Page 68 of Crown of Slumber

Julieta beamed and curtsied. “I don’t suppose you’ll save me adance?” She tilted her head at me, her gaze sweeping over my form, her eyebrows lifting in an invitation.

I almost laughed at her boldness. She and Aurelia could nottrulybe friends, not if she was openly flirting with me in front of my fiancée.

She was beautiful, no doubt about it. In any other circumstance, I would have accepted her offer, perhaps brought her to my rooms for a dalliance afterwards.

Instead, I said, “I fear my dances are reserved only for my beloved.” I took Aurelia’s arm in mine once more, and to my surprise, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to my cheek. I looked at her, wondering if this was a demonstration of affection in response to the kiss I’d given her earlier, or if it was entirely for show. But Aurelia wasn’t looking at me; she was offering a sympathetic smile to Julieta.

“Apologies, Julieta,” Aurelia said. “But the Midnight Prince has been claimed for the evening.”

Julieta only grinned. “It was worth a shot.” She placed her hand on Aurelia’s arm. “Let’s catch up later, shall we? I know my brothers are waiting for you in the ballroom.”

Aurelia stiffened, but Julieta didn’t seem to notice as she disappeared into the crowd. I chuckled, shaking my head. “She’s brazen, I’ll give her that.”

“Pay her no heed. She’s more flighty than Gigi.”

“Your sister is flighty?”

“Oh yes. Her only desire is to find a match with a wealthy and handsome lord, but she has fawned over no less than a dozen different eligible men in the past year.”

My eyebrows rose. “How old is she?”

She smacked my arm again, and I laughed. “I am only curious to know if she is close to marrying age or not.”

“She is not. She’s sixteen.” The smile that had warmed Aurelia’s face slowly slipped, and I knew she was thinking of Gigi’s predicament; lying unconscious, unable to be roused. For a moment, she must have forgotten.

We both had. Here at this festive event, it was easy to slide into the typical court routine we were both accustomed to.

But we were here for a purpose. We had to sell the concept ofour engagement. It would benefit us both. I would get the Dragonfire my kingdom so desperately needed, and she would get the stardust required to break the sleeping curse.

I couldn’t allow myself to forget that this was a business transaction and nothing more.

We made our way through the crowd, stopping to exchange pleasantries. I was impressed by how many courtiers Aurelia was able to greet by name, as if no time had passed from her last visit. Her smile seemed genuine, and she inquired after their families and affairs, asking personal questions that led me to believe she had known these people quite well.

When we reached the ballroom doors, I leaned in to whisper, “You were truly prepared to be the Autumn Queen, weren’t you?”

She glanced up at me, her expression unreadable. “Even if I wasn’t, I still care about these people. They are my neighbors and allies.”

“You don’t have allies, remember?”

“Just because my people are on poor terms withyoursdoesn’t mean there aren’t other courts I associate with.”

My eyes narrowed. She hadn’t been associating with other courts in three years, but I wasn’t about to bring that up. I now knew why. And tonight, she didn’t need that reminder.

Instead, I said nothing, guiding her through the open ballroom doors as the orchestra’s music blared louder. Before us, several couples spun in unison on the dance floor, skirts swishing and arms moving with exquisite grace. Garlands of red roses, golden marigolds, and orange dahlias were strung about the room. In each corner of the ballroom, coils of orange flame circled the air, no doubt conjured by magic. I watched for a moment, unimpressed by the faint and feeble attempt to dazzle the crowd. It was nothing compared to the awe-inspiring beauty of our Nightfire.

“Ah, there they are,” said a voice nearby. The piercing grip of Aurelia’s fingers on my arm told me who it was before the king approached, a gold crown gleaming atop his head. His umber vest was lined with gold lace, and the brilliant shade of crimson on his waistcoat made my eyes throb.

King Tyrone placed a hand on my shoulder as if we were oldfriends. I went rigid from his touch, tempted to knock him on his ass for it.

“You two look quite the couple,” Tyrone said with a smile, looking Aurelia over with that possessive look I’d noticed in the throne room.

I brought my arm around Aurelia’s waist, bringing her closer to me. “Thank you, Your Highness. We are honored to be here.”

“The ball is magnificent,” Aurelia supplied, for which I was grateful. I couldn’t truthfully compliment an event with mediocre wine and droll party tricks.

Tyrone beamed. “Only the finest for our equinox, of course! Save me a dance, my dear, won’t you? For old times’ sake?” He winked at Aurelia and vanished into the crowd before either of us could say anything.

I huffed a laugh. “What an ass. You won’t be dancing with him, don’t worry.”

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