Page 45 of The Royal Throne
“I guess I should thank you,” she said, wanting—needing—to get away from Rainer before she punched him.
“You can thank me tonight.” He smirked as he took a step back. “Oh, and Sabine? Show a little gratitude next time. You don’t need to act like a prissy Bakley bitch.” And with that, he returned to the balcony, rejoining his siblings and Evander.
Sabine practically ran out of the throne room, her heart pounding.
Out in the corridor, she found her guards waiting for her.
“Pardon me for saying this, but you look a little rattled,” Drew said as he came to walk alongside her. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, thank you.” She kept walking, thinking through everything Rainer had just revealed. He’d said that Kai had assured him his assassins wouldn’t touch Sabine. She knew Kai wasn’t in charge of any of the assassin guilds. Rainer probably had no idea how they even worked. So while the stipulation sounded good, it was an empty promise.
Entering a courtyard, Sabine ran her hand over one of the rose bushes, the soft petals caressing her skin. The thought of Evander marrying Lottie made her sick. It felt wrong. However, while she desperately wanted Lottie to pay for killing Alina, Sabine didn’t want to come across as a jilted lover just wanting to stop the wedding. If she had any hope of holding Lottie accountable, she’d have to handle the matter carefully. Delicately.
She meandered over to the water fountain and sat on the bench before it. Her priorities needed to be lined up. First and foremost, she needed to stop the war. Secondly, she’d seek retribution for Lottie’s crimes. Sabine needed to remember she was the queen of Lynk and was married to Rainer. Any and all thoughts of Evander had to be just that—thoughts. There was no future with the Avoni prince. If maintaining peace meant that she’d stand at Rainer’s side for the rest of her life to ensure the kingdoms carried on and followed the League of Rulers, she would. Because all that mattered were her people. Her heart, her desires, were so far down on her list of priorities that she couldn’t even consider them.
However, that didn’t stop the pain searing through her heart. It didn’t stop her eyes from filling with tears.
Chapter Eleven
“It looks like you have nothing on but diamonds,” Rainer said as he joined Sabine in the sitting room. “I’ve never seen anything like it—you’re stunning.” She stood still as he walked around her, examining her from all angles. “You’ll outshine everyone tonight.”
That was the goal. “Shall we go?” She headed for the door, not wanting to be alone with him in the royal suite.
Rainer took her arm, escorting her out into the hallway. He wore loose black pants and an open tunic, exposing his toned chest and stomach.
Sabine assumed they’d be going to the ballroom. However, Rainer led her to the other side of the palace, stopping before a large archway covered with flowers which opened to an enormous balcony. At least two hundred guests were present, some already dancing. A group of musicians was situated off to the side. The black marble flooring reflected the stars in the night sky, creating a magical effect.
“Your outfit matches perfectly,” Rainer said.
“This is breathtaking.” Sabine had never been to a ball outside on a balcony before.
The herald introduced the two of them and they passed beneath the archway, striding out onto the balcony, going straight to the middle of the dancing area for their traditional first dance. Everyone stepped back to watch the two of them.
Rainer took Sabine’s hand while his other one went to the small of her back. She placed her free hand on his shoulder. The music began, the song slow and inscrutable, somehow matching the mood of the night perfectly. Rainer kept his focus on Sabine, intense and unwavering. He spun her around, pulling her back to him, a little closer this time. The heat from his torso pressed against her bare stomach, feeling intimate. Scandalous. As the music slowed, coming to a close, Rainer leaned down, brushing his lips against Sabine’s. Her face flushed with embarrassment. Kissing wasn’t something people did in public. But she was in Lynk now so maybe it wasn’t frowned upon like it was in Bakley. The music ended, and the two of them stepped back from each other, turning to face the crowd.
Rainer invited the guests of honor to dance. Evander and Lottie came forward, arm in arm.
Sabine and Rainer stood off to the side, watching the two of them move around the dance floor. They made an odd couple. While Lottie looked beautiful in a lavender dress that only covered what was necessary, exposing large amounts of skin, her dark hair in soft waves along her back, she was at odds with Evander who donned a typical Avoni outfit—long sleeves and pants, both black with red stitching along the edges, covering almost every inch of his body. The only skin visible was that on his face. His hands were even covered with gloves. As the two of them danced, neither one spoke. Lottie smiled the entire time, looking at Evander from under her lashes, but his focus seemed to be somewhere over her head.
When the song came to an end, Rainer went to dance with his sister. After hesitating a moment, Sabine stepped forward, not sure if she should dance with Evander.
Not missing a beat, Evander strode to Sabine, holding out his hand to her. “May I please have this dance?”
Since those present were still watching the royal couples dance, she gave a single nod and slid her hand into his. Even though she couldn’t feel his skin, just touching him sent a jolt of heat up her arm and to her heart. She didn’t want to be so attracted to Evander, but she couldn’t help it. Her body had a mind of its own. Which was crazy because when she’d first met him, she hadn’t thought of him as handsome at all. It had happened slowly, over time, as she got to know him.
The music began again, another slow and emotionally moving song. They kept a respectable distance between them as they danced, though Sabine didn’t dare meet his green eyes. She didn’t trust her body to react appropriately.
“You look…” His voice trailed off, his lips barely moving as he spoke.
“I know it’s not Avoni fashion.” Like Bakley, his kingdom would consider her outfit highly inappropriate.
“No,” he cleared his throat, “it most certainly is not Avoni fashion.”
At that, she glanced up, making the terrible mistake of gazing into his dark green eyes. Her breath caught at the emotion she saw swirling in them. Want, appreciation, desire. Her skin felt like it was on fire. She quickly glanced away, trying to appear aloof as she focused on the people in attendance.
“You’ve been busy,” Evander said.
“What do you mean?”
