Chapter 12
Since arriving in Orntali, Kaid had hardly attended any parties and actually found that he didn’t miss them as much as he expected. With the wedding being about a week away, he’d been too distracted with planning, dance lessons, and dates to notice.
Kaid had been successful in skillfully avoiding Asta for almost a week now, aside from being in each other’s presence during meals and the dates that Asta was sent to chaperone. But she had kept her distance as well, not speaking a single word to him since that day on the beach.
Though his anger had simmered a bit now, Kaid found joy in making Asta live in her guilt.
She deserved it for a few more days. Then he would cave and speak to her again and they could return to their bickering, sign language lessons, and investigation.
He didn’t have much to hold against her since he hadn’t been dragged to the ocean or attacked by seafolk.
However, he did find it easier to concentrate on his dates with Maren since he distanced himself from her sister. He had even managed to coax a laugh out of the copper-haired princess, which was an amazing feat.
Kaid was feeling excited for the party tonight.
Though he wasn’t quite sure of the theme or reasoning for having a celebration the second week of autumn, he didn’t object.
The monotony of meetings, planning, and dates had started to feel quite boring, but this was his life now. Politics until he died.
Halsten stumbled into Kaid’s suite, smiling and holding up an amber bottle.
“Pre-party drink session?” The dark-haired man jostled the bottle and the liquid inside sloshed.
Kaid laughed and grabbed the bottle from him, taking a long swig.
The pair of men sauntered into the party fairly buzzed and ready to mingle.
Halsten approached Svanhild, which seemed like a poor decision, yet Kaid was curious to see how it would play out.
The untamed brunette with midnight blue eyes was probably the first woman to ever truly strike fear into Kaid.
The bad choice became evident when Svanhild slapped Halsten across his face. Even over the murmur of the crowd, Kaid could hear the impact. His best friend wandered back over, rubbing at the massive red spot on his cheek.
“Maybe not that one, friend.” Kaid clapped him on the back.
“Yeah, well. It’s not like my Little Flame is interested.” Halsten nodded a chin toward Asta’s fire-haired lady-in-waiting, Linnea.
An upbeat song began playing and Kaid couldn’t resist the dance floor, so he found Maren and tugged her into the crowd.
To his surprise, she didn’t object and Svanhild didn’t stop him from leading her away.
It seemed like the lady-in-waiting was usually around solely to ruin Maren’s fun, so he was relieved when she didn’t step in.
He hoped he was finally gaining both of their trust.
Kaid pulled Maren close—their bodies flush—and her breath whooshed out of her.
He searched her light brown eyes for any sign of discomfort, but he couldn’t find a drop of it.
So he continued on, spinning and dipping her, taking part in the partner tradeoff but never keeping his eyes off her ginger hair as it bobbed and weaved through the movements.
He had almost been enjoying himself. Almost. But his thoughts were unintentionally caught on a blonde maned, emerald-eyed princess observing from the edge of the dance floor.
She was wearing a long, black gown, the bodice tight around her toned torso then loose at her hips as it cascaded toward the floor.
The back of the collar was high, but the front cut open into a sweetheart neckline and her hair was swept away from her face, making her eyes glimmer from the intricate jewels embroidered onto her shoulders.
Her sleeves were an exaggerated length, nearly touching the floor, but her hands poked out from small slits in them. She was cracking her knuckles.
If she hadn’t been displaying a nervous habit, the young princess would easily be mistaken for a queen.
Her appearance was both fierce and inviting, like her personality.
She was the princess who visited orphans and death’s angel who would kill for them.
The tiara atop her light locks shone against the flames on the chandelier, and she lit up the room.
The partners switched back and Kaid was once again holding Maren. He smiled, taking in the princess in front of him. Gods, the sisters were so different. If he hadn’t known they had the same father, he would say they weren’t related at all.
They both had queenlike ways about them. Maren was refined and perceptive. She took in her surroundings and adapted to them. She was the kind of queen that ruled next to a king.
Asta, however, was not. She was opinionated and calculating. She didn’t mold into her surroundings, they adjusted to her. She was the kind of queen that did not need the assistance from anyone to rule. She made the rules.
