Page 48 of A Court Bright and Broken

“She’s not for you, Stellon,” he said.

Stellon.

That’swhat the S had stood for?

All the breath left my lungs, making it impossible to speak. Could this bePrinceStellon? Or was that a common name among Elven men?

I had to admit it fit him better in his current form thanSamdid.

“I’llbe the judge of that, Pharis,” Stellon said, lifting my free hand to kiss my knuckles.

Pharis?That was the name of the king’sotherson.

So thiswasCrown Prince Stellon Randalin who’d just touched his lips to my skin.

And my escort, my savior at the entry door, was none other than the wicked Prince Pharis.

Stories of him had spread throughout the lands. He was known as the Prince of Tears because of all the hearts he’dbroken. Even human women discussed his famously attractive looks—and his reputation as a prolific and talented lover, speculating about what it would be like to meet him in person.

And now here he was, standing in front of me.

Papa was so right—treacherywassometimes wrapped in the most beautiful package.

I’d heard less talk about the Crown Prince, but he couldn’t be much better. He was King Pontus’ son after all.

They both were.

Somehow, out of all the Fae in this crowded ballroom, I had run directly into the two I’d wanted most to avoid.

If I’d known the man I’d met in the marketplace was a Randalin, I’d have run in the other direction.

He’d probably realized that.

Which made me suspect that he might not have been suffering from memory loss after the attack and hadpretendedamnesia, withholding his full name on purpose.

Why had he even been there that day? And dressed like a pauper? It made no sense.

I had no intention of sticking around to ask him, but he bowed and held out his hand.

“My esteem shines upon you, my lady. May I have the honor of this dance?”

Wonderful.

Refusing a dance with the Crown Prince was probably frowned upon, to say the least.

Pharis narrowed his gaze, pinning his brother with a glare and tucking my hand more firmly against his bicep.

“You asked me to help you, if you’llremember—and I’m trying,” he said. “She’snotthe one.”

Stellon grinned at him. “It seems our sister was wrong. We’re not so different after all. Were you two about to dance? Or take refreshment?”

Pharis looked down at the floor then over at me, a questioning expression raising his eyebrows and his jaw shifting. He waited a long time to answer.

“No. But—”

Turning his gaze to me, Prince Stellon said, “Shall we?”

Inhaling deeply, I pried my hand away from Pharis, with whom I didn’t want to stay, and placed it in the hand of Stellon, with whom I didn’t want to go.

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