16
A fter the fitting and breakfast, I went to the common room to read a romance novel I found in the Huntington’s library. It was undoubtedly Isabelle’s, about a princess who ran away from her marriage to find true love with a stablehand. I found it rather vapid—no princess in her right mind would abandon her kingdom for a simpering stable boy—but I was hooked nonetheless. I had just gotten to the part where they were discovered by a palace maid when Giselle knocked on my door, informing me that the ball was about to commence.
I left the book begrudgingly. Before long, I was dressed in the finished purple gown and escorted to the entrance of the abbey’s ballroom where Ulysses and Crown Prince Bennett waited. Murmurs of conversation and warm candlelight streamed through the archway, a taste of what was to come. My heartbeat quickened.
“Several illustrious families from Coriva are present this evening, some of whom have made their distaste known about the kingdom’s recent changes,” Ulysses murmured, removing several folded papers from his waistcoat. The ball’s guest list. “To them we must pay extra attention. They have as much of a hold on Coriva as Corivians themselves.” He read off a list of names. Interestingly enough, my former fiancé was included. “And that is why, Lady Narcissa, you above all must make an impeccable impression tonight.”
I dipped my head. “I will certainly try my best.”
Impressing high society was second nature to me. But being Mother’s daughter, which was once a merit, was now a disadvantage. There was Father, of course. But being born out of wedlock was no merit either.
“Lady Narcissa?” Crown Prince Bennett’s voice broke through my increasingly frantic thoughts. I looked down at the crook of his arm, which he had offered to me. It was clad in the same velvet as my dress.
His face, though expressionless as always, was almost reassuring. It reminded me that I still had an identity—the future crown princess. I was not just a friendless girl who talked to animals. Not just a traitor’s daughter.
I exhaled and took his arm, and together we entered the sparkling splendor of the ballroom. Isabelle had certainly outdone herself with the decor. Crystals dripped from the ceiling like hail that had frozen in time—an eye-catching display. But the guests’ attention was on us. I dropped my gaze to the marble tiles. Fortunately, the crown prince was a steady guide. I didn’t have to look up until Lady Huntington and Isabelle approached.
“Welcome, Your Highness! I hope you enjoy yourself tonight,” Lady Huntington said, inclining her head. The large ostrich feather in her updo teetered dangerously.
“Certainly,” the crown prince said .
“Allow me to introduce our guest from yesterday.” Lady Huntington gestured to a gentleman I hadn’t noticed before. He looked about Maddox’s age, with bronze skin, dark hair, and a shadow of stubble along the hard curve of his jaw. The last time I saw him he was scrawnier. “This is Mr. Dominic Turner, son of General Killian Turner. Your Highness is familiar with the general, I’m sure?”
Crown Prince Bennett dipped his head. “An honor to meet you, Mr. Turner. Your father has done a great deal for Olderea.”
“As proud as I am of my father’s accomplishments, you have done a great deal more, Your Highness. The honor is all mine.” Dominic Turner bowed with a flourish. When he straightened, he fixed his brown-eyed gaze on me. “Lady Narcissa Whittington.”
It took everything in me not to flinch at the name. “It’s Greenwood now, Mr. Turner.”
“Ah, apologies. But by all means, call me Dominic,” he said, flashing a grin. “I always thought Mr. Turner sounded senile.”
Isabelle giggled, fluttering a lace fan under her nose. “Don’t be silly, Dominic. It’s only proper for everyone to address you so.”
“How can I ever be proper with you around, Izzy?”
This garnered a blush from Isabelle, who hid behind her fan.
Dominic returned his attention to me and the crown prince. “Forgive me, I do love joking with old friends. Rules of society seem to be lax these days anyhow, with the newcomers .”
I frowned when he threw me a wink. If the general shared his son’s opinions, he didn’t show it. But there was no doubt Dominic Turner disliked witchkind. It seemed that he had grown into a shameless flirt too, which wasn’t surprising. He had been rather vain in his youth. But whatever hid beneath his charms was more cause for concern.
The string quartet began playing a light air. Isabelle perked up at the music and looked over at Dominic. Had her feelings changed so quickly in the span of a day? Only this morning she had sent a snake to my room.
“Your Highness, would you mind if I steal Lady Narcissa for the first dance?” Dominic asked. Isabelle deflated.
Crown Prince Bennett lowered his arm. “If she has no objections.”
My fingers tightened around his wrist. What was he saying? It was customary for engaged couples to have the first dance with each other.
The crown prince gave me a questioning look. Horsefeathers. He expected me to accept. Ulysses did say I was supposed to make a good impression on all the guests above all else .
I released his wrist, albeit reluctantly. His skin was comfortingly warm through my gloves, unlike my clammy fingers. The exchange went mostly unnoticed thanks to the volume of my skirts.
“Not at all.” I accepted Dominic’s hand.
