Page 13 of The Masked Princess

“It’s too risky. My curse⁠—”

“Is not a concern. Even if you hadn’t covered yourself so fully, I’ve taken precautions of my own.” He lifted a hand, and this time Annalise registered the gloves that extended well past his wrist and under the sleeves of his coat. Speechless, she looked into his face, and his tender smile almost melted her heart. “As you see, I came prepared. So, Princess Annalise, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?” He held out his hand, palm up, as if asking her for a blessing.

She nodded, and with trembling fingers, placed her hand in his.

As the musicians began to play, he drew her to an open spot on the floor. The music was slow and ethereal, a dance more suitable for two partners than a group round or reel. As Soren slid his arm around her waist, Annalise looked past his shoulder to the lead musician who made eye contact with her and nodded, the smallest hint of a grin on his normally taciturn face.

“Already planning your escape, Princess?” Soren asked.

When she looked at him, Annalise almost forgot how to breathe at how handsome he was. Several strands of his hair had fallen over his forehead, giving him a rather roguish look that was accentuated by his strong jaw and thick eyebrows.

“If I am to call you Soren, it’s only fair if you call me Annalise,” she said.

His eyebrow quirked, then smoothed, and he shook his head. “You are the princess and I am merely a lowly captain. I would never presume such familiarity.”

“You said earlier that you’d rather be addressed as captain instead of lord. Is there a reason you prefer the lesser title?”

“I would simply prefer to be known for my achievements than my heritage. Seems a waste to be gone for so long and not get something special out of it.”

“One could argue that ‘Lord’ is a more distinguished title. As far as I’m aware, there are many more captains in Dovea than there are lords.”

He chuckled as he swung her to the side. “But how many captain-lords are there? I’d wager not many.”

Annalise moved with him, perfectly in sync. It had been so long since she’d last danced with a partner she feared she’d forgotten the steps, but somehow, dancing with him felt as easy as breathing. “Perhaps I’ll call you Lord Captain Kierson to ease any confusion. I should double-check with our Master of Ceremonies to make sure I’m not committing a faux pas by addressing you in such a way. With my luck, the proper address will be something like Captain Lord Soren Kierson. It’s quite a mouthful, but for propriety’s sake, I’ll manage.”

His laugh was low in her ear and made her want to laugh as well. “As I recall, I told you only a handful of minutes ago to call me simply Soren. You don’t need to stand on such formality with me.”

“Oh, but I do. What will the rest of the court think if they hear me taking liberties with you, Lord Captain Soren Kierson?”

“Whatever they want; it certainly doesn’t bother me. In fact, I hope you take as many liberties with me as you’d like, Crown Princess Annalise of Dovea.”

Annalise looked at him, then glanced away at the intensity in his eyes. She laughed softly to fill the silence. “Then it appears we are at an impasse, although I suppose I can compromise and call you Captain Soren. It isn’t proper at all, but at least you’ll get to keep the title you worked so hard for.”

“I don’t think that’s a fair compromise at all. Just call me Soren, Your Highness.”

“I will if you just call me Annalise.”

“Absolutely not, Princess.”

“I don’t see why it’s a problem—you certainly saw me with torn skirts, scrapes, and mud on my hair enough times when I was a young girl to warrant some familiarity.”

“Yes, but young girls grow up into beautiful ladies who deserve the full dignity of their title.”

She lifted her gaze to his. “Does the curse add to the value or cancel it out?”

“No curse can take away from your value of who you are.” His expression was so earnest she almost believed him.

Soren guided her through the steps of the dance, and something about his hand on her back and her hand in his felt nice, like it was where she belonged.

Annalise swallowed and broke their eye contact, focusing instead on his broad chest so she could breathe. “I am very interested in your time abroad. Will you tell me about it?”

“I fear that I have too many stories for one dance, but if you’d like, I can call on you tomorrow and tell you of my adventures.”

“That would be lovely. If you’re not too busy, that is.”

His eyebrows rose. “Busy? What would make you say that?”

“I’m sure after tonight you will find yourself quite inundated with invitations to dine and to walk and to ride. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took up most of your time for the next several weeks. You appear to be quite popular here already.”