Page 82 of A Song of Shadow and Starlight

"This man tried to attack me!" I nod my head toward the man in the force field, but when the brothers look at him, they relax, lowering their weapons.

"Hardly," the man smirks. "Who is your lovely friend, Atlas?"

"You know him?" My eyes dart to Atlas for confirmation. He fingers through his disheveled locks, irritation clear in his features.

"This is our cousin."

I glare at the fire wielder and watch him tip an invisible hat my way. "There are more of you?"

"I see you're speechless by how good looking our family is," Nyx wiggles his eyebrows playfully.

"Prince Ronan, at your service, my lady," the intruder introduces himself and my mouth drops.

"Prince?"

"You now know who I am," Ronan says, "But who are you, Miss…?"

"Ilaria Shaye Kitarni, Princess of Midori." Atlas' formal introduction shocks his cousin.

"Does my father know she's here?" Ronan is wide-eyed, before he flicks his hands around him. "And can you release me please? I'm certainly no threat to you now."

"Right," I drop the shield. "Sorry."

Ronan smiles at me, and I can finally see the family resemblance. He has dark hair that rests just above his shoulders and three-day old stubble. Half of his hair is pulled behind him in a messy bun. He has the same bronze skin, but instead of having green or hazel eyes like the brothers, he has dreamy, dark brown eyes. Slowly, he rises to his feet, and he's just about the same height as Atlas, Nyx being taller than them by an inch or two. I thought the Harland brothers were attractive, but seeing Prince Ronan standing beside them is overload.

"Don't be sorry," Ronan shakes his head, those dazzling eyes fixed on me. "It's not often someone gets the drop on me." He gently lifts my fingers to his lips and presses a kiss against the back of my hand. "You are far more stunning than the rumors give you credit. In fact, none of them seem to have you pegged at all. I've only heard of your dark hair and dark eyes."

"I used to have dark hair and dark eyes." I retrieve my hand from his, feeling the brothers watching us intently. "I'm still adjusting to my new look."

"Atlas, is this your idea of a disguise?" Ronan laughs and Atlas rolls his eyes, leaning against the fireplace mantle, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Atlas asks, and I fight the urge to stare at how low his pants hang on his hips.

"I had one too many drinks atPrue's."

"Who is Prue?" I whisper to Nyx.

"Prue'sis a bar not far from here. We go there on occasion. Good food, great company, and there's never a shortage of drinks and dancing."

"I wanted to sleep it off before returning to good ole father for some meeting he insists I attend in the morning." Ronan continues, but then something sparks in his hazy eyes, and he turns back to me. "I'm just now realizing that the meeting must be with you." Dusting invisible dirt from his clothing, he smirks, flirtation flashing across his face. "So, am I bunking with you tonight, Princess? I'm told I'm an excellent cuddler."

"You can take the couch in the library," Atlas shatters the prince's attempts at weaseling his way into my bed. "Sleep off your drunkenness alone."

Ronan barks out a laugh, slamming a hand down on Atlas' shoulder. "You'd really force the Crown Prince of Tronovia to sleep on your couch?"

"No," Atlas removes Ronan's hand, "but I would force my inebriated cousin to. Especially when he sneaks through a window instead of using the key like a normal person."

Ronan glances at the open window behind him, before fiddling in his pant pockets, and finds the key in question. Smacking a palm to his forehead, he shakes his head with a grin. "Fine. You win this round. But you won't be able to keep me from this delicious creature come morning." He bows and I take a step back. "Goodnight, my lady. Dream of me, as I shall dream of you."

Nyx slips his hands over Ronan's shoulders and leads him toward the door. "Alright, lover boy, let's scrounge up a pillow and blanket for you. Maybe a mint, or five, while we're at it." Nyx winks at me as he ushers his swaying cousin out.

I didn't see Finn leaning lazily in the threshold until now. His hair isn't pulled back and he's missing his glasses. He looks like an entirely different person. He silently bobs his head at me, before slipping out behind the other two.

"I'm sorry about Ronan," Atlas says and I look his way. "He's not normally this…"

"Flirtatious?"

"Oh, he's always flirtatious. It's just cringey when he's flirting while drunk."

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