“I couldn’t turn down an invitation from Their Majesties.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I got an invitation to the ball, so I assumed you’d changed your mind about us, and I accepted.”
Hekkel.The king had lied to his face! No doubt he’d invited her in a last-ditch effort to undermine Jaryk’s marriage.
Furious, he pressed his lips together. “I didn’t change my mind.”
“Are you sure?” Gaze sultry, Charday glided closer, her dress held together by a whisper and a prayer. He wondered how she kept her breasts in her gown; she was more exposed than covered. Her long blue hair cascaded over one shoulder,exposing a pointed ear adorned with golden rings from lobe to tip. Her beauty left him cold.
“My marriage to Kismet will be announced tonight. I love her. I’m committed to her,” he said and took a step back.
“We were good, you and me.” She advanced.
“It’s over. I fell in love.”
“With me!”
“With Kismet. My wife.” Why did Charday put him in the position where he had to forcefully reject her? “It’s over. It has to be over. You said you understood—you’d moved on, too. You shouldn’t be here. You should go.”
“I thought you needed time to mull things over. Realize how good we are together.” She slid her hands up his chest. He caught her wrists before she could wrap her arms around his neck.
She leaned in and stretched herself upward, trying to kiss him. “I love you. I know you love me. You’re stuck with the human for a year, but we can still see each other, can’t we?”
“No!” He shoved her away hard, and she stumbled.
He caught her before she fell. “Hekkel! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen, Charday.”
Her arms latched around his neck, and she planted her lips on his.
Behind him, he heard a gasp.
He untangled himself from Charday and whirled around in time to see a stricken Kismet dash away.
“Kismet! No! Wait!”
His head snapped around. Charday smirked.
“Get out of here. I don’t want to see you ever again.” He ran after his wife.
Chapter Sixteen
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen, Charday,” Jaryk said and then kissed the woman in lavender.
Kismet gasped, her hopes and dreams crashing around her feet.I’m such a fool. Such a fool.
For a moment, she couldn’t even move, then she spun around and dove into the throng of whirling dancers, running for the exit. Jaryk shouted at her, but she couldn’t face him and the humiliating betrayal.He’s still with Charday. It’s her he wants.Tears streamed down her face. People were staring, but she didn’t care.
“Goddess! What’s wrong?” A startled Karma stopped dancing to grab her arm.
“I can’t— I can’t—” She shook off her sister’s hold and zigzagged through the dancers.
The footmen swung the door open, and she burst into the wide corridor. Hiking up her skirts, she ran. At a T in the corridor, she spotted people to the right, so she veered left.
She stumbled, stepping out of a shoe. She kicked off the other one. Barefooted and sobbing, she ran until she couldn’t run anymore. Her pace slowed to a walk, but tears continued to fall.
Lies. Lies. Lies. He didn’t come home because he was with Charday. How could he do that? He said he loved me.
