Page 213 of Kneel Before Me

Daphne shrugged. “That’s because everybody else is scared of you.”

Maximus let out an incredulous bark of laughter. “They are not.”

“They are,” Daphne insisted. “And can you blame them?”

“Why would anyone be scared of me?” Maximus asked.

“Because you’re the prince.”

“That’s hardly a position that inspires fear. I’m fairly sure any villager could take me in a fight.”

Daphne was fairly sure of that too but opted not to say so. “They’re not physically scared of you.”

“Then what are they scared of?”

“Your power.”

“In that case, why aren’t you scared of me?”

Daphne shrugged. She had power of her own. “Should I be?”

“No.” He shook his head. “You shouldn’t.”

Daphne doubted that was true.

They watched the ballroom again, although this time the view was spinning slightly. Daphne didn’t care; the wine was soothing her in a way she needed to be soothed. Beside her, Maximus’s foot was tapping to the music. Before she could talk herself out of it, Daphne said, “Shall we dance?”

Without hesitation, Maximus extended his hand to her. Daphne looked down at his palm, not at all surprised that he’d given in so easily. She set her wine aside before taking his hand and following him onto the dance floor.

Maximus spun her out artfully before pulling her against him, moving to the music as if he was born to do so. He was an excellent dancer; she wondered if he’d taken lessons. His proximity combined with the wine was making her warm. Desperate for a distraction, Daphne cast her gaze around the ballroom.

Her eyes landed on Augustus, who was watching them with a scowl on his face. “Your father is staring at us,” she muttered.

“Is he?” Maximus turned them so he was facing the king. “I can’t imagine why.”

“You know exactly why. He doesn’t want you to dance with me.”

“My father doesn’t get to decide who I dance with.”

That much was ultimately clear. But it didn’t make the dark glances from Augustus any more pleasant. Before she could say anything else, Maximus spun her out again, pulled her close, and dipped her. There was a sudden rush of air, then utter stillness. Daphne stared up into his eyes, her head arched back, her neck exposed. Daphne had never considered Maximus a particularly strong person given his slim build, but now she felt the power in his body as he held her there, suspended, his face mere inches from hers. She remembered suddenly that they’d both been drinking, that she was unsteady on her feet, that there was an expanse of hard marble beneath her head.

“Don’t drop me,” she whispered.

Maximus held her steadily, his eyes on hers as he whispered back, “Never.”

An instant later, he pulled her upright. The room spun; the dip had taken her breath away. The music was changing, slowing into a romantic melody. Daphne wasn’t used to music like this. There was often singing in the village, but it was drunken songs at the Horseman accompanied by people banging on the tables. Nothing like these smooth, sensual notes on a piano.

“The music is beautiful,” Daphne said. She didn’t trust herself to say anything else.

“Do you play any instruments?”

Daphne shook her head. “Do you?”

“I play piano.”

That was a surprise to her. “Can you play something like this?”

The question was out before she could stop it. Maximus tilted his head, listening to the melody.