Ember (13 page)

He shrugged again, obviously already finished with the conversation.

“Oh look. There’s a possible prospect now,” Kai chortled under his breath, pulling me back to the celebration. I followed his gaze to an Auroralite; at least I think that’s what they were referring to them as. His curly brown hair flopped in the wind as he bounced around the dance floor in his leaf loincloth. I tried averting my eyes, keeping them focused on his face as to not get an eyeful of something I really didn’t want to see. He had no care in the world. Faeries watched him with confused looks as he pranced about, and all he did was laugh. When he would smile at their baffled faces he somehow encouraged them to smile back.

His eyes caught mine, and he grinned widely. He began singing with the melody and started to make his way toward me. His voice wasn’t half bad.

“Your Highness, would you like to join me?” The half-naked beamed, his deep orange eyes wide and cheerful.

I chuckled and took his extended hand hesitantly. “Okay.”

He led me out into the crowd and began his lively flouncing dance moves. I tried joining him, but I just couldn’t. I was laughing too hard. Whether I was laughing at him or with him, I hadn’t figured that out yet. He didn’t seem to mind. His hands reached out to mine and gripped them to twirl us around and around.

When the song ended he brought me back to Kai who remained at my table.

“I didn’t catch your name,” I said.

“I’m Cormac of Aurorali.”

“Well, it was nice to meet you Cormac.”

He bowed lowly, almost an exaggerated bow and remained grinning from ear to ear. “The pleasure is all mine.” He swaggered away. That was the only way to describe it. He carried himself with such carefreeness, it emitted to everyone he passed.

I giggled and sat back in my seat. “That was … fun.” I finally found the right word.

“Looked like it,” Kai mumbled.

“Oh, you’re just jealous you didn’t get whisked away by the biggest goofball at this event.”

He grunted, but there was a smirk on his face when I looked up at his face.

A couple more Royals came up and spoke to me, but it was just awkward. I felt like the prince in Cinderella at his ball when all of those ridiculous women were trying to flip their hair and impress him.

This wasn’t about love. This was a freaking arranged marriage ball. I was trying to smile and carry on polite conversation, but I couldn’t wait for them all to go home.

It hadn’t slipped my mind that Sakari hadn’t attempted to make contact all night. My eyes had found him several times throughout the evening. He occasionally glanced in my direction, flashing me a smile every once in a while before carrying on again with whatever conversation he was involved in, but he had yet to speak to me. It made me realize how much I wanted to talk to him.

“These fools are laughable.” Kai chuckled quietly.

I sighed. “You’re not helping, Kai.”

“I’m sorry. Am I supposed to be matchmaking? I hadn’t realized that was a part of my job description tonight.”

“No, but it would be helpful if you could at least give me some insight, or at least tell me who to steer clear of.”

“They’re like trolls. They’re going to latch onto you at every turn just to be near you. I couldn’t save you from this, even if I wanted to.”

“Was that a compliment?” I lifted an eyebrow.

He shifted—dare I say—uncomfortably? But he was too smooth to show that kind of uncertainty. “Simply stating a fact. They are all like leeches, waiting to suck up all the power they can get ahold of.” He exhaled, but continued, “Tomas of Callastonia will have you rolling your eyes within the first minute of meeting him. Don’t seek him out, or he’ll never leave you alone. Marcus of Oraelia,” Kai pointed to the tall black haired one that had caught my eye earlier, “is hard to decipher. He keeps quiet most of the time. If I know him at all, he won’t try to approach you. After all these years I still haven’t figured out if he’s trustworthy or not. Cormac of Aurorali is pretty insane if you hadn’t noticed, but he’ll make you laugh.”

I wasn’t all that attracted to Cormac, but he was extremely entertaining.

“What about Sakari? What do you know about him?” I sought out Sakari. He was already watching me from the corner of his eyes. His sunshine eyes locked with mine, his lips curving up in a subtle smirk. But he didn’t stop talking to the Mirronian in front of him.

“Sakari isn’t your type,” Kai said curtly.

“Oh really. And what exactly is my type?” I peered back at Kai, waiting for his answer, an answer I actually really wanted to know.

