“Leave her be, it’s gorgeous.” Mira pinches his arm and he jumps, scowling at her.
“How is it you’re so comfortable assaulting royalty?” he asks, narrowing his eyes even as his lips curve into a wicked smile.
“Well,” Mira begins, batting her eyelashes sarcastically. “I hardly ever piss you both off at once. So, if you were to punish me for acting out and Taryn wanted, she could start a war for it. And vice versa. I’m perfectly safe.” With that, she pinches him again and I cover my mouth, watching as a man I don’t recognize approaches our little group.
“Lady Mira?” he says behind her, bowing his head to me respectfully as she turns around. I nod to him then tilt my head, inspecting the noble. I’m not sure which kingdom he’s attached to, but I don’t recognize him. He’s only a little older than us, no lines creasing his face quite yet.
“Yes?” she asks in a squeaky voice.
“I’m Lord Fallon,” he murmurs, bowing to her. “I was wondering if you’d walk with me? I’m considering entering this wedding lottery of yours, but I’m afraid we’ve never met. I’d like to remedy that.”
My eyebrows shoot up my forehead and I smirk, amused by the man’s boldness. “Well,” I laugh, shooing Mira away. “Go on, then.”
Mira blushes and takes Fallon’s hand, following him through the crowd. I turn to Dary, only to find him still staring after her. “She’ll find a good match, right?” he asks.
“She will,” I answer carefully. I don’t want to betray Mira’s trust. If they don’t find one another on their own, my meddling is worthless. I can’t hold them together. It doesn’t work like that, and I know it.
“Come on,” Dary sighs, grabbing my hand. I follow him through the crowd in the opposite direction, gawking at the acrobats performing tricks along the tops of the stalls where the games are housed.
“It’s meant to be a carnival,” I laugh. “My father’s idea. Ona indulged him, begrudgingly, I think. But it seems to have worked out wonderfully.”
“It’s certainly mesmerizing,” he whispers in awe as a woman slides down a silk rope strung across the clearing, twisting her legs in strange ways as she dangles with her hands below her.
I tilt my head to the side, wondering how she keeps ahold of it. “I’d fall if I tried that.”
“Please, by all the Gods, don’t,” he snickers, shaking his head as we’re met by another group of people.
“Princess!” a girl from Linolin calls and I cringe.
“I’ve never liked that one,” I hiss to Dary and he chuckles, waving to the group as they grow closer.
“Happy Jubilee!”
“Happy Jubilee,” I reply, smiling at the group.
They descend into small talk and I answer with the appropriate niceties from time to time. Mostly, I search the crowd for Mira. It’s strange, not having her at my side during these functions.
I suppose I’ll have to get used to that, since she’s getting married. A strange weight settles in my stomach at that thought. Mira and Dary are the only two people I’d really call friends. Sure, I know plenty of people—everyone wants to know the princess, of course. But those two are the only ones that have ever felt like they wanted to know me. Mira is the only girl who has ever treated me like any other girl at court. And Dary, he’s the same as me in some ways. He’s used to people wanting to be close to him because of his title and hates it as much as I do.
I nudge Dary slightly when a head full of flowing golden hair starts coming our way.
The other nobles bow their heads when Lady Anna steps into our little circle. She doesn’t even acknowledge them, instead focusing her attention solely on me.
“You look stunning tonight, princess,” she purrs.
“Thank you,” I answer, looking her over. I can feel the eyes of everyone else present boring into us, judging, but I’m not concerned. They won’t say anything; they never have.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lady—”
Anna cuts them off with a wave of her hand. The sound of someone snorting meets my ears but I’m too busy taking in Anna’s strange attire to look and see who is so amused by her lack of social graces.
The chain mail across her chest is loosely woven—I doubt it would do much good in an actual battle—lending a bit of feminine charm to the look. A gilded corset wraps around her waist, doubling as more armor. Chainmail flows from the bottom of the corset like a very short skirt, but she wears leather tights beneath it.
“Your gown is lovely. I think pink might be your color,” she murmurs, drawing my gaze back to her strange sun-colored eyes. “Would you like to dance with me?”
Before I can answer, the sound of Dary chuckling interrupts my thoughts and I glance at him.
“Well done,” he snickers, clapping his hands together slowly.
“Hush,” I snap, taking her offered hand. I’m convinced the woman is mad or feral, she looks at me more like I’m a meal than a woman, but what could it hurt to dance with her? Perhaps she’ll change my mind.
Anna leads me away from the small group and through the crowd until we reach the dance floor. Several couples spin drunkenly to the music while performers dance on their silk ropes around the clearing.
Her fingers twine through mine, and again, I’m struck by how hot her skin is. “Do you have a fever?” I ask.
“No,” she answers, looking puzzled as her other hand slides around my waist to my lower back. “Why?”
“You feel very warm,” I murmur quietly as she pulls me closer to her, leading me around the dancefloor in a spinning circle as she stares down at me.
“Ah, well,” she laughs. “It’s very warm here compared to Izvora.”
“What is your kingdom like?” I ask, my free hand resting carefully against her collar bone. The cool metal of the chainmail beneath my fingertips clashes with the warmth radiating from Anna herself. The texture tempts me run my fingers over it, but I resist the urge. I know precisely how it’ll look, considering where it’s located.
“It’s . . . snowy. Our castle is nestled atop a mountain and it’s always cool there, even in summer.”
“That must be very different than Vanir,” I muse as she grips me tighter, her fingers brushing over the bare skin of my back.
“It’s quite different,” she answers, her voice a little husky as the music changes to something more sensual. Her hips swirl into mine as we follow the steps for the song and my cheeks flush.
“What’s wrong, princess?”
“Nothing,” I lie, ignoring the heat in my core. I’ve never been one to deny myself something I want—and I very much want Anna—but something keeps making me pull away. I put a little distance between our bodies, mirroring my thoughts as I try to catch my breath.
“It is very different,” she continues. “But I’ve always dreamed about living in the south.” Anna’s eyes stare down into mine, and for a moment, I could swear I saw something move.
I drop her hand step back, my hand resting on my chest. Her eyebrows cinch together as she looks at me quizzically, still holding out a hand. “Are you alright?”