Page 67 of Of Glass and of Gold

“Surely there are things you’re in need of, and I have far more than any man needs. Tell me.” It was like he’d already decided there was an answer, and he just had to uncover it.

My stomach chose that very moment to grumble, and even the guards stationed atop the garden path probably heard. His gaze burned with something like anger as his eyes dropped to my midsection, then back.

Things once so clear were now murky. How did I let myself end up here? If I asked him for ten of his finest horses, I was convinced he’d give them to me. I could ask for anything.

My mind envisioned a morning in our kitchen, stocked with food, and milk, and sugar for my coffee. A bowl of fruits piled high every morning, with sweet treats wrapped around the base. I nearly salivated at the thought. A couple of words in this moment could make that happen.

But the sweetness of those goodies would lose their flavor, knowing it came from him. The prince of this land who sits in a pool of his own inaction, then complains about being wet. The man who didn’t care enough to keep tabs on the families that littered the market streets enough to think an increase in the funds was needed, whether he knew of an issue with the payments or not.

No, I wouldn’t accept anything from him, because if I did, I would lose sight of what mattered. A better ruler. Before letting my resolve twist into something bitter, I fell into the role I came here for.

Preparing my voice to pour out sweetly like honey, I said, “All I really need, Nicholas, is some of those lovely pastries that are no doubt being gobbled up as we speak.” Using his name, without recognition of title, did exactly what I hoped it would.

Broke his concentration.

The tight muscles along his sharp jaw relaxed, and he dipped his head in an ever so royal fashion.

“Very well, Miss Nora. Allow me to escort you to them.” He offered his luxury wrapped arm, and it took all my restraint to not shred it with my fingernails. Instead, I plastered on a debutante’s smile as we strolled back through the gardens.

“Cousin! I should have expected you’d be sneaking out of that suffocating ballroom.” A finely dressed man waltzed into the gardens, sauntering with all the swagger of entitlement that told me he held rank. Royalty.

The greeting replayed in my mind—a cousin. He wore garb similar to Nicholas, a pristine cream jacket donned with red epaulets, while Nicholas sported Highcrest blue with silver accents. His skin held a deeper tan complexion, something earned from time in the sun. That also explained his nearly white, sun-bleached short hair. His voice lilted in a way that let me know he didn’t hail from here, or one of the surrounding kingdoms.

“Nothing gets past you, does it?” Was that a slight hint of annoyance I detected in Nicholas’s response? That deep cadence called to something familiar that I couldn’t place, but I kept my focus on the interaction unfolding before me. Did Dee know another royal had come into town? This afternoon kept getting juicier.

Regardless, the cousin only laughed. “Ricks sent me to retrieve you. It’s your time to shine.” He held an imaginary dance partner and spun before splaying his hands wide toward us. “Although, seems you’ve already found your first dance partner?”

Insinuation that the prince and I held any sort of preferential connection in his bidding for a queen sent a rapid blush to my cheeks. “No, no,” I spat out, trying to toss the attention thrown at me away as quickly as it came. “I was just getting some fresh air, which I actually think I’ve had my fill of. If you’ll excuse me.” Nearly stumbling on two jerky curtsies toward the men, my panicked feet tread quickly over the stones while I rushed inside, desperately seeking the shadows of the ballroom.

33

Nicholas

Iwatched Nora’s obvious scramble to flee my presence after Marco had too boldly inferred our interaction meant something greater. My fists curled at my sides, and I’d be lying if I said my pride didn’t take a slap across the face at her immediate dismissal of receiving my attention.

“On edge, that one,” Marco commented, still watching her scurry out of the gardens and through the open alcove.

Anger in the form of a cornered wild animal clawed its way to the surface, readying to snap the chains that bound it and pounce on Marco. I went to speak, but years of careful calculation had me second guessing every spiteful retort that wanted to spew his way.

He turned to face me again, reading the unmistakable irritation dancing across my eyes. “Why, Nicholas, I’ll be.” He dropped his hands to his hips in a lazy bounce.

“What?” I ground out.

“You like her,” he stated.

“Don’t be absurd,” I said abruptly, nudging his arm with unrestricted force as I barged past him.

His laughter reminded me how uneasily deterred he was when he found something of interest as he chased after me, taking the steps two at a time to come before me again. “Hey, I’m sorry.”

I halted, not just because he now blocked my path, but because that sort of genuine expression didn’t come from him often. Acknowledging that I accepted his apology would admit his actions had indeed sparked a reaction from me, one which I’d yet to find a way to explain. Best to dismiss it entirely, revealing nothing.

“Was this your first time meeting her?” Dropping his voice so any surrounding guards couldn’t overhear was uncharacteristically thoughtful. He crossed his arms, probing me with his eyes for an answer.

I took a deep breath, averting my gaze. Taking in my bottom lip between my teeth, I considered how to respond. Any discussion we had would prolong my return, which would make Ricks possibly combust, but it would also give me a few more minutes of peace before taking to the dance floor.

“No, it wasn’t. We had our introduction at the first luncheon where she attended as a chaperone.”

“Oh, so off limits, then.”

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