The Caltothians? “King Horrace’s only son?”
“Precisely.” The cook crooked a finger at me. “Two different heirs offering the shrewd Pythians their hand. Make no mistake, the prince that the ambassador chooses will decide the war.”
My hunger vanished and the contents of my stomach plummeted. There it was. A reminder how important these negotiations really were.
I excused myself. What was I doing? I couldn’t keep avoiding the festivities, not with so much at stake.
I had barely made it back to the ball when Blayne grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me out to the balcony. Darren was nowhere to be found.
It was hard to see with the absence of the sun, and the air frigid with winter chill. “Where were you?” he hissed. White clouds of air escaped his breath. “My father noticed your absence.”
The lie slid from my tongue like butter. “I got lost. The palace is so large, and there are so many halls.”
“You were shirking your duty.” His nails dug into my skin, and they hurt. “You accepted your responsibilities the moment you and my brother decided to play me for a fool.”
“I’m sorry.” I wasn’t, but I wanted Blayne gone as quickly as possible. My pulse was thundering in my ears. I was fighting every instinct not to yank my arm right out of his grasp. Or worse. The prince’s expression was reminding me all too well of that moment in the hall my first year of the apprenticeship, the last time I had been at the receiving end of his threats.
What do I do if he strikes me? Defend myself and risk the king’s wrath? Or take the hit against every instinct I have? I’d never felt more helpless—a black mage of Combat—and yet I was no more than a helpless little girl in the presence of the Crown.
My free hand formed a fist.
Blayne’s gaze missed nothing. He took a step back, releasing my arm with a sneer. “I’m not going to hurt you, Ryiah.” His tone was chaffing. “We are friends, or have you already forgotten?”
I said nothing. It was the safest reply I had.
“You have five minutes to gather your wits, and then I expect you to converse with the rest of them.” His voice rang out as he left the terrace. “Do not give the Pythians a reason to question the hospitality of Jerar. A reclusive princess does nothing for our court.”
I waited until the crown prince had faded completely from view, vanishing in the crowded floor of jewel-toned dress, and then walked to the edge of the balcony’s rail and let out a shaky breath, clutching the cool surface against the frantic beating of my chest.
“That one truly is as pleasant as he first appeared.”
I choked, spinning around in alarm. Standing in a darkened corner was the Pythian ambassador. “Duke Cassius!”
“I would have made myself known sooner,” he noted, “but I never had the chance.”
He had witnessed that entire conversation between Blayne and me. Panic clawed at my throat and I tried to remember what we had said. Luckily nothing to indict Jerar—but it hadn’t been in our favor, either.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to stay.” The man didn’t bother to wait for an answer. “The entire court has been a bustle of fools…I would like to converse with the one person who seems so eager to avoid it.”
Earlier I had seen the spark of interest when he heard I was lowborn. Now he was studying me with that same glint in his eye, and it did nothing to assuage my nerves.
I knew I needed to stay. I didn’t want to, but this was the moment the king’s scholars had been preparing me for, the reason the king had summoned my presence in court for the Pythians’ arrival in the first place. Friendly discourse that would earn their favor. An example of posterity with a prince of Jerar. Especially the latter.
“Nothing would delight me more,” I squeaked. Was that really my voice? I swallowed the lump in my throat and spoke in what I hoped was a much more relaxed tenor. “I would be happy to converse. How fare the Pythian—”
He cut me off. “You fear the prince they intend for my niece.”
I should have left.
“You are unhappy and uncomfortable amidst the grandeur of your king’s palace,” the duke continued. “True, a bit of that could be because of your lowborn upbringing, but there is more to it than that. You do not like a life at court. So why are you here?”
I didn’t bat an eye. “Darren.”
“He is quite handsome.” His russet eyes were glued to mine. “You’ve found yourself a happily ever after in a time when there is none.”
“Y-your niece could be very happy with Blayne,” I stammered.