Chapter Twenty-Seven
A Not-So-Welcome Ball
Kalon exited the carriage first and turned to offer me his hand, which I accepted. There was a different air about the guards and other servants we passed on our way into the villa, and I didn’t know if it was the feeling of deference or just Kalon’s overwhelmingly strong presence, but it hit me.
He was a royal.
As far removed from the Imperial Palace as he lived his life, no matter how hard the Empress tried to push him out, he was still the First Imperial Prince of the Sada Empire.
Wait. Did that mean I would technically become a princess on the slim chance we got married? I was so used to thinking of him as the Grand Duke that I hadn’t considered that little nugget.
Hmm.
“Nervous?” he asked, leaning in.
“Little bit,” I whispered back.
“What happened to the confident woman who talked back to me even though I threatened to kill her on our first meeting?”
“She just realised she’s entering through the Imperial Family’s entrance, and everyone is going to be looking at her, so she’s taking a short break.”
He pressed his fist to his mouth, and I swore it was to mask a laugh.
The double doors in front of us swung open, and I drew in a deep breath as we took a step forwards.
“Introducing His Imperial Highness, Prince Kalon, the Grand Duke of Stein and First Prince of the Sada Empire, and his fiancée, Lady Alicia Vermillion.”
Huh.
My announcement was kind of… lame. Kind of like ordering a flat white coffee in a coffee shop right after someone just ordered a double-shot-triple-whatsit-pump-something with thirty different syrups.
Just as I’d suspected, all eyes were on us.
It was just like when I’d entered the spring ball with my family, but somehow, this was so much worse.
Each gaze was like a dagger pricking at my skin, and I dug down deeper than I ever had just to make sure I could focus on every step and didn’t trip on our way down the stairs.
Kalon leant in close to me. “Look to the right, between the third and fourth pillars, in front of the white roses by the terrace doors.”
“What?” Instinctively my gaze swung in that direction, and I found the people he was pointing out before the exact spot he’d described.
My friends. All of whom were beaming at me.
“And now you can breathe again,” he whispered.
“Thank you.” I smiled, looking down at my feet as we descended the last few steps. “I feel better already.”
“I thought you might.”
But such a feeling wasn’t meant to last, because we’d barely stepped off the staircase when I heard them.
The infamous whispers of high society, the lifeblood of gossips and bitches everywhere.
“She doesn’t look like she’s being held hostage.”
“They do look quite good together, but I feel sorry for her.”
“Isn’t she supposed to be a snob? No wonder she doesn’t care about the rumours, she’s marrying up.”
“How could Marquess Vermillion allow her to marry him? Or is she twisted, too?”
“It’s bad enough having to bow to a cold-blooded murderer, never mind that witch, too.”
“Do you think he’s using her to improve his reputation? Although hers isn’t great, either.”
Kalon tensed and took a step forwards, and if his emotions were visible, there’d be nothing but a thick black cloud of rage swirling around him right now. I needed to quell his anger, but I also needed to see if I recognised any of the voices.
And I did.
Plenty of them.
I could play with that.
“Ignore it,” I said, taking a step into his side and resting my hand on his chest. I slid my other hand around from where it’d rested on his and linked our fingers together. “They’re cowards.”
“Cowards who don’t deserve their tongues.”
I’d heard him threaten such things a hundred times now, but there was something very real about the chill that ran through his words this time. It even sent a little something shivering down my spine, and I knew I was the safest person in this room right now.
“Do you have a tongue fetish?” I reached up, cupping his cheek.
He paused, meeting my eyes. “What?”
“You keep going on about cutting out tongues, so I thought it might be a fetish of yours.”
“You say the strangest things,” he murmured, laying his hand on top of mine. “I know you’re only trying to distract me.”
“I’m not trying. I’m succeeding.” I grinned as he turned his face to kiss my palm. “They’re just chattering birds with nothing better to do than gossip about others. They’re doing it even now, if you listen.”
He tilted his head, keeping his eyes on me.
“Oh, my gosh, did the Grand Duke just kiss her hand?”
“How is she so comfortable being so close to him?”
“Isn’t she afraid of him? Perhaps she’s as evil as he is.”
“Alicia,” Kalon growled.
“Shh.” I touched my thumb to his lips. “You have your battlefield, and I have mine.”
His eyes blazed with his barely restrained anger, but he sighed, pulling my hand from his face. “Very well. But if your way of shutting them up doesn’t work, I’m not making any promises.”
“You’re so good at compromising.”
