Page 13 of Enchanted Kingdom
“You’re very good at this,” he complimented a few beats later. “Dancing.”
I smirked and answered that exactly how I would’ve for any other potential suitor I would have had in Nerede. “You are daft if you think women from Nerede can’t dance.” A stab of pain bounced off me as I remembered the man who had taught me how to dance like this, my father.
Prince Keiran tipped his head back to laugh. “Oh, Jorah Demir. You have been a bright spot in an otherwise exhausting evening.”
“Well, are you done now?” I asked quietly. “Prince Krewan has now been through three women. Please do not put an unnecessary target on my back.”
He took in my words but made no move to let me go. “And why shouldn’t you have a target on your back?”
“I’m here for the truffles, remember?”
He slowed us down but kept us in hold. “Are you afraid of magic, having never been around it your whole life?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely.”
He let go of me but brought my hand up to brush a kiss to it, again tapping my palm from underneath my hand. His eyes were on mine the entire time, and as soon as his lips left my hand he said, “Smart woman you are, Jorah Demir.”
With a bow, I walked off the dance floor thoroughly confused. He knew I didn’t want the crown. He had seemed... not at all like I thought. I was supposed to be avoiding both the crown princes, but instead I’d now had run-ins with both.
What had I done?
CHAPTER6
Ibarely made it off the dance floor and in the direction of the refreshments when I was intercepted.
“Hi, I’m Aiyana.”
She was smiling and seemed nice enough, but the way her eyes scanned me and watched my every move left me with an eerie feeling. She looked flawless in her bright blue gown, just one hue off from the royal color itself. And I was sure that was an intentional move.
“Jorah,” I gave her a winced smile and looked around, automatically scanning the sea of dresses for Ivy’s pink gown.
“You are from Nerede.”
It wasn’t a question, so what was there to say? I looked at her a moment and did not shy away from her, though I knew she was more than likely from Savaryn and also Enchanted. “I am.”
Now her smile turned cool. “So how did you manage to smugglethat,” she looked at my glowing gown, “into the castle? What a feat! How resourceful you must be.”
She sounded pleasant enough, but I saw it for what it truly was. Insults. Veiled insults. But two could play that game. I grinned. “There was no need to smuggle it, I just simply brought it with me.”
Her forehead creased. “But it glows?” she muttered more to herself than to me.
I feigned seriousness and reached a hand out to her, though I didn’t actually touch her. “Oh. Did you presume we have no electricity in Nerede? No basic skillsets? Nothing to offer our kingdom other than being charitable cases?”
Her face went completely slack while her glare matched her true intentions.
I pinned her with a sarcastic smile. “Have a good evening, Aiyana.”
I spun to leave and went to hide in the back of the room again. I kept having hostile run-ins with the Enchanted. At this point if I survived the night I would be surprised. I should be more careful, less rude to the Enchanted. But at the same time, this was the very type of people that had killed my father. I didn’tfeellike playing nice.
It wasn’t long until I was found again.
“Hello.”
I turned to see a light-brown haired woman who had to be barely eighteen.
“I’m Gwen. From Rallis.”
I sighed with relief. Finally someone I was sure wasn’t Enchanted. “I’m Jorah. Nerede.”
