“Yes, Your Majesty.” Not exactly.
“The marriage announcement will be made in about two hours.” The queen smiled benevolently.
That long? Two more hours? “Wonderful.”
“Are you looking for Jaryk?” the king asked.
“Actually, I am.”
He gestured with a desultory wave. “I spotted him on that side of the room a few moments ago.”
“That’s where I was headed. Thank you, Your Majesty.” She’d complete the circle of the ballroom, and, if she didn’t find him,she’d wait where he’d left her. Eventually, he would have to surface.
She bowed and slipped past the dais. One-on-one, the queen was a lovely, warm person. The king? Not so much. Both rulers sitting on their throne at a royal ball? Intimidating as hell.
She peeked into alcoves as she passed.Where is he?She approached the last niche and looked inside. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
Chapter Fifteen
A few moments before.
That can’t be Charday.But there was no mistaking the woman in the strappy lavender gown.What the hekkel is she doing here?Jaryk had assumed she’d accepted he’d moved on, and there could be no further contact between them. She said she felt the same—that they weren’t a good fit.
He didn’t wish to hurt her, but his loyalty belonged to his wife. What would she think if she discovered his former lover had come to their marriage announcement ball? She’d already had concerns about the past relationship—fearing it wasn’t over.I have to get Charday out of here.
“Will you be all right alone for a few minutes? I, uh, need to check on something,” he excused himself.
“What is it?” Kismet furrowed her brow.
“I’ll be right back, I promise.” He darted into the crowd. Dodging dancers, he swiveled his head. There had to be at least six hundred guests wearing their most colorful formal wear—and lavender was a trending color. Every time he thought he spotted her, it turned out to be someone else.
Maybe he was wrong? Maybe it wasn’t Charday.
He almost collided with a couple. “Excuse me!”
“Our fault, Your Highness,” said the man.
I’m getting in the way.Darting out of the dancing fray, he found himself in front of the throne. The king’s bland expression sent a chill down his spine. “Father, what did you do?” Jaryk demanded.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What I did—well, what the queen and her staff did—was plan this elegant ball to announce your marriage to the human, which we’ll do shortly.”
“Rullok…” His mother’s eyes narrowed on her husband. “Did you do something you shouldn’t have?”
“No, sweetums, I did not.”
“All right, then. My apologies, Father.” He doubted the king would outright lie to the queen.
Must have been my imagination.He’d started to rejoin his wife when he caught a flash of lavender.Ignore it.It’s not her.
But he would wonder all night long if he didn’t check, and he wanted to give his bride his undivided attention. He took off after the woman who skipped among the people, almost as if she was leading him on a chase. He lost her once but then spotted a lavender skirt disappearing into an alcove at the far end of the ballroom.
He approached and took a peek inside.
Hekkel!The lavender gown dipped so low, it almost exposed the woman’s buttocks. He recognized that bare backside. “Charday, what are you doing here?”
She did a slow pivot. “Jaryk…I hoped we’d encounter each other.”
“Why are you here?”