Lady Huntington said something about refreshments and led a pouting Isabelle away. The crown prince stood alone for a moment before he was bombarded with guests. I was forced to give my full attention to Dominic, who had led me to the dance floor and taken the liberty of holding me closer than needed.
“It has been too long, Narcissa,” Dominic murmured. He was a rather inflexible dancer, jerking me through the steps. “You have grown more beautiful than I could have imagined.”
I narrowed my eyes at his familiarity. “ Lady Narcissa, Mr. Turner. I do not believe we are friends.”
He grinned. “No. We were something more at one point. Do you remember the strolls we used to take around my father’s estate?” he asked lightly. “You always preferred that spot near the hedges, though I didn't have your sensibility to see any beauty in it.”
I doubt he remembered the flourishing daffodils lining the path when he tried to steal a kiss from me behind those hedges. Nor the stinging slap I had given him afterward, it seemed.
“That is in the past,” I said stiffly.
“So it is.” He gave me an assessing stare. “I must admit, Lady Narcissa, the events of the last Season intrigue me greatly. I would have never expected you to be one of them .”
A witch, he meant. I looked past his shoulder so I wouldn’t have to meet his prying gaze. “I do not want to speak about that, Mr. Turner. It brings back painful memories. ”
Brutal honesty did not seem to work on him as it did on Isabelle.
“Of course. But you are not like those others. You’re refined. Elegant,” Dominic said. The last word sounded like a caress.
Revolting.
“I suppose that is why King Maximus chose you instead of any old witch girl,” he continued, giving me a sweeping look that was far too bold for my comfort.
My silence did not deter him.
“Take for example, that seamstress. Pretty, but rude.”
I flicked my eyes to him. “How do you know Giselle?”
Dominic shrugged and smiled. The combination would have disarmed anyone else. “Bumped into her this morning. She gave me a tongue-lashing, that one. I’m sure you would have treated me better.”
I ignored his wink. “What are you saying, Mr. Turner?”
He raised his brows at my curt tone, perhaps realizing that I would not melt into a puddle at his feet like Isabelle. He leaned forward so his breath tickled my ear. “That you aren’t a witch. Not at all.”
I laughed.
Dominic drew away. “You laugh because I’m right. They say you have a way with animals, but you do not.”
“How could you possibly know that?” I asked, curious at how he could make that ridiculous claim with such confidence.
“You screamed this morning. At the snake.” A self-satisfied smirk spread over his face as I processed the information.
The scream was Flannery’s, but it was certainly high enough to have been mistaken for mine. Isabelle hadn’t sent the snake. Dominic had. But why ?
“You mean to say you drew your conclusion at an unidentified scream?” I said coldly.
He merely dipped his head.
I narrowed my eyes. His stupidity and boldness combined was appalling. “You overstep your boundaries, sir. Are you not afraid by confessing to me, I will tell the crown prince? And thereby King Maximus?”
Dominic chuckled. “Surely they don’t expect the whole kingdom to believe they want the future queen to be a witch,” he said, spitting out the last word. “This tour is but a show, is it not, Lady Narcissa? To silence those who have a right to complain?”
“Your words are starting to sound treasonous,” I said as he let me go for a spin.
He reeled me back in with more force than necessary. “You are but a pawn in their game, Narcissa,” Dominic said softly. His expression was hungry. “It’s not too late to leave all this. Don’t you see how the crown prince treats you? He didn’t even want you for the first dance. Perhaps he doesn’t want you at all. You’re untrustworthy after what happened last summer—no one will have you except me. I can take you away and make it seem like an accident.”
I tightened my grip on his hand. His knuckles cracked under the pressure. “Is that a threat, Mr. Turner?” I had the satisfaction of seeing him wince.
“No. Merely an offer,” Dominic said with a pained smile.
The song ended. On the last step, I dug my heel hard into the toe of his boot. He yelped.
“Apologies,” I said, brandishing a low curtsy. My velvet skirts flared out onto the marble. “Perhaps I’m not as refined and elegant as you think.”
I swept off and adjusted my gloves, shuddering. Dominic was as insolent as ever. The way he looked at me made my skin crawl. I thought back to this morning with newfound unease. Had he been there in the hallway, hiding and waiting for a reaction?
I didn’t have time to dwell on it further as several guests approached me with greetings. I pasted on a smile and engaged in the pleasantries, though I wanted nothing more than to retreat to my room after being leered at and jostled around the dance floor. The night passed making mindless conversation with different families. Some looked wary, but most others seemed charmed enough.
The grandfather clock chimed ten when Ulysses found me sipping a glass of champagne near the refreshments table.
“Heavens, Lady Narcissa! Where have you been all this time?”
I squinted up at the steward. A sheen of sweat peppered his brow despite the cold. “Talking with the guests. Did you not want me to make a good impression?”
“I meant with His Highness, not alone!” Ulysses polished his spectacles on his waistcoat and put them on, perhaps so he could glare at me better. “Have you at least danced with him?”
I shook my head. “Couldn’t find him,” I mumbled, looking down at my champagne. Was it my second or third?
