Page 53 of Kiss of Ice

“That’s easy. I have the perfect people for you to meet.”

He stopped, curious.

“Do they know you’re Salaq’s daughter?”

“Of course not. Didyouknow who I was before you met me?” She shrugged. “I’ve spent my life out of the limelight.”

“Well, I haven’t. I’m the Emperor. Surely people will recogniseme?”

“The nobility, for sure. But out in the slums, most of the pictures people have of you are fifty years old. We can throw some dirt on your face, mess up your hair, rub some tar on your teeth…”

“I think you’re enjoying this plan rather too much,” he said, eyes glinting.

“And to be honest, it’s not like they sit around all day poring slavishly over your image.”

“Shocking.”

“So you’ll do it?”

She waited for his answer.

“I’ll think about it.”

It wasn’t a yes. But it wasn’t a no either and she felt a flash of optimism. With a burst of energy she executed a perfect twirl.

“Oh.” She stopped suddenly and Kam caught her hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel so good. My head’s spinning.”

“You’ve had too much wine. Come here.”

He scooped her into his arms and she tensed.

“No, wait. I’m too heavy, you can’t…”

He huffed in exasperation.

“You’re not too heavy, Ren.”

Clouds of light swirled around his shoulders, morphing into wings. He leapt nimbly into the air and beat upwards steadily. The sound of the orchestra dropped away and the atmosphere became decidedly cooler.

“Is that better?”

Ren relaxed fractionally.

“It’s okay,” she admitted. “Better than the way you carried me before, anyway.”

Her head cleared a little in the night air and she studied him as he flew. His face was tilted upwards, exposing the strong column of his throat, and his skin had been turned to silver by the moonlight.

“What are you doing?” she asked abruptly. He looked down at her.

“I’m getting you some air.”

“No. I mean, why are you suddenly being a decent person?”

“Am I not allowed to be decent occasionally?”

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