By the time a regular meal would’ve ended, still none of the princes showed.
Eventually, Kestrel decided that she would try finding them on her own. At the very least, some exploration of the castle would do her some good, help her get her bearings more.
When she was ready to leave, Kestrel grabbed a lit candlestick from the table, worried she might accidentally stumbleupon one of the queen’s numerous darkened corridors. Fortunately, she never did, likely because she hadn’t needed to go very far at all before finding the first signs of other people.
Only a few rooms down from the dining hall, Kestrel heard a faint humming. She followed the dreamy sound all the way to a lavish ballroom with tall arched windows covered in lead strip designs. Outside, the sun abruptly set, the moon launching into the sky and casting the gothic ballroom in a faint, blue light.
And dancing in the center of the ballroom floor was Princess Elora.
Elora wore a crimson, floor-length ballroom gown with white gloves that came all the way up to her elbows. She twirled about the room with more grace than a flower being blown by the wind. She made it look so effortless, so easy to twist and pose, despite the heaviness of the robust skirt that was surely weighing down her every flawless movement. In fact, as Kestrel watched her, she couldn’t think of ever seeing someone more natural in their element. The only thing odd about it was the way Elora was holding her arms out, as if someone else should’ve been nestled inside them.
It filled Kestrel with an overwhelming amount of sadness, especially following everything she had just learned about the Ashen and the way they had been treated.
The somber nature of the song Elora was humming wasn’t helping either.
On her next twirl around the open floor, Elora’s eyes finally fell upon Kestrel and her flickering candle.
The princess halted abruptly. Her arms fell to her sides.
“What are you doing here?” she snapped.
“Oh,” Kestrel said, nervously glancing about the room and fidgeting with her hair. She hadn’t meant to stare; Elora’s spell of elegance had just been too captivating and she had forgotten what she’d been doing. “I was just looking for the princes.”
Elora frowned, a hint of worry edging her expression. “Why? Was Prince Leighton supposed to be here? Did the queen send him?”
“I don’t know. I just—” Kestrel sensed Elora’s hostility, but didn’t understand it. She hadn’t even mentioned Leighton by name. Then, with sinking dread, it dawned on her. “Why would the queen send him here?”
“To practice for our wedding, obviously.” Princess Elora pulled her gloves higher, adjusting them to make sure every inch of her skin was still covered.
The truth stung even more than Kestrel was prepared for. And it shouldn’t. Prince Leighton was no longer of interest to her. He had betrayed her and lied to her in too many ways to ever recover from, at least romantically.
But of course, Kestrel was lying to herself. Trying to convince herself thathewas the reason for this newfound twinge of jealousy. When in reality, it had everything to do with the alluring princess before her.
Before she could think better of it, before the idea had even fully formed in her foolish skull, Kestrel heard herself blurt out, “Well if you need a dance partner, I could help.”
Elora stilled. And Kestrel regretted the suggestion instantly. She had only wanted to help—and perhaps be near to the strange girl again, the one who had haunted her thoughts ever since she left the gardens.
The princess huffed.
“Fine,” was not the answer Kestrel had expected Elora to utter, but it was one that she gladly—if not a little nervously—accepted.
Chapter 29
The Dance of Two Princesses
ELORA
The queen’s command still rang in Elora’s ears:Befriend the girl, make her feel welcomed, and encourage her to use her magic to bring an end to this forsaken curse.She told herself it was for that reason—and that reason alone—that she was accepting the offer.
This was a means to an end.
A way to ensure her wedding day would go as smoothly as possible.
This meant nothing more than that, regardless of whatever had occurred between Elora and Kestrel in the gardens the night before.
But even after Elora accepted the offer, Kestrel started at her, dumbfounded for a moment.
It made heat rise to Elora’s cheeks, much the same way it had when she’d found the lost princess watching her dance from the ballroom doorway.
