Page 85 of Knightfall
But, suddenly, it was.
Abbas stared at me over Avia’s head. His black gaze trapped me for a moment, before Declan took my arm and tugged me away.
“May I escort you, Princess Avia?” Abbas spoke for the first time. His voice was smooth, musical.
Avia giggled.
Shite. Shite. Do we have to let him escort her, Quinn? He’s not even decent!
I watched Avia and Abbas walk down the steps. I had to wait for the room to clear before my two maids removed the ridiculous train from my dress so that I could walk unhampered. The crown, unfortunately, stayed. I felt like hurrying after Avia, propriety be damned, and wedging myself in between the two of them, like a little old lady chaperone.
When I arrived at the yellow salon, Lady Agatha had already begun the game. I nodded toward her.
The game of jingling was simple. One person was it. And they received a string of bells to place over their neck. Everyone else was blindfolded and attempted to catch the jingler. Whoever won got to wear the bells next.
Blindfolds were passed to my knights and myself. We all took them once Quinn reassured us he had several invisibles in the room near us keeping watch.
Right before I slid the strip of cloth over my eyes, I saw Abbas approach Lady Agatha and take the bells.
Shite. I should have picked a different game, I thought.
Have your men watch Avia.
I’ll head that way myself.Quinn gave my hand a squeeze and headed off.
I stood at the side of the room, listening to the jitters and giggles as bells rang and people ran into one another. I definitely heard two people nearby not stop at running into one another but begin locking lips.
I started to rethink my decision. But then I reminded myself, Abbas had the bells on himself. He couldn’t possibly kiss my sister without drawing a crowd to him.
A man’s hand caught mine. Instead of the apology and laugh I expected, the stranger remained silent. Lips touched my fingers.
“Ryan?” I breathed. He’d done that once before, in the practice yard.
But Ryan didn’t answer.
Isn’t he beside me? Where did he go? My mind worried.
Fear trickled down my spine as someone planted kisses on each of my fingertips.
“Who are you?” I whispered. But dread pooled in my limbs.
When one of my fingers was sucked into a warm mouth and caressed by a hot tongue, I whipped my blindfold off my head.
Abbas released my finger from his lips and smiled his wide, feral smile. He let the bells on his chest chime. “Why … Princess Bloss … you found me.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“That smarmy psychopath!” I raged, stomping around my room that night.
All four of my husbands had gathered to strategize, and it had been my first opportunity to fill them in on Abbas’ little prank. Other than Quinn, of course, who’d heard about it endlessly all afternoon in his head.
“He’s trying to goad you,” Declan shook his head.
“But why?” Ryan asked.
I stopped and pointed wildly at Ryan. “Yes. That! Why? Why antagonize me if he’s here for an alliance?”
“Maybe he doesn’t want the alliance,” Connor crossed his arms. “He did seem pretty self-satisfied all afternoon. I got a couple hints of intrigue from him. He was very interested in Quinn’s mental communication abilities.”
