Page 74 of The Kingdom's Crown

My collar was alittlelower than hers, although since my breasts were smaller, it just revealed more skin than décolletage. My hips were wider too, so while the new cut of my dress followed my natural shape before flaring out into great yards upon yards of skirt, Morgan's flared very intentionally below the waist, supported by a bustle around her hips.

"Have your men seen it?" Morgan asked.

I waved my hand through the air. "I should think they're fairly tired of seeing me in new dresses."

Morgan snorted and muttered something under her breath along the lines of 'out of them,' before clearing her throat. "Well, I just came to tell you that it's time to get downstairs."

I nodded and turned back to my mirror, reaching up to the top where Aric's golden snake rested. It slithered into my palm and then coiled happily around my throat, it's head nestling down at the hollow of my collar bone.

"Any sign of Camellia?" I asked.

"I caught a maid saying she was having a bit of a tantrum as they dressed her," Morgan said.

I smirked and fought the expression away, but my friend just rolled her eyes. Camellia had made a scene earlier at the fencing tournament too when she hadn't been allowed to interrupt a match to claim one of the fencers. Mother had finally released her from the duty of hostessing in the afternoon after a public display with a few of her Chosen, but there was no getting out of the ball. Our queen was too excited for the evening.

In fact, my entire schedule for the month had been received by Mother with great success. "Oh yes! This is just what we need to brighten our spirits until spring. And then we might have garden events. Good sporting. Days at the beach, don't you think?"

We had another week before the council would vote on the succession law, and I wanted to be sure that Camellia had well and thoroughly hurt her favor with the nobles.

I followed Morgan to the front room of the suite, and just as she had paused at the sight of me, I did so at the vision before me. Seven men, in tailcoats and high collars, their boots polished and fine clothes shining in the candlelight. Wendell, Cosmo, Daniel, and Cresswell looked the part ofperfectKimmerian gentlemen, and Thao was fully glorious in his longer, embroidered, vivid red coat. I'd been lenient with Owen and Aric's dress, so their collars were open, coats darker and a little less tightly fitted, but it left them debonair and rakish in appearance.

And in spite of what I'd claimed to Morgan, their stares on me were gratifying.

"Muse, you look like a goddess," Cosmo breathed.

I blushed but held my head high as I joined them near the door.

"Do you feel ready?" Wendell asked.

I nodded, surprised by my own answer. "I do, actually. I think I might even be looking forward to the evening since I have you all with me."

Aric moved to stand behind me, his fingertips touching the snake briefly, a wicked gleam in his eye. "Then let the night begin."

* * *

The ballroom glittered with candlelight,marble floors polished to reflect the gold moulding of the arched ceilings and delicate glittering arms of the chandeliers above us. The room was warm with so many bodies, and I was flushed and warm with the wine I'd been drinking.

The royal table was long, and luckily, I had my mother and her Chosen separating me from Camellia, who'd been forced to only bring a select group down from her suite. One of whom, I noted, was Prince Holden, looking grim and uncomfortable at the far end of the table.

I was sipping wine, pretending not to feel the stares of the many nobles at their banquet tables around the perimeter of the room, when someone touched my shoulder.

Michael, looking handsome and polished in finery, smiled tightly down at me. "Your mother thinks you should be the one to lead the dancing tonight."

"Me? Oh—I…" I paused on the refusal on my tongue, glancing at Thao on my right. He nodded at me, eyebrows rising. "I'd be happy to," I said at last, the words a little dry on my tongue.

"Youcanwaltz?" Thao asked me as Michael moved away.

I laughed that he would wait till now to check. "Yes, well, with a good partner. You or Wendell?"

"Take Farraque," Thao answered, smiling as I sat up in surprise. "Just trust me."

I did trust Thao, especially on this kind of matter, I just hadn't expected him to suggest Daniel. Daniel had the education for this kind of thing, it was true, but Thao had always preferred to promote himself or Wen.

"All right," I said, smiling at the idea. Daniel would never expect it either, and it would be a lovely mark of my appreciation for him at the same time it was a smack in the face to the council.

I waited for the clink of cutlery to quiet, until the room was only full of conversation and drinking. It was already late into the night. Camellia was not so subtly making demands of her Chosen beneath the table, and I was pretending my palms weren't sweating against the napkin fisted into my lap.

We hadn't had many balls growing up, and I'd only danced a little. I was practiced as I ought to be, but I'd certainly never been the one to open a ball, to be alone on the floor with my partner and all the eyes of the room watching politely.

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