“Can we go back to the ball, or do you want to leave?” Damien asked. “Leo hasn’t danced with you yet, right?”
Evelyn’s heart skipped at the idea, forgetting her anger at Haydn and confusion over Damien.
Surely the ball can’t go on that much longer. I don’t want to miss my chance to see Leo… if he still wants to dance with me.
“We can go back.”
Damien led her into the ballroom. “Wait here. I have an idea,” he said before walking off.
Surprising no one, Evelyn did not wait there. Instead, she wandered over to the Taste Court’s table. Lord Robert was distracted talking with Lord Grégory.
Evelyn returned to the woman who had handed her a glass of wine earlier. “Could I have another drink, please?”
The woman looked delighted by the princess’s request and quickly poured a larger glass. Again, Evelyn finished the wine all at once.
“Are you allergic to following directions?” Damien complained when he found her.
“I should ask a Healer about that,” Evelyn quipped.
Damien addressed the woman supplying drinks. “Is that wine from the palace?”
“No. This is Barbeau’s. He says the king’s wine is disappointing.”
Damien glared at Evelyn. “I was only gone for a minute.”
“I was thirsty,” she said, batting her eyelashes.
He ignored her tipsy flirtation and removed a bracelet from his pocket.
“Is it your turn to be a princess?” she teased.
Damien fastened the bracelet around Evelyn’s wrist. It was wide, with three rows of diamonds interspersed with aquamarine jewels.
“Um, thank you?” Evelyn said.
“It will hide your tattoo,” he explained.
“Oh! Thank you! Where did you get it?”
“I borrowed it. Nicolas’s cousin always wears too much jewelry.”
“Does she know you borrowed it?”
“Probably not. She’s had more wine than you tonight. I doubt she would notice if I stole the shoes off her feet.”
Lord Robert and Lord Grégory chose that moment to begin singing. Their song did not match in tempo or style with the music playing in the ballroom. Both lords’ voices were off-pitch in different directions. The words were unclear and drunkenly slurred, made worse by a disagreement on what the correct lyrics were. Most of the Taste Court joined in, increasing the volume exponentially. The performance would have been impressively awful in a tavern and was royally offensive in a king’s palace.
Evelyn loved it.
Damien dragged her away before the princess’s wine-addled brain inspired her to participate in the spectacle. “I think that means the night is almost over.”
Evelyn scanned the room for Leo, but the movement made her head spin.
Damn that wine.
“He’s not going to forget about you,” Damien said, partially holding her upright. “But if you puke on his shoes, I’ll never let you live it down.”
Damien forced Evelyn into a seat at an empty table and sat beside her.