He looked as if he was about to give me an honest answer when a blonde with a puffed up chest materialized in front of me, cutting off our conversation.

“Queen Calliope, I’m Tomas. Tomas of Callastonia.” I shot a glance at Kai, and he crossed his arms, but didn’t say anything. “It is a pleasure to be in your presence. You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.” He winked. No seriously. He actually winked at me. Then he got down on one knee and kissed my knuckles, lingering a little bit longer than I was comfortable with. I felt Kai step forward, and Tomas lifted his eyes back up to me.

“You’re skin is so soft.” He smiled as if he knew he was good-looking and was waiting for me to come to that same conclusion and fawn over him.

My eyes immediately found Kai again so he could save me. I wish this were more like an audition so I could holler, “Next!” because this was absolutely not going to happen. But I knew as soon as Kai and I made eye contact that he wasn’t going to save me. He was enjoying my very apparent misery with a poorly suppressed smirk as if to say
what did I tell you?

Tomas stood and lifted his elbow for me to take. “Shall we?” Gah, I wanted to say no so badly.

“Okay.” I offered a very forced smile and took his elbow, stepping around the table.

The fiddles and flutes slowed as soon as we walked to be among the dancing fae. Tomas pulled me close, and I reluctantly gave in. He took my hands in his and began leading us in a dance. My feet hesitantly followed as he twirled me in graceful circles.

I was just beginning to get the hang of the dance when he said, “This will be a night we will remember forever.”

“I’m sorry?”

“No need to apologize,” he assured, mistaking my tone. “This is perfect. We would be an unstoppable team.”

“Oh,” I said, for lack of anything better to say. I wanted out of this dance and there was no one around that would facilitate my escape. We stopped dancing, and I was relieved by his ability to see my unease until he opened his mouth again.

“Would you bond with me, Queen Calliope?”

I blinked. My mind replayed his question, trying to grasp what he shamelessly just asked me. “Seriously? Are you being for real?”

His expression instantly grew confused. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. Of course I’m real. I’m standing right in front of you.” He swept a hand down his body.

You’ve got to be kidding me. “Although you seem like a really nice guy, Tomas, I just don’t think this,” I motioned between us, “is going to happen.”

“Are you saying no?” He seemed genuinely mystified by this. Did anyone ever tell him no?

“I’m sorry, but yes. I’m saying no.” I stepped out of his hold on me. “Thank you for the dance,” I said and retreated away as fast as my feet would carry me.

Declan was back at the table. One of his eyebrows rose in question as he watched me stalk over to the table with determination.

I narrowed my eyes at Kai. “You could have mentioned that not only was he a talker but awfully full of himself. He asked me to
bond
with him. And actually believed I’d say yes.”

Kai snorted with laughter. “He did?”

Declan rolled his eyes, but I could tell he found the situation humorous. “Honestly, Kai, you have one job while I’m not around.”

“I knew she’d figure it out eventually.” He smirked at me.

“You’re useless,” Declan snorted, shaking his head with a close-lipped smile on his face.

I shook my head, winding up in my mind a punch that would put him in his place. Kai continued to chuckle until I felt a figure hover near our table, and immediately his expression hardened.

I twisted my head to see who could change Kai’s countenance so fast. “Sakari,” I said a little breathlessly.

“Calliope, would you do me the honor?” He held his hand out—palm up—for me and I accepted.

“Sure.” I smiled.

There was a loud exhale of disgust as I walked away from the table. One could only assume Kai was the one brave enough to be so obnoxious.

The moon was high in the sky, shedding its soft gleaming light through the trees on us. The fireflies seemed to shine brighter now, illuminating the meadow with their glow.

Sakari bent his head near my ear. “You look absolutely gorgeous this evening.” His breath brushed my neck, caressing my skin with its warmth. I suppressed a shiver.

I blinked looking up at him then shifted my eyes away, too shy to meet his vibrant gaze. “Thank you.”

When we were closer to the gathering of dancers, his hands intertwined with mine, connecting them like a puzzle piece. “You don’t even realize it, do you?”

“Realize what?” I peered up. He wasn’t as tall as Declan and Kai, but he still made me feel petite. He stood about a head taller, gazing down at me with a gentle glint in his eyes. His eyes made me feel like I could burst into flames with one glance.

