Page 74 of Disenchanted
“I have never heard anything but praise of Your Highness,” I lied.
Florian chuckled. “Oh, come now. I wager that Ryland has told you many less than flattering things about me. He is fond of regaling anyone who will listen with tales about how vain and arrogant I am. I am sorry to say it, but my younger brother has always been jealous of me. Unfortunately, you saw that for yourself. Look at the unreasonable way he flew at me just because I asked to dance with you. The poor boy has never been the same since his tragic encounter with the dragon.” Florian gave a heavy sigh. “I will admit Ryland may be right. I can be rather vain. I like to admire myself in the surface of a pond as I trot past. A hazardous occupation, I know. I might well fall out ofthe saddle, but my horse always slows down, because he likes to admire his reflection too. He is rather vain as well.”
Florian spoke solemnly enough, but when I glanced up at him, there was a teasing twinkle in his eye that coaxed a smile from me.
“Now there! I like that so much better than your serious face. Your smile is enchanting, but I suppose I should not compliment you on that either.”
“Unfortunately, Your Highness has already done so,” I pointed out. I added quickly, “Thank you. Your Highness is very kind.”
“I would find you much kinder if you would relax and stop saying Your Highness.”
I silently congratulated myself as I made it through the next twirl without tripping. “I can hardly call you Florian. That would be most improper and—” I stopped just short of adding that the king had probably enacted some sort of petty law against it.
The prince smiled. “I cannot blame you for not wanting to use my name. I have never liked it myself.”
“I positively loathe mine, but happily my family has always called me Ella.”
“Bella. Yes, I like that. It suits you.”
I realized that because of the noise in the ballroom, the prince had misheard me, but I did not trouble to correct him.
“Alas, my family has a nickname for me as well. My younger brothers are fond of calling me Florrie.”
“And you allow them to do that without cracking their heads?”
The prince looked startled and then he flung back his head and laughed. “I can see you possess a bit of a violent streak, Bella. I like that in a girl,” he murmured, drawing me a little closer.
Although I smiled, I experienced a twinge of unease. Florian was more amusing and charming than I had ever expected him to be. Too charming perhaps? There were moments when I caught a look of calculation in his eyes, as though he was assessing his impact on me.
I try to be fair when judging anyone. I was aware that much of my bad opinion of Florian originated from stories Ryland had told me in his guise as Harper. I no longer trusted Ryland. But I didn’t really trust Florian either. I strongly suspected that all these Helavalerian princes were well versed in the arts of charming deceit.
When the last strains of the waltz sounded, I suppressed a sigh of relief as I peeled myself from Florian’s embrace. He seemed reluctant to release me.
“I can see why my brother wanted to keep you all to himself,” Florian said. “But I must not be as selfish as Ryland. Alas, as the heir to throne, I am far too burdened by my sense of duty. I cannot neglect my other guests no matter how badly I yearn to remain at your side.” The prince bowed and raised my hand, looking intently into my eyes as he kissed my fingertips.
Any other girl in my position would have been thrilled by the gesture. I could only wonder how many times Florian had practiced it.
“Until we meet again, my lovely Bella,” he murmured.
Yes, when fairyland freezes over, I thought. I gave him a noncommittal smile, managing not to roll my eyes until after he had gone.
I wriggled my toes inside my slippers and winced. My comfortable dancing shoes had grown perhaps a little too well worn. They were more stretched and looser than I remembered. The left one was starting to rub a blister on my heel. I could have happily spent the rest of the ball not dancing with anyone unless it was Commander Crushington.
But the prince had hardly left my side when I was besieged by at least a dozen men clamoring to lead me into the next dance. Unfortunately, not one of them was the man I longed to see. Where was Horatio? He had intimated to me that his main reason for attending the ball was because I would be there. Had I disappointed him so much that he had left? That might be for the best. I had worried about my ability to slip away and steal the orb under his watchful gaze.
If he was gone, that might make my daunting task somewhat easier. But the thought that he might have given up on me and gone home caused my heart to sink. I gritted my teeth in a polite smile as I tried to fend off this pack of eager gentlemen. What I really wanted to do was seize one of the ornamental swords from the wall and drive them back.
Prince Florian had not exaggerated the effect his dancing with me would have. He might as well have taken the royal seal and stamped “approved” on my forehead. When I caught a glimpse of Amy, I saw that her dance with the prince had had a similar effect. The difference was that my sister was enjoying her surge of popularity.
I was dismayed to note that Amy appeared flushed with her success and far too animated. She swilled a glass of wine as if it was water, then flirted excessively, fluttering her fan at her court of admirers. Or rather I should say my fan. Amy had clearly been in my room, borrowing things without my permission again. I was far more concerned about her present behavior. She had removed the lace from her bodice, exposing an alarming amount of décolletage much to the delight of the twin princes, who were admiring the view.
The young princes crowded close to Amy. Dahl— or was it Dashiel— stealing his arm about her waist while the other twin whispered something into my sister’s ear that caused her to giggle loudly.
Where was Em? She usually chaperoned her daughters with great care. Why was my stepmother not doing something to curb Amy’s impetuous behavior? I looked around, but I could not find Imelda anywhere.
Escaping from my own pack of admirers, I headed in Amy’s direction. But I was too late. By the time I reached her, one of the twins had escorted her into the set forming for the next dance. I could hardly snatch my sister from the prince and drag her aside for a stern lecture without causing a scene.
I was so frustrated and distracted that I accepted an offer to dance without thinking. The man who claimed my hand was yet another of the royal brothers, the persistently cheerful Prince Kendrick. As he led me to find a place in one of the sets, I finally spotted Horatio. He had not gone home after all.