Thank Absolon the song ended, because Kaid needed a break. The fast-paced dancing did not complement the alcohol he had ingested before arriving. He found Halsten sitting at a table near the king’s throne and plopped into the chair next to him.
A server walked up to them and offered a tray filled with wine glasses.
Before Kaid could wave him on, Halsten reached up and grabbed not one, not two, but four glasses and thanked the man.
Mischief made its way into Halsten’s gaze, romping through a field of bad choices and hangovers.
Kaid knew it was ill-advised, but he grabbed a glass, tipped his head back, and drained it.
After all, he hadn’t any plans tomorrow, anyway.
After the two men emptied all four glasses, they felt much more relaxed.
Kaid didn’t want to think about his wedding, or his father, or a certain blonde princess who made him want to scream every time she looked his way.
He didn’t want to think about missing villagers, or whatever creature the courtesan was, or Gyrial running his hands down Asta’s body.
He just wanted a break, and the alcohol gave him that.
Before he knew it, he was lying on the floor petting Dyri. The pup had wandered into the ballroom and immediately found Kaid.
Kaid liked this dog. It was a good dog, he thought, as far as dogs go, though he hadn’t met many. Dyri was happy and carefree, much like Kaid used to be before moving here. Here… What was here’s name again? Orange tail? Ore and tally? He’d think about that later.
Right now he needed to figure out where this glass in his hand came from, and how to safely place it on the table without breaking it.
A figure stood over him, or maybe five figures. Nope, it was one figure again. A shapeshifter, perhaps?
“You’re a bloody idiot for getting this drunk here.”
Kaid knew that voice, but he didn’t know she had magical powers. He squinted, forcing his vision to focus. Asta looked down with a disapproving glare as she rhythmically stomped the toe of her slipper on the shiny wooden floor.
“Witch!” Kaid shouted.
Asta barked a humorless laugh. “Not the first time I’ll hear that from you, and certainly not the last, I’m sure. Now, get up.”
He reached out a hand and stroked a finger across the wooden floor panel.
So, so shiny. Like glass. Or the ocean. Kaid shuddered.
The ocean was scary. He shouldn’t touch it.
It tried to lure him to his death, didn’t it?
He retracted his finger and began petting Dyri again, who was now presenting his belly for rubbing.
Asta rolled her eyes and tucked her hands under his arms. “I’m going to stand you up, but you need to help me. My father can’t see you like this.”
Oops. His fiancé’s father was here, wasn’t he? Why did Kaid still have this blasted glass in his hand? He held it out and looked at the shining crystal, but it was yanked away as he watched Asta place the cup on the table.
Her hands went back under Kaid’s arms again and he grabbed the side of the table, pushing as hard as he could to steady himself.
“The great King Botmar! Father of two princesses of different mothers!” Kaid bellowed.
A hand clapped over his mouth, but it wasn’t a female hand. Halsten was now helping Asta heave the young lord to his feet.
“Weeeee!” Kaid exclaimed behind the fingers clamped over his lips. He flew through the air under Halsten’s strength. Finally, he was on his feet.
Kaid watched as Halsten swayed a little and braced himself on the table.
“Can you walk?” Asta asked Halsten and he nodded in response. “Great,” she said through gritted teeth as she dragged Kaid toward the exit.
A familiar curly-haired man stepped to Asta’s side.
“Niklas!” Kaid bellowed. “Come, have a drink with us. You need to loosen up anyway. You’re coiled tighter than a cobra ready to strike. Always so worried isn’t he?” Kaid threw a thumb in Niklas’s direction.
The courtier and princess spoke in hushed tones and Kaid looked around the ballroom at the metallic accents and blinding lights surrounding him. So shiny, like Asta’s hair. He reached up to touch her golden locks but felt a hand smack his away before it reached its destination.
“Stop that. We’re going back to your suite,” Asta seethed.
Kaid laughed loudly. “Aren’t you going to woo me first? Though, this dress is doing a fine job of doing that on its own. I hope at least one person told you how magnificent you look tonight.” He gestured to Asta’s black gown, his gaze wandering up and down her body.
Her face heated, color trickling from her cheeks and spreading down her chest. Her grip under his arm tightened. “You’re drunk, and an imbecile. Niklas, let’s go.”