Ulysses slumped onto the seat next to me. “Horsefeathers,” he said, taking a glass of champagne for himself. “I’m worried His Highness doesn’t like you very much.”
Giselle, Isabelle, Dominic, and now Ulysses. I gave a dry laugh. “Is it that obvious?”
Ulysses shifted and pulled yet another piece of paper from his waistcoat. This time it was a newspaper clipping. I recognized the column: Sister Scarlett’s Scandals . It was the biggest gossip column in the post, started by a former nun. I took the clipping from Ulysses, who downed his champagne in one swig.
Olderea’s Future Queen: A Traitor?
Shock rolled over the kingdom on the twenty-seventh of December when His Majesty King Maximus Median announced the engagement of Crown Prince Bennett and Lady Narcissa Greenwood (formerly known as Lady Narcissa Whittington). The couple is now touring the kingdom in celebration, their first public appearance at Delibera’s Witch Market. As of now, the procession is residing in Coriva at Lord Frederick’s Huntington Abbey.
Though the crown prince and his betrothed make an elegant pair, it becomes increasingly clear that this union is not one of love, but of politics. The increase of riots due to magic-related issues has left Olderea confused and on edge. The crown prince’s marriage may be a means to distract the people from the glaring issues at hand, though a poor one at that. It only raises another question: Why Lady Narcissa?
The events of the last Season are no secret. Duchess Wilhelmina Whittington was imprisoned after being unmasked as a traitor, but her daughter was allowed to roam free despite taking equal part in her treasonous acts. Is it possible Crown Prince Bennett had tender feelings for Lady Narcissa and prevented her from suffering the same fate?
However, one of our anonymous sources (a young lady who claims to be close to the traitor’s daughter) says otherwise.
“His Highness refused to ride in the same carriage with her,” our source says. “He was on horseback from the palace all the way to Huntington Abbey—a five-hour ride in the blistering cold!”
It is fortunate that Crown Prince Bennett possesses a muscular physique, for no ordinary pair of thighs could handle such strain. But what could drive His Highness to endure such icy hardship, if not a burning hatred for his new fiancée?
The words began to blur together. I closed my eyes briefly, having no wish to read further about Crown Prince Bennett’s muscular thighs or all the reasons he hated me.
“I didn’t know you read Sister Scarlett, Ulysses,” I teased, my words slurring.
He frowned. “It’s my job to read everything, milady,” he said, taking the clipping back. “I have the utmost faith in you. That faith has only strengthened when I saw how you handled the produce shop. You are meant to lead.”
I looked away. I had used Mother’s methods. Now Ulysses was giving me Mother’s praise.
“The only thing left is to stop rumors like these,” he said, shaking the clipping before tucking it back into his waistcoat. “His Majesty will not be pleased if they end up on his desk.”
“Are they really rumors, Ulysses? Or are they the truth?”
Rumors were that the crown prince preferred cats. Sister Scarlett was not wrong. I finished the rest of the champagne in my glass, relishing the bite as it ran down my throat. I reached for another, but Ulysses blocked me.
“Rumors,” he said firmly. “Milady, you must try harder. We set off for Vandil tomorrow. It will be a fresh start.”
I hadn’t even won the crown prince’s trust. Now I was supposed to win his heart? Not only that, I would have to convince the entire kingdom of the feat. I squinted at my empty glass. The surface felt like ice.
“There are only two things a woman needs to ensnare a man, Ulysses,” I said, recalling something Mother once told me. “Beauty and wealth. Therefore, I have done all I can. Why don’t you tell His Highness to try harder?”
I got up before he could reply. Lady Huntington was by the exit, saying goodbyes to the departing guests. I slipped past her into the hall and turned the corner, crashing into something solid.
Warm hands steadied me.
Crown Prince Bennett held my shoulders, frowning. No doubt I was flushed from the champagne.
“Lady Narcissa, are you alright? ”
I giggled at the irony. Why did he bother asking? He left me to dance with the slimiest man in the room and didn’t come looking for me the entire night.
The crown prince repeated his question.
“Perfectly well, Your Highness, ” I said. I pushed his hands off my shoulders, surprised at the cold in their absence.
He stared at me. It felt like an eternity. An errant thought crossed my mind. In the romance book I was reading, the stablehand had fallen in love with the princess by staring at her. Was that all it took? A good, long stare?
“You have, um...” Crown Prince Bennett gestured vaguely to his chin.
I wiped a hand over mine. Berry red rouge stained my fingertips.
Lovely. As if this night couldn’t get any worse.
“I want to go to sleep,” I declared.
He regarded me for a moment before stepping back. “Of course. We are setting off early tomorrow.”
“You might want to...” I paused and hiccuped. “Stretch your thighs. Good night.”
Crown Prince Bennett let me pass without a word.
Serena helped me to bed when I returned to my room. I locked the door when she left in case Dominic decided to test me again.
With my room secure, I let sleep take me.