I pivoted on my heel, turning toward the crowd.
A musician faltered, his fingers stumbling over the strings. The jarring note sent another toppling backward, his chair saved from collapse by a quick-handed companion. Gasps rippled across the expanse, colliding with the awkward shuffle of instruments as the ensemble scrambled to regain their rhythm.
Heat scorched my ears, but something deeper, hotter, burned within. Fury kindled beneath my skin, propelling me as my gaze swept the room. I searched for Tallon’s mocking green eyes.
Instead, I met blue.
Kallias stared back, his rage tangible, a roaring inferno that made my own anger feel like a matchstick’s flicker. His head and shoulders rose above the sea of faces, his clenched jaw and storm-darkened eyes unmasking him completely.
Tallon emerged from the throng, standing just beyond the last step, his hand extended as if welcoming me to my own humiliation. A smirk tugged at his lips, the gesture almost boyish, ruined by the stray lock of hair falling against his brow.
The dress was a message—a statement meant to disgrace me.
So I’d wear it like a crown.
A cocky grin stretched across my face, false confidence masking the simmering fury beneath. I prowled down the steps, each stride calculated, hips swaying with defiance. Let them stare—feast their eyes. If Tallon wanted a spectacle, I’d give him one they’d never forget.
At the base of the stairs, I paused, tilting my head as I met Tallon’s outstretched hand with a raised brow.
“This is your grand reception?” My voice cut through the air, pointed with mockery. “I expected better.”
His smirk faltered for a heartbeat before venom glinted in his eyes. He withdrew and gestured toward the towering stranger at his side.
“Allow me to introduce Egath,future bride,” Tallon said, voice clipped. “Egath, meet Nienna.”
The man was tall. Even with my boots giving me height, I was a head shorter. At first glance, he seemed ordinary—dark hair, emerald eyes like Tallon’s, nothing menacing. Then he smiled.
My blood ran cold.
His teeth were razor-sharp, filed to points that gleamed like ivory daggers under the chandeliers. He held his hand out—a shark stalking its prey.
“The pleasure is mine, Princess Nienna,” he said, voice smooth.
How he spoke so clearly with a mouthful of daggers remained a mystery, one I didn’t care to solve.
I refused to flinch. “The Dragon’s Heart,” I stated, extending my hand with regal detachment.
He took it, grip firm, eyes predatory. He lifted my palm to his lips, the brief touch deliberate. His gaze fixed on mine, his expression amused and calculating.
“Ah, yes. The dragons.” His voice oozed mockery, the grin spreading wide, grotesque in its indulgence. “When do they arrive again?”
I fought the urge to wipe my hand against my skirts. “When I need them.” I spun on my heel, eyes scanning the hushed crowd. “Where are the drinks,husband to be?”
That was just the start. The night dragged on, each minute heavier than the last. My feet screamed in protest, my throat dry as dust, and no amount of wineeased the burn. I avoided food, afraid my nerves would betray me. I wore a mask of bravado, pretending to be cocky, confident—Tallon’s equal.
But Kallias remained a constant presence. He worked the crowd like a dragon, always in sight, ever within earshot. From the corner of my eye, I caught his gaze sliding over my transparent dress. He lingered on the curves of my body, eyes tracing upward in a slow, deliberate motion, a gesture that stoked the fire behind my façade.
I stood before the nobles and dignitaries, drawing strength from the weight of his gaze. My voice held steady, distant, as if anchored by his watchful presence. He was listening to every word.
Then, the exhaustion hit. It swept over like a storm, dousing the last embers of my resolve. The energy drained from my limbs, leaving me hollow, and my mask faltered. No one dared approach me—not even Tallon, who kept his distance more often than not.
Fyrn avoided me too, likely ashamed of my choice of dress—and ignorant of the fact that the prince selected it.
I slipped into the quiet corridors, my frustration mounting, and leveled a sharp glare at my guards. “I don’t have the energy to escape tonight. Leave me be.”
Of course, they refused.
For once, I didn’t try to evade them. I found a secluded hall, sank to the carpet, and tugged off my boots. Relief flooded through me as I massaged my aching feet. After a moment, I continued on, padding barefoot down the corridor.