“Was that a compliment?”
“I told you that if you wanted a compliment, you needed to do something praiseworthy.” I grinned again. “You held back. Good job.”
“For someone who fears being accused of using black magic, you’re doing an awfully good job of wrapping me around your finger,” he muttered.
“Ah, well, it’s too late now.”
“Introducing Their Imperial Majesties, Emperor Cassius III and Empress Consort Eudocia, and His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Torin of the Sada Empire!” The announcer’s voice boomed through the room, and as if those words were magic, silence spread across the ballroom as everyone paid their respects.
And at the forefront were Kalon and me.
“You may rise,” the Emperor said, stopping in front of us. “Kalon. Alicia. Have you just arrived?”
Kalon nodded, acknowledging them each with a tilt of his head. “Your Majesties. Brother.”
Torin’s jaw clenched, but there wasn’t much he could say—he was the Crown Prince, but their status was technically the same. “Brother,” he replied tightly. “And Lady Alicia, you look beautiful this evening.” He took my hand and kissed it before I could blink.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” I pulled back my hand as quickly as I could without it being rude and clutched Kalon’s arm. “Your Majesties, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
The Emperor waved his hand. “No need to be so formal. We’re quite close now, aren’t we, Allie?”
I fought my smile. “I suppose so.”
“Kalon, do you have a moment? I’d like to discuss something quickly with you and Torin about tomorrow’s hunt.”
Kalon paused. “Must it be now? I’d rather not leave my fiancée alone, lest anyone get any ideas.”
He absolutely looked at his brother when he said that.
Almost as if he was desperate to pick a fight with someone.
“Go. I will be fine,” I assured him, nudging his arm.
“Of course. She’ll be with me.” Empress Eudocia smiled at him. “Surely you can trust me to keep your beloved fiancée safe, Kalon?”
No, no. I wasn’t sure he did.
Defeated, Kalon sighed. “I’ll be right back.”
The three of them took their leave, and the Empress stepped up beside me, gazing out across the ballroom. “The chattering is quite tiring, isn’t it?”
“I’m sure it’s far more tiring for those who speak of things they don’t know, Your Majesty,” I said quietly. “After all, they’re doing little more than jump through mental hoops to make themselves feel better.”
She laughed airily. “You’re quite right, Lady Alicia. Unfortunately, there will always be those who are far more entertained by the endless possibility of fiction. The truth’s greatest fault is that it has its limits.”
“I would prefer to be constrained by the limits of truth than run away with a fantasy.”
“You’re an intelligent woman, although we already know that. Your aid policy for the victims of the monster attacks in Stein is quite the hot topic.” She eyed me. “And there are those seeking to discredit you for it.”
“That says far more about them than it does about me or my capabilities, Your Majesty.” I met her gaze. “If I cared, I’m sure I wouldn’t have to look far to find the source of such slander.”
“Indeed. When looking into such things, I believe we should always peek inside our own house first. Don’t you agree?
” She smiled, and a calculating glint flashed across her gaze for a moment.
“Ah, it looks like it really was a quick conversation. I will leave you to greet your friends and family with Kalon.”
A hand rested on my shoulder, and I turned to see Kalon taking the spot by my side.
“It’s a shame we aren’t sharing a tent during the hunt tomorrow,” Empress Eudocia said, holding my gaze. “But I would be greatly pleased if you would stop by the Imperial Tent for some tea with me.”
She said it as if she were inviting me, but it was an order.
“It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty,” I replied. “I will be sure to stop by after lunch has been served.”
“Excellent.” She pulled out her fan and unsnapped it, spreading it to cover the lower half of her face. “I will see you both tomorrow. Enjoy the ball.”
She turned and left with one regal swoop of her dress, and I all but sagged against Kalon.
“That looked like it was fun,” he quipped.
“Mm,” I replied, turning to look at her. “She was testing me, but I’m not sure if I passed.”
“You did. She wouldn’t have invited you into the Imperial Tent otherwise. Her circle is extremely tight.”
“I don’t know if I should be happy about that or not,” I mused. “Although, I think she helped me. Do you remember what the Emperor said last night? About the rumours around the aid policy?”
He tensed, dropping his hand from my shoulder and offering me his arm. “You mean those bastards who think to insult your intelligence?”
That was one way of putting it.
“She all but told me I should look inside my house.”
“Do you mean—”
“Yes. She wasn’t talking about the House of Stein.”
He met my eyes. “We’ll continue this later. An irritant is heading our way.”