Page 48 of Beacon

He heaved a relieved sigh as I hastily shook my head. Having assured himself as to my well-being, his soft expression faded into one that almost looked…hurt.

“Then what was that all about? You left our conversation so suddenly to go to him. Was I…boring you?” His voice sounded rather small.

I shook my head again.

“Then…were you upset I ignored you at dinner? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so flustered. Just because…you look…rather nice, I shouldn’t have—I’m sorry—”

I desperately tried to figure out how to explain the situation in a way that wouldn’t betray Prince Nolan’s secret that he was in love with a woman he might not be able to have. I searched the room for any inspiration and my gaze settled on the conniving noblewoman who’d previously been monopolizing Prince Nolan, now flirting shamelessly with Prince Jaron, who unlike the crown prince didn’t seem to begrudge the attention in the slightest.

I nodded towards her, gestured towards Prince Nolan, and pointed to my ring finger with a twisted expression. Rather than my pantomime reassuring him, it only caused him to deflate further.

“You were jealous of the noblewoman and didn’t want her and Nolan to form an attachment?”

I shook my head with a sigh and let my hands drop, suddenly exhausted with the effort I continuously expended to explain even the most simple of things. My defeated posture only seemed to cause Owen further distress.

“I’m sorry I failed to understand the first time, but please don’t feel bad. Can you repeat yourself so that I might try again?”

I reluctantly obeyed, and though he carefully considered each gesture, he still sighed.

“I’m afraid I still don’t understand. If you weren’t jealous, I can’t figure out why you’d want to interfere.”

He stiffened when I grazed his arm and motioned to him before nodding towards the noblewoman who’d attempted to snare the Lycerian crown prince. I rubbed my hands together with a conniving look before gesturing towards Prince Nolan and pulling a face. I supplied the final piece of the puzzle Owen needed by motioning to myself with my sign forhelp.

His eyes rounded. “Oh…was she trying to entrap him?”

Relieved he’d finally understood, I nodded.

“And…you wanted to help him?”

I nodded again. Prince Owen seemed relieved he’d finally solved the riddle, albeit still rather confused why I had any interest in aiding a man I didn’t know.

“That shouldn’t surprise me, not when your kind nature makes you eager to help others.” He hesitated. “So…you have no interest in Prince Nolan?” His question was rather shy.

His mood took an immediate turn for the better when I managed to communicate that no, I had no interest in the prince, an answer which caused his previous hostility towards the man to immediately become much more sympathetic.

“Poor bloke. Nothing is worse than a conniving woman trying to entrap you.” His gaze shifted towards the princess sitting on the far end of the room. “I find myself in a similar predicament; anyone would be averse to a match withher, considering how horrible she is.”

But his situation was different. Princess Lavena wasn’t trying to entrap him; she had no interest in him at all. I rested a hand on his arm. When I’d gotten his attention, I shook my head, gestured towards the princess, and traced my finger down my cheek to mimic a tear.

His eyes rounded. “What? She’s sad?”

He seemed baffled by the very idea, as if it’d never occurred to him that his foe might be struggling with any sort of pain. I nodded before tapping my heart and making a motion of breaking something in front of it.

“She’s had her heart broken?”

He sobered at my nod and glanced back towards the princess with an expression that was less hostile and more…empathetic.

“I didn’t realize…What happened?”

I shook my head and pressed a finger to my lips to indicate it was a secret. While he didn’t press the matter, I could tell he was thinking deeply about it. If the revelation could lead him to treat the princess with a bit more kindness, it would be some penance to the help she’d rendered me tonight in causing a strange shift between Owen and me.

Owen remained plastered to my side for the remainder of the evening, seeming not only happier than even his usual good cheer but taking no notice of anyone except for me. His attention felt different than it usually did…less pretending and more genuine, and I couldn’t quite account for the reason for a change…though by the princess’s calculating look, she seemed unsurprised, as if this was the outcome she’d expected from her assistance.

I couldn’t account for how something so simple had caused such a drastic shift. The prince wasn’t shallow enough to be so easily swayed by a simple change in my appearance. Could it be because my appearance had made me seem less like a friend and more like…a woman he could take interest in?

Though the thought pleased me, it also left me wary that the charade I found myself entangled in had suddenly become far more dangerous than before, considering the potential harm that could come to my heart should this scheme not go in the direction I now desperately hoped it would.

CHAPTER17

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