“Yes.”
“You are too far from the throne. And too short,” she told me, then turned and left me on the dance floor.
Clearing my throat and willing my cheeks not to turn red, I mustered up my dignity and rejoined my sister, slipping into the seat beside her.
“What happened? Step on her foot?” Asa asked.
“I’m too far from the throne and too short.”
Asa laughed loudly. “So, no rune glow?” she asked, touching my forearm. When Rune elves found their true love matches, the runes deep within us would awaken and glow on our skin.
I huffed a laugh. “Hardly. Maybe I should tell her that Alvar is prone to colds, and Magnus is reckless. By the Nine Gods, if I stay here another minute, I think I’ll implode.”
“That will be messy. Don’t worry, Brother. Mother will findsomeonewilling to marry you.”
“Ugh,” I groaned. “I’m not interested in marrying anyone.”
“You sure?” Asa teased, elbowing me in the ribs.
Asa was right. I wasn’t being entirely truthful. I wasn’t opposed to a partner. I just hadn’t found anyone who interested me. Everyone saw me asPrinceBjorn. I wanted someone who saw justme.
“Okay, well, I am not interested in marrying anyone of Mother’s choosing…or sitting in meetings, presiding over festivals, counting coins, or anything else.”
“Princess Bibka should be glad you’re not the eldest brother. You would make a terrible king. And you’d probably pass a law requiring everyone to keep at least three magical creatures as pets. Where is Smoke, anyway?” she asked, referring to my firewolf.
“Escaped. I told him to save himself while there was still time.”
Asa laughed.
I glanced toward my eldest brother, Alvar, who was clapping King Rarki on the back, smiling and laughing. “Alvar will make an excellent king. As for me…” I said, my eyes drifting across the room where I spotted Ingri, who gave me such a sultry look that I felt like I had been physically assaulted. I shuddered. “Be a good sister, and go distract Mother so I can get out of here before she finds someone else for me to marry…or before Ingri pins me in a corner and forces her tongue down my throat while ransacking my pockets.”
“And what do I get for my trouble?”
“My goodwill?”
Asa frowned at me.
“How about a packet of peppermint bites from the confectionary in the village,” I replied, referring to the confection that could make a person invisible for fifteen minutes, and one of my sister’s favorites. “Asa, please. I just need to get away for a moment.”
“All right,” she said with a soft smile.
Rising, I bent and kissed my sister on her golden hair. “You’re still myleastfavorite sibling.”
“Obviously.”
I slipped away while Asa went to create what I was sure would be the perfect distraction.
Exiting the hall, I was met with a chorus…
“Greetings, Prince Bjorn.”
“Honors to you, Prince.”
“My prince.”
“My prince.”
“My prince.”
