Page 12 of Enchanted Kingdom
“How do I shut it off?” I whispered to Ivy while trying not to fidget or draw any more unwanted attention to myself.
Ivy shook her head. “I don’t know but don’t, it’s lovely.”
A deep voice added, “So lovely I think it deserves a dance, don’t you?”
I turned to see another pair of blue eyes looking at me, this time more amused and less condescending.
“Prince Keiran,” he said, reaching out a hand for mine. “And I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Stunned for only a moment, I bowed quickly and gave him my hand which he took to brush a kiss upon. Underneath my hand, he tapped my palm with his finger lightly. Was this just the standard way he greeted all the candidates? I had no idea.
“Jorah Demir.” My voice sounded more breathless than I’d like to admit, but it wasn’t my fault he was more attractive up close.
He gestured with his head toward the middle of the dance floor. “Shall we?”
I hesitated. “If we must, Your Grace?” He was an Enchanted. I was about to bedancingwith an Enchanted. This was not at all going as planned.
His lips twitched. “Oh, we must.”
He led me to the dance floor, where I had apparently cut in front of a whole lineup of women because of the distraction from my dress.
“It truly is a lovely dress,” he stated as we got into proper dancing hold.
“I had no idea it lit up nor do I know how to shut it off,” I muttered quietly, making him laugh.
“Why have I not met you before now?”
I winced. “I’ve been distracted by the truffles.”
Rather than being offended or surprised, he just laughed again. “That’s a sound reason. They really are quite good.” After a moment he added, “Forgive me if I sound rude, but this dress is magnificent. I noticed it even before it lit up. We were given all your information before your arrival. You are from Nerede, are you not? Or do I remember wrong?”
I tried not to stiffen, feeling even more indignation stir within me. “Yes, my mother is best friends with our seamstress in Nerede. She is very talented. And I’m sure she did this just to spite me.”
His lips twitched again. “I agree. She is very talented. The wearer is as pleasant a surprise as the lights.”
Again, I felt my mouth was going to get me in trouble, but I blurted out, “A surprise because I’m not falling over my feet to get to you?”
He grinned. “Yes. There is that.”
I noticed that Prince Krewan was switching his partner, so Prince Keiran should be letting me go at any moment.
“Do you want to be here?” he asked me at almost a whisper.
Was this a trap? I decided I didn’t care. He was Enchanted. I was a baker. Honesty might get me killed, but I always believed it best.
“No,” I whispered back. “I have no interest in the crown, Your Grace. I am here because I have to be.”
His eyes met mine and I stopped breathing for a moment. He had asked, I had given him the truth. I really should have tried to be less rude with both princes, but at least they knew where I stood.
And having stood this close to both the crown princes now, I decided that Prince Keiran’s eyes were a shade brighter than Prince Krewan’s. The extra few inches of height also made him slightly leaner. He just seemed less... cruel. Or maybe just more alive. The queen had passed away years ago, but Prince Keiran must have taken after her more.
His voice was laced with kindness as he said softly, “That honestly only makes me more intrigued.”
My eyebrows came together quickly. “Shouldn’t you focus on a more strategic pairing anyway? Another Enchanted and not some barely educated woman from Nerede?”
He cocked his head, moving in closer to me. “You just don’t mess around, do you?” He paused while I winced. Then he grinned, and I was dazzled for a moment by his smile that seemed so genuine and light compared to his father’s. “Who’s to say this isn’t strategic?”
I kept dancing, shocked at his words, wondering what he meant. Did he mean the Assemblage as a whole or the two of us and this dance, specifically?
