Page 13 of Enchanted Heir
“Are you sure you are ready for tonight?” he asked, reaching out and trailing his hand from my shoulder down to my hand.
Not expecting his touch, a breath caught in my throat, but I didn’t flinch nor move away from him either.
“Well done,” he said softly.
“We are so in over our heads,” I said as I let out that breath. “No one is going to believe that you fell in love with me over night.”
He cocked his head. “But did I? Haven’t I flirted with you in front of my father before? Dismissed you before? Walked the room with you before? Taken a trip to Nerede with you? There have been little things they could’ve picked up on.”
“Good point.”
“And oh by the way,” Krew said as he crossed his arms. “I have not slept with a single woman in my Assemblage. Ever. And I have only kissed three the entire time. Two of those have already gone home.”
I just couldn’t help myself apparently. “Who was the third?”
“Jane,” he provided without hesitation.
I closed my eyes a moment. I liked Jane. I didn’t know her that well, but I didn’t want her to hate me for what she was about to see.
Krew rubbed his thumb still on my wrist back and forth. “You aren’t ruining her and I’s relationship either, Jorah. She kissed me once a few weeks ago. She was too kind for me to turn her down. I haven’t kissed her since. I haven’t taken a bit of this serious as I’ve always had one goal and one goal only with the Assemblages. And it wasn’t to find a wife.”
Okay. So we were doing this.He was also being more open and honest about things in his Assemblage than Keir had been in the seven weeks I’d been in his. But since I was another one of Krew’s spies now, maybe that was another perk of having switched. Better communication.
“Will Keir behave?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I hope so. But no matter what, you stick with me, love. And if he tries to corner you, you come get me. Right away.”
“Even if I have to interrupt you?” I remembered that was something that annoyed him from the night Renna and I purposefully tried to make him mad.
“Interrupt me all you want. Tonight is about selling this.”
I took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”
* * *
The stepsof the grand staircase had never felt so long, and my head had never felt so heavy to hold up. The hush of the room as I entered it was enough to get my heart racing. Here I was. Officially in Krew’s harem.
Owen had given me a pep talk yet I forgot every word of it as I hit the bottom stair. But if they were going to stare, at least I had a gorgeous gown on for them to gawk at.
The entire ballroom had a different feel. Tonight the princes, king, and all the guests were wearing all black. Everyone was wearing black except the Assemblage ladies. So the fact that I was in navy seemed to stick out more than it usually would. Granted navy was close to black, but the Assemblage gowns were the only color in the room so even navy seemed out of place.
I headed for my window of solace or my favorite server Rinaldi, whichever I found first. I considered asking for some champagne for my nerves but knew that tonight was not the night. Every bit of tonight needed to be clear and concise.
Renna found me before I made it to the window. “Love your gown.”
I smiled at her as I bumped her arm with mine. “Thank you. I do too. I have to confess, I am not used to matching you.”
She took a swig of her champagne and leaned in to whisper, “Just don’t go to the wrong line for the dancing.”
I laughed. “Well that would be awkward.” I looked up to see Molly at the stairs in her light blue gown. “We should go save her from the piranhas.”
But then Keir was there, at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her.
“No need.” Renna snapped her eyes to mine. “You good?”
I gave her a nod while taking a deep breath. “It’s going to be eventful, and it stings a little, but yes, I’m good. I know I made the right decision.”
“Good,” she said back.
