My eyes searched the ballroom, landing on Nadiyah, who stood by Valeris’s uncle.She wore a flirtatious air as she smiled up at him, but only I could detect there was not a hint of sincerity in it.So many poor fools had fallen for it before.Desmond would be skulking about nearby, frowning at Nadiyah’s pretentious show of affection.
“You two seem to get along well,” I said.
“Oh really, did he tell you that?”
“Was your adoration for one another not obvious?”
He caught on, frowning.“If you learn nothing else, know the royal family is not like other families, Analleia.Paravellia will always come before anything else.”
I cocked my head.
Interesting.
“That sounds like a depressing childhood.”
He shrugged.“What would be a happy one?”
It wasn’t like I would know, but his blunt response took me aback.
“Are you forming alliances with my brother now as well?”Mockery rang in Valeris’s voice.
“I’m not sure, can he offer me more than you?”
“Depends on who you ask.”
A rivalry divided them, and I hated to wonder what was at its root.
“What are your plans for the ball tonight?”I asked.
He smiled, talking as he led me around the dance floor, but I didn’t hear anything he said as my gaze drifted back to Nadiyah.She was flirting with his uncle, but from the look on Athello’s face, he wasn’t having any of it.That was fine.He didn’t need to, but she did need to be able to distract him enough to spill the contents of the vial into his drink without him or anyone else noticing.
“Analleia?”Valeris’s voice broke through my thoughts.
Once we got this over with, I could finally be done with the prince.
I smiled up at him.“Yes?”
I saw in his eyes he noticed my distraction.“What information have you learned about my eldest brother, Rivero?”
“I’m working on it.”
“I thought we agreed you would have something for me by tonight?”
I didn’t respond, glancing over at Nadiyah again.
“You said your brother was the head of court in your country.What was his name again?”
My lips pursed into a thin line.I hadn’t mentioned his name and I didn’t care to, but the enchantment had extended to his name as well, covering any of the Kallistar names.“Desmiondo de Ellen Allamark Kallistar.”
His name rolled off my tongue in a quick recitation.I couldn’t remember the last time I had spoken one of my family members’ full names aloud.
“Ah,” he said, eyes flitting about the ballroom.“I couldn’t recall it.I thought I might ask around, see if I could find someone who is acquainted with him.”
The last thing I needed was for this prince to be digging around.
I shrugged.“You can check, but I doubt you will be successful.We are rarely graced by the presence of ambassadors, and my brother has never ventured beyond our country’s borders.”
He nodded as if confirming something to himself.
