Page 3 of Ruthless Scoundrel
He taps it with his own. “I’m sure. How long have you been sailing?”
I need to escape this squid ink encounter.
As if hearing my desperate thoughts, the band at the far end of the room starts playing.
“Ah, I love this one,” I say, despite not knowing any of the Fynish dances. I tip my head and down my drink, then move onto the dance floor.
These feet are so fucking unwieldy compared to tentacles or fins, but I lock my gaze on one man across from me and start to understand the cadence of the movements. I keep my eyes on his feet and mirror the dance moves until we’ve completed two full circuits.
The dance shifts and everyone comes together in groups of four. I manage to find my place and watch carefully as we circle one another, arms up and almost touching. Then I see her through our upraised hands. The princess is on the dance floor and the guards have stayed behind.
This could be my chance.
I sidle closer to the princess when we break apart, disrupting the dance floor a bit as I steal someone else’s position near her. We perform the solo motions again, Reina completely unaware of my attentive gaze as she laughs and twirls.
She looks so happy.
Guilt barrels through me like an arctic current, tightening my chest. I’m stealing her from happiness. She’s done nothing to hurt me, or my people. She’s innocent, only just come of age a year ago.
I can’t take her…
“Promise me.”My mother’s voice rings loudly.
Anything. I promised to doanythingto rescue my people.
The memory steels my resolve and I move into the circle with the princess, finally catching her gaze. Her eyes drift down my arm to my waist, then back up to my face. I smile at her, my most debonair grin, and she blushes.
Good.
I have her attention.
Now, to keep her away from the guard.
The song ends and I’m still close to her. I stride forward, my sailor’s uniform chafing under the arms and in the groin. Who the fuck would want to wearthis,I have no idea. I can’t wait to get back into loose clothes. Or better yet, nothing but the sea to caress me.
“Hello there,” I say, turning up my charm as far as I can manage. I’ve only spent ten years as a man, but I studied their behavior endlessly.
She turns, her tan skin glistening with a thin layer of sweat from the dance. “Hello. Who might you be?”
I give her a bow. “Jasper, my princess.”
“Myprincess,” she chuckles. “A little presumptuous, isn’t it?”
My grin widens. “Well, your older sister just wed my prince, bringing our countries closer together than ever. I believe I can call youmine, as it’s nearly true.”
Oh, how much truer it’ll be in a few minutes when she’s in enchanted chains on the boat to Illya with me.
She straightens, her face going shrewd. “Good evening, sir.”
Then she turns away, leaving me with a gaping mouth.
What did I do wrong?
Within a few steps she’s back under the protection of her numerous guards, who are—once again—staring at me like I’m prey.
Fuck.
I turn toward the banquet table and shake off my nerves. She rejected an innocent comment. Atruecomment. Perhaps she inferred something I didn’t intend. I’m still not aware of all my faux pas when using their language since Illyan was the first Ki’ah Ohn language I learned. Each one has their own dialects and turns of phrase.
