Page 106 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 1
I'm about to protest that he isn't my prince, but I'm not entirely sure that's true.
I reach up to touch the spot where he bit me. I know no one is going to be able to sense it, but to me, it feels like it changed something between us. But that's a good thing.
SEVENTEEN
The ballroom is laid out much the same way as it was on my Golden Moon, with a long banquet table full of food on one side, and people dancing on the other. I hope it isn't an omen of what's to come.
Lord Fallmartin notices my arrival and nods his approval, but makes no indication that he wants to see me. I take it as proof that what Bella said is true. He just wants to make sure I'm here.
I look around the rest of the room, unsurprised to discover it's easier to work out who is who now we're inside. Perhaps it's because everyone has started to socialise with the people they're normally seen with, so the connections are easier to make sense of.
Or maybe it's just because I'm not distracted because of how close Linc is.
My gaze lands on him and he immediately makes his way over when he spots me in return, making me feel somewhat more shy than normal.
"Lady Beatrice," he says, doing an elaborate bow.
I stifle a laugh. "Your Highness."
"Would you like to dance?" he asks.
I nod, putting my hand on his so he can draw me onto the dance floor. There are others around us, but we ignore them.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, his voice low and full of genuine concern.
"A little embarrassed that my cousin caught us," I admit, my cheeks turning red in response.
He bows to me, and I curtsy back, moving into hold once we're done. His hand on my waist feels different now, but that's probably just my imagination. "Other than that?" he asks, searching my face with concern in his eyes.
"I'm good." I smile at him. "Are you?"
"Yes." He turns me with the dance so my back is against his chest. I don't think we're supposed to touch according to the rules of the dance floor, but I still lean back into him.
"I'd rather be back there than here," I murmur. "Though maybe without any interruptions."
He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. "Next time we'll make sure we're properly alone. Preferably somewhere that has a lock on the door."
I pull away from him so I can do the next part of the dance, trailing my hand over his chest until I'm standing beside him, each of us facing a different way. I'm glad Lord Fallmartin has paid for extra dance lessons for me and Bastian, because otherwise, I'd never be able to keep up with these steps.
Though I suspect it also helps that Linc is a good dancer himself.
He catches hold of my hand and spins me under his arm, until we're in the final position of the dance.
I step back and dip into a curtsy, smiling the whole time. Dancing with Linc is entirely different now it doesn't matter who sees us together. Or, more accurately, now that I know it's encouraged for people to see us. And now our betrothal has been announced, it seems like a lot of the other men at court have been discouraged from asking me to dance, meaning that I get to spend more time with him.
Linc offers me his arm and we make our way over to one of the banquet tables for something to drink. For a moment, I worry about Linc and the wine, but he immediately goes for one of the glasses of water. My heart fills with hope for him. I know it isn't always going to be as easy as this for him to manage his dependence, but I'm proud of how he's doing.
I reach up and put a hand on his arm, but don't say anything. He knows how I feel about what he's trying to do, and how important it is for me to support him.
His demeanour changes as he looks behind me, though it's not entirely uncomfortable, suggesting that whoever it is he's seen isn't a foe.
I turn to find Marcus beside us. "Marcus," I say brightly.
"Beatrice," he responds. "Brother." His lips curl up into a smile as he says the word.
"You could have saved us a lot of time by addressing him like that, you know," I say.
Marcus chuckles. "So I've heard. It certainly explains a few things."
