Page 40 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

“In what way?”

“Would you have succumbed to my charm if you knew I was a prince?”

I snort.“Definitely not.”

“Then it doesn’t matter.” He shrugs and pulls at the sleeves of his tunic.

I eye him curiously as he walks over to me.“You don’t act like a prince…”

Finn laughs now, shaking his head.“You obviously haven’t met many princes. Most are even more arrogant than I am.”

“I find that hard to believe.” I roll my eyes, my voice catching as he comes to stand directly in front of me, so close that my chest is one breath away from brushing against his torso.

Finn looks down at me, his blue-violet eyes sparkling in the torchlight.“You look fucking incredible.”

I feel myself blush as my cheeks heat, and I drop my eyes, unable to stand the intensity of his gaze. His hand comes to my chin and lifts softly, forcing me to meet his eyes. Hot energy zips over my skin, radiating outward from where his hand holds my face, and he stretches out his thumb to stroke my cheek softly. I hold his stare, my chest rising and falling as he leans down, his lips now inches from mine. My eyes flutter closed as I lift my chin slightly, wetting my lips with my tongue in anticipation of the kiss I hope is coming. Finn exhales shakily, placing his other hand on the small of my back, fisting some of my dress in his hand, and drawing me closer to him. Our bodies are now pressed against each other, our breathing growing more rapid with each passing moment as our lips hover a fraction of an inch apart.

A knock sounds at the door, snapping us both out of our stupor.“Sire, the banquet is starting.”

We jump apart, both of our expressions filled with disappointment.

Finn clears his throat and swallows thickly.“Coming, Devyn.” He offers me his arm, and I wrap my hand in the crook of his elbow, but the contact is nothing compared to what we were about to share. I look over at him, offering him a shy smile. He winks at me as if to say,later.

I put back up my exterior wall that only seems to come down around Finn, and we head out to join the other guests.

Chapter Twenty

Among the two hundred or so guests, all of them dressed in extravagant ball gowns and tunics made of the finest fabric the Four Kingdoms has to offer, Finn and I are seated near the head table that is occupied by the royal family; the king and queen, along with the prince and princess. Each member of the Riverborne family has yellowish-blonde hair and wears some variation of the Spring Kingdom’s signature green color, while the king and queen both wear crowns made of ash-colored antlers. Finn sits across from me, and next to him, a male elf from an extremely wealthy family talks endlessly about their trading endeavors across the sea and all the exotic goods they acquired on a recent voyage. Finn looks bored but remains polite as he listens to the elf.

On my left, a nymph named Phoebe has been telling me about her work tending to the ancient forest of the Eastlands. Never having met a nymph, I’m fascinated by her floral essence and willowy grace; she smells of earth and flowers, and I’m learning much about her kind and their sacred vow to protect all living things. She’s just finished telling me how nymphs view themselves as Dafina’s servants, but finding those who are willing to dedicate themselves to such a demanding line of work is becoming increasingly more difficult. Before I can ask her another question, Finn taps me on the shoulder, having come around to my side of the table without me even noticing.

“Would you care to accompany me to the dance floor?” The cocky disposition that I grew so familiar with is greatly subdued in front of hundreds of strangers; in fact, just like when we traveled together, most people eye him with a healthy fear. Now that I know he's the prince of the Northlands, I suppose their unease makes more sense.

I give Phoebe an apologetic look, but she waves me off with a genuine smile and says,“Have fun.” Her gaze lingers on Finn in the same way almost every female's has this evening, igniting a sense of possessiveness in me I didn’t know was there, and that definitely has no right to be there.

Finn leads us to the dance floor and pulls me in close as the orchestra starts to play a slow, sweeping melody. His hands rest on my waist as I wrap my arms around his neck—which is no easy feat considering our height difference—as we turn in slow circles. Finn leads with grace and skill, spinning me out or dipping me occasionally, making me giggle like a little girl. Once again, I feel like we’ve known each other forever, but I remind myself it’s barely been more than a week since we met.

As soon as the song is over, Finn is tapped on the shoulder by Devyn, and he apologizes to me profusely before heading to another room to discuss whatever matter his valet deemed urgent enough to interrupt us for.

Instead of standing alone in the center of the dance floor awkwardly, I head to the back of the room and step out onto the terrace that overlooks the castle gardens to get some fresh air. There are a few other people chatting out here, but once the next song that’s more lively starts radiating from the ballroom, they head inside, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stare out at the sea of greenery below, and say a prayer for my family, missing Staghorn.

Even though I miss my home, and even though I’ve had a few less-than-savory experiences in the last couple of weeks, I feel this innate sense of rightness. Like this is where I’m supposed to be. From the moment I heard that mysterious voice in the mountains, it feels like everything has happened for a reason.

I lean forward slightly and rest my elbows on the broad marble railing, lost in thought, when a male voice startles me.“I’ve always loved coming out here at night.”

My elbow slips and I jump, turning around to find the Prince of the Spring Kingdom sauntering toward me; the picture of privilege and wealth. He’s handsome by all standards, with creamy skin and golden hair, but his light blue eyes are void of warmth, of compassion. For some reason, I get the feeling he’s not the kind of prince who spends much time with the less fortunate members of his kingdom; people like Pearl and Leo. Unsure what the proper etiquette is, I err on the side of caution and curtsy deeply.“Your Highness.”

He closes the distance between us and takes my hand, pulling me up out of my curtsy and kissing the back of my hand, leaving a wet spot where his lips touched my skin. I resist the urge to wipe my hand on my dress as he tells me,“Please, call me Xavier.”

I give him a polite smile as he comes and stands next to me by the railing, so close that our shoulders are touching.“What brings you to the Eastlands?” His eyes blatantly scan over my figure, lingering on my breasts.

Nice,I think sarcastically.

“How do you know I’m not from the Eastlands?” I ask him, unable to keep the slight bite out of my tone.

“Because I would know if someone as pretty as you was a member of my court.” He gives me a smile that isn’t half as charming as he thinks it is.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. His so-called compliment makes me feel gross, especially considering he’s suggesting that many females in his court are somehowless than,simply because he doesn’t personally find them attractive. I answer him as kindly as I can.“I’m just passing through on my way to the Autumn Kingdom.”

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