“How truly captivating you are.” My breath hitched with no words to respond. “You’ve made it so hard to keep my eyes off of you. It took all of my self-control to keep from stealing you away for the entire evening.”

“I was wondering what was taking you so long.” I didn’t know where my honesty came from, considering my insides where a puddle of goop.

“I had to let you figure out for yourself who you wanted your evening spent with.” He paused and searched my eyes. “Do I dare say that you’ve figured it out?”

My mouth turned up involuntarily. “I think maybe I have.” Sakari twirled us so that I caught sight of Kai near my table. His eyes were in pain, holding a hint of wariness. I knew he didn’t trust Sakari. It didn’t make sense to me, but I had to change his mind. Out of every kingdom, Sakari was the only one that actually made me feel something. He was the only one that was semi-normal, if that was possible in this strange and enchanting world. He was handsome and charismatic and kind. He made me feel confident, as if he believed in my abilities and me. I would make Kai see. Maybe this could work.

Sakari spun me closer to him. Our bodies flush with one another, nothing could fit between us. His eyes held me in a trance. “Have you enjoyed your evening so far?”

“It’s been interesting to say the least.”

He chuckled quietly, and the hand that held my waist tightened. “I’ve seen the unease in your eyes. I wanted to intervene so many times, but you seem to be able to handle yourself very well.” His head knocked to the side. “Like with Tomas. I couldn’t help but overhear. You held your own.”

My cheeks flushed red. “Oh my gosh, I’m so embarrassed that you heard that. Can you believe him?”

Sakari laughed. “What? You didn’t want to spend the rest of your existence with that charming creature?”

My head fell back as I let out a laugh. “No! Was I that obvious?”

“It’s okay. You handled it graciously.”

With my eyes peering up at him, I said, “Thank you.”

“Feeling a little overwhelmed?”

I peered around us at the thousands of faeries celebrating—all of these unfamiliar faces who knew exactly who I was. All of these faeries that relied on me to make wise decisions and believed that I would never lead them astray. “A little would be putting it mildly.”

“If it’s any consolation, it will eventually get easier. It will all become second nature to you. You’ll wake up, and this will be everything to you.”

“I know that should make me feel comforted—and it does, don’t get me wrong—but, I feel like the day this all becomes second nature is the day I forget about where I came from and who I was.”

He lifted his hand and brushed a curl dangling near my eye behind my ear. “From what I’ve already observed about you, Calliope, you will
never
forget who you are. You’re strong. You’ll only grow stronger.”

As the song came to an end we stopped dancing, but kept close. He bent his head down, a breath away from my lips. I blinked, but stayed still. With hesitation, he moved closer. His eyes drifted down my face, stopping on my lips. I didn’t feel strongly one way or another. Did I want him to kiss me? I didn’t
not
want him to, so when he leaned in just enough that our lips lightly touched I didn’t stop him.

“My Queen.”

I gasped and pulled away from Sakari, turning to see Declan. Brushing my hands down my dress, I opened my mouth to say the first thing that came to my mind.
He really had to stop doing that.

“Could I have a minute?” he asked before I could say anything.

I nodded then turned to Sakari. “Would you mind giving us a minute?”

“Of course.” He should be glaring at Declan, but he merely politely nodded and stepped back, bowing out of the conversation.

“Seriously, Declan?” I hissed after he walked away.

“I’m sorry, Calliope. This couldn’t wait.”

“What is it?” I looked around and noticed Kai was gone. “Where did Kai go? Is he okay?”

I saw apprehension flash across Declan’s eyes, but it was gone before he spoke. “He stepped away for the remainder of the evening.”

“Why?”

Declan kept a straight face. “He didn’t say. This isn’t about Kai, Calliope. Dugal just informed me there is a situation.”

Chapter Ten

M
y stomach dropped. “What kind of a situation?”

“There seem to be some very angry elves by the Waking Oak,” he said cautiously.

“Angry elves?” It took everything I had to keep a straight face.

Declan looked at me with a furrowed brow as if he didn’t understand how the situation could possibly be humorous. I cleared my throat and tried to replace my amused expression with a serious face as to not offend him.