Page 25 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

He smiled. “You have no idea how much.”

* * *

Leah walkedoff the stage feeling as if she were stepping on clouds, a warm feeling in her heart, but when she saw her mother scowling, her stomach lurched.

Her father was also there, in an elegant white suit, and unlike her mother, he looked happy. He walked to Leah and hugged her. “That was beautiful.”

She felt emotional that he appreciated her magic. In a way, she had chosen to display her necromancy to honor him, and was glad that he understood.

Her mother shook her head. “She could have chosen a cute butterfly or something.”

“She showed her pride in being a necromancer,” her father said.

“She scared half the room.” Her mother snorted. “People will fear necromancers for years to come.”

“You know that won’t happen, Ursiana.” His voice was calm and his eyes kind.

One thing Leah liked about their parents was that there was always affection and respect between them, even when they disagreed.

Her mother shook her head and turned away. Leah then sat with her father and Kasim. She glanced at Fel, so far away, hoping he didn’t come and ask her to dance, as she’d be obliged to refuse. He did smile at her from a distance, which warmed her heart, but then he looked away, probably knowing he had to be discreet, and turned to his sister.

Oh, Naia looked so pretty! She was definitely the most beautiful girl in the ball, with her black hair down and dressed in a magnificent purple dress. As Leah admired Naia, her eyes met Fel’s again, and he winked at her. There was something playful and flirtatious about that gesture that sent a shiver down her spine. Plus, he was so outrageously good-looking she could barely believe the wink had been for her.

Still, this was so unfair. In books, the romantic couple danced all night long. Books. The ones her mother always told her not to read. And she and Fel weren’t even a couple. Yet. No, they wouldn’t be. Couldn’t. Shouldn’t. Oh, dreaded confusion.

At least the dead rat seemed to have worked after all, because only three princes asked her to dance. One was a wildbringer from Wildspring, the other a greenbringer from Haven, and the third, a prince from Ironhold. Very different from what she’d been expecting.

The wildbringer spent the whole time either telling her how beautiful she was, or gawking at her chest, making her feel uncomfortable. It was true that her neckline was low, but he had no right to look at her body like that, to look at her like that. She was counting the seconds for the song to stop and the torture to end.

The greenbringer spent the whole time boasting about his amazing hunting skills. No, she hadn’t asked about hunting and wasn’t the slightest interested in it, but he didn’t seem to notice. She figured he wouldn’t care if she were replaced by a wooden figure. But then, at least he wasn’t gawking at her, which was a big improvement.

The Ironhold prince had a pleasant smile and could actually carry a conversation. He also enjoyed reading, but wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about Rudolf the Mighty. At least he liked to play cards and board games, which she also enjoyed. Dancing with him was nice because she didn’t think he was interested in proposing. But that left her only two bleak marriage prospects, unless more princes decided to propose in the coming days, which she knew was unlikely.

And yet there was only one person in that ball that she wanted to spend time with, but she wasn’t supposed to even think about him. So unfair.

Leah wanted to listen to her mother, to listen to Kasim. She had kept an open mind, but still. Perhaps in normal circumstances it was easy to ignore the heart, but hers was banging on her chest—and screaming.

* * *

Naia had always thoughtthat a ball would make her excited, delighted, or some other amazing feeling. Instead, it was an odd kind of torture, as she became more and more aware of how much she stood out with her dress, and how much her family was cast apart. Nobody had spoken to them. Nobody had asked her to dance. Nobody even seemed to notice her.

Not that she wanted the attention of any prince—well, actually, she did want it; just some attention, not a marriage proposal or anything. She didn’t want River to see her cast aside like that—if he had even noticed her. If it had been him.

But of course she’d get no attention, considering her father was unlikely to allow anyone to dance with her. That was life.

Fel didn’t seem too bothered. As a prince, he could ask a noble to dance, but if he wanted to dance with a princess, he’d need to speak with her parents first, meaning that he’d breached decorum earlier. Not that he seemed to care. Well, why would he? In fact, quite a few princesses and nobles had been walking by their table, glancing at him.

Naia turned to her brother. “You’re making all the girls swoon tonight.”

“Yes.” He sounded annoyed. “And if I remove my gloves, I’ll make them faint.”

“Leah didn’t faint.”

“Of course not.” He smiled, his eyes brilliant.

Naia wanted to ask him what was going on, what had happened when they danced, but she feared breaking this fragile magic that was keeping him happy.

She wished she could feel the same. River, the person who looked like River, or her illusion, never returned to the ball. Could her mind be cracking?

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