When the crowd finally settled, the king concluded his speech. “As tentative as our future might be, there is one thing for certain—and that is the Crown.” His gaze narrowed to Darren. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry. “Today’s union brings the onset of another. My youngest and his betrothed shall wed upon the progress’s return from Montfort. Their marriage will bind Jerar to the Borea Isles, and our alliance will be complete.”
“Here, here.” Duke Cassius pounded the table with his fist. His cheeks were ruddy—and from his high spirits I was sure he was on his second bottle for the night. “To the New Alliance. May great fortune favor us all.”
King Lucius’s discerning gaze swept the hall as he held his goblet high. “To the New Alliance.”
The sea of nobility raised its glasses in return, echoing the king’s words.
There was a moment of silence and then the herald emerged from the entry, clearing his throat. “Let the festivities begin!”
A procession of entertainers poured in from the hall.
Almost instantly the room was a cacophony of noise. Music started as a group of performers wove up and down the aisles, stringed rebecs and lutes in hand. A group of jesters. A pairing of performers with masks of popular gods. Another man spun sticks of fire in a fast-spinning web.
It wasn’t long before a dance broke out near the front of the room. The musicians filed into a corner and began their procession as courtiers flooded the ballroom’s center.
Prince Blayne was one of the first to escort his new bride to a dance.
I waited until the king and Duke Cassius were deep in conversation, then I took a deep breath and turned to face the prince at my right.
Darren’s garnet eyes met my own, but he made no attempt to smile.
“Are you going to ask me, too?”
His lip curled. “Really, Ryiah?”
“I am trying to make peace. This is your brother’s celebration, so won’t it be improper if we don’t?”
“I pay no heed to what anyone thinks.” He pushed back his chair, wood legs creaking against the marble floor as he stood. “Least of all you.”
I flushed. “That’s it? I return after four months apart and you are really so desperate to be rid of me? You don’t even want to try and have a conversation.”
“I’m sure you had a good cry and farmboy was there to comfort you in my place.”
My jaw dropped. “Do you think so little of me?”
Garnet flared in response. “I don’t know. Sometimes a person’s opinion can surprise you.”
“Darren, I’m trying to apologize.”
“You wouldn’t mean a single word.” His words were bitter as he started to walk away. “The truth is told in anger, not regret, love.”
I bit down on my tongue, and then followed Darren out into the hall, waiting until we were out of the public’s eye. “You hurt me too! I’m not the only one who needs to apologize!”
The prince turned around and his expression was callous. “You want an apology, Ryiah? I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t tell you the words you want to hear. You won’t win. I believe you are good, love.” His eyes were like twin pools of fire. “But you aren’t me. And I’m sorry you never had that privilege.”
Then he left me. Darren strode out into the night without a backwards glance and left me standing in that bright hall listening to the peals of laughter just behind.
My whole body felt like it had just been kicked to the ground. Every part of me squeezing in, tighter and tighter, until my vision was black and spots were dancing before my eyes. I couldn’t understand what had happened. My heart was hammering so hard it hurt.
Five long, shaky breaths. And then I was able to focus. Able to see.
On the night I had felt most beautiful Darren had made me feel my worst.
“Trouble in paradise?”
I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. Especially not him. I cursed my timing and turned to face Blayne with a false smile to my lips, praying to the gods my eyes weren’t as swollen as they felt.
“Leaving your new bride and festivities so soon?”
“I see.” He ignored my barbed comment. “Well, you left my brother in quite a state yourself.”
I didn’t want to talk about Darren with Blayne. I didn’t want to talk about myself. I wanted to be alone.
“You should know,” the crown prince drawled, “he will never change.”
“I don’t want him to change! I just want him to talk to me!” The words came uninvited, and I regretted them instantly. I didn’t want Blayne to know anything. But I had no one else.
I was alone. Ella was gone. My brothers were gone. My friends and family were across the countryside while I was trapped in the king’s court. Paige was somewhere in the palace as a sentry but it would take me half the night to find her. And even then, she didn’t like to talk about “feelings.” I was trapped in the palace, and I didn’t know what to do.
Blayne was the last person I trusted, but if what Benny said was true then he was possibly the one person who understood Darren. And that made me hesitate instead of sending him on his way, or sending myself on mine.
The crown prince glanced back at the dancers, looking for someone or something in the crowd—presumably his new wife, and then nodded toward a passage to our left. “Come with me.”
“Where are we going?”