"I still wonder about it," I said.
His brow furrowed, eyes searching my expression. "Wonder about what?"
"Whether you're the villain in my story."
~~~~~~~
Mara Monroe is at the center of a war she wanted no part in.
But with her new throne she fac...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I didn't have to turn to know who that voice belonged to. I never do. After all, it was the one voice that could reach and shake my very bones — or splinter my soul.
"Not even if you were the only available partner," I said.
Finally, I turned to face him and his face was serious, silver eyes narrowed. His seriousness made me want to poke at him even more. He couldn't genuinely think that I would dance with him. Not unless he was seriously deranged. Well...
"Not even if dancing with you would make me rich beyond my wildest dreams—"
"You're already richer than your wildest dreams," Andras pointed out but I ignored him.
"Not even if dancing with you would save my life—"
Cedric's brows narrowed at that.
"—or or or if dancing with you would cure world hunger!"
"Really?" he interrupted, a small tinge of amusement in his voice now, "not even then, Princess?"
I backtracked. "Okay, maybe then."
Andras snorted from beside me, watching our interaction over his cup of wine. Suddenly, I was embarrassed at my behavior. Faerie wine hits faster than human wine, but I couldn't blame it completely for my snarkiness. I had weeks of petty anger built up.
"Well, the world is already hungry," Cedric said, holding his hand out toward me, "it's unlikely to work, but we'll never know unless we try."
He bowed low in front of me, his hand extended, drawing the attention of those around us. Multitudes of eyes were trained on his posture, watching him request a dance from me. I felt the Winter courtiers' growing curiosity and could hear the gossip start. Why did the Queen of Summer deny a knight of the realm a dance when he asked her so politely?
'Because she hated him,' would probably not be the best response, even if it was the truth. Even though it is the truth.
Instead, I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath as I placed my hand in his. Cedric's skin was like an ice bath, a cold shock to my nerves. His eyes snapped to mine at the contact and I tried to convey my displeasure through that one glance. But I doubt I managed more than a surprised blink in his direction.
"My apologies, my Lord. If you'll excuse us," I murmured politely to Andras as I let Cedric start to pull me away.
"Don't apologize, Princess," Cedric answered for him, his voice sharp.
"Don't be so bossy."
Andras seemed amused, waving us away onto the floor. We found our way to the center where he dropped my hand to stand a few feet in front of me. The music started back up again and the dance commenced.
I looked everywhere but at him. He did not do me the same courtesy.
"Is there something interesting on the wall?" he asked, stepping forward in time with the music and the dance.
