“So you’ve heard. Not surprising, I guess.” He chuckles, his chin grazing the edge of my temple.
“It’s hard not to, given how the court talks,” I reply. “But I can’t help but be curious as to why someone as striking as you hasn’t married yet. You’re a male in power and have so many ladies groveling at a chance to be your duchess, yet you remain unmarried. Or have you just been blissfully unaware of how everyone stares at you tonight?”
He gazes down at me. “They’re not staring at me.”
My face heats as I glance around the room again, realizing that most gazes are fixed on me dancing with the duke of Alvonia, including King Elion. He twirls me back into his arms again, catching Ren’s hardened stare from across the room.
“Have you ever been in love?” I ask.
“I have, though that relationship is long gone. We were young, but she was also my first love at the age of thirteen. When the ban was put in place, she was forced from the realm,” he explains, and my breath catches as I realize that she must have been Shadovar.
“I see you’ve heard the recent rumors,” he says, pulling me closer by my waist, mumbling under his breath. “I’m curious, though. Do you know what power I hold, Sensa?” His voice is low. Knowing he speaks of the Aetheri magic, I shake my head. “I’m an Herb Weaver. As you know, Herb Weavers have this intense connection to the land and the plants that thrive in the realm, but with that comes my overwhelming, heightened sense of smell. It’s much stronger than most, allowing me to detect poisons