There was a chance he’d be as useless as Soren, but only one way to know.
“I lost someone. Multiple someones, actually,” I said finally, choosing my words with care. Soren had made it clear I should avoid revealing my connection. Not to mention Prince Caius didn’t even know I was human. “I just... haven’t been able to find them, and I really need to,” I finished lamely.
He stopped dancing, concern crossing his face. “And I suppose Soren knows of your distress but is withholding information to make a deal with you.”
I wanted to roll my eyes. “That about sums it up. How’d you know?”
Lips pressed together, the prince shook his head. “I know him well.”
