Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Beyond the dais, where we stand, the ballroom floor is crowded with noble guests not just from the shadow court but also visitors from the Court of the Sun and the Wild Fae Lands, but I easily spot the male in question. He has long gray hair, gray eyes, and pale skin with such a milky pallor I wonder when he last saw the sun. I give the queen a subtle nod.
“That is Lord Pandian. He’s the one with the Stone of Disenchantment, and the males on either side of him are his sons.” The sons in question have golden hair but are otherwise as pale and nondescript as their father.
“And you’re sure they won’t suspect anything if Jasalyn is suddenly interacting with them after years of avoiding everyone?” She already told me that the dais is protected by a sound shield, but speaking so freely about this here still makes me nervous, so I keep my voice low.
“That entire family is too swollen with arrogance to suspect anything but my sister’s adoration.”
“They’re all staring at me,” I say. She knows I don’t just mean the lord and his sons. Everyone in this ballroom is appraising me on some level—from curious gazes to outright gawking.
The queen’s lips twitch. “Of course they’re staring. They want to tell everyone they know that they saw the princess for themselves. They will find every reason that you are or aren’t her.”
“Do they suspect? Why? How? I haven’t even talked to anyone yet.”
“The true princess could be by my side and these fools who want to believe she’s missing would still see her as a fraud. We’re not here to convince those who have already decided one way or the other. We need to convince those who don’t want to believe the rumors.”
I swallow hard. It was one thing to pretend to be the princess at Castle Craige when there was no reason for anyone to suspect anything was amiss, but now the stakes are higher.
“Misha will be here soon,” Abriella says, and my heart kicks into a faster beat. I haven’t seen him since the day we arrived at the palace. “He’s promised me he’ll stay by your side all night.”
“And how much did he curse you when you gave him that order? He hates me.”
Her smile turns to a grin and her eyes dance in amusement. “With an intensity I’ve never before seen him display.”
“That’s not comforting.”
She scoffs but doesn’t look at me. She’s still scanning the crowd. I know without asking that she’s looking for signs of trouble, as are the dozens of sentries both in and out of uniform throughout the ballroom. “Misha is a king. I wouldn’t dare give him orders. It would be inappropriate.”
I drop my gaze to my hands. “Do you think he will pursue a relationship with your sister—once she’s home?”
“You think he might want to pursue Jasalyn because of what happened between the two of you?” She tuts. “That wasn’t about Jas. Misha had never shown any interest in my sister before you took on her form.”
“But when we spoke at Misha’s ball, you said—”
“I said I’d hoped, but that was me daydreaming. It wasn’t based in anything. I mostly just liked the idea of her . . .” Her eyes go glossy with tears and she swallows. “I liked the idea of her being well enough to fall in love. My sister and my best friend—can you blame me?”
“I suppose not.”
“Besides, now that I’ve met Kendrick . . .” Sadness flashes across her features so quickly that I almost question if it was there at all. “What I would give to know if my sister gets the same look in her eyes when she talks about him as he does for her.”
“We’ll find her.” Even as I say it, I feel the ticking clock of her bargain closing in on us.
Abriella rolls her shoulders back, then her gaze shifts to the steps behind me. “Misha, we were just talking about you.”
“Are you giving away all my secrets?” he asks.
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I can feel him looking at me, so I slowly turn. He’s absolutely regal in his dark tunic—a blue as deep as night with shimmering maroon and cyan stitching. This is King Misha. His royal facade. The male who rescued me from my twin was warrior Misha. Two sides of the same coin, each equally skilled. Each equally magnetic.
“Good evening.” He might hate me, but there’s no question that I still feel everything for him. I wish Abriella hadn’t spoken about it with me. I don’t need anyone lending my foolish heart an excuse to cling to unrequited feelings.
“Ready to parade across the ballroom, Princess?” He uses the title like a barb, like he’s reminding me of everything I’m not.