Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“But I—”
Knock knock. “Your Highness, Lady Alicia, we’ve arrived.”
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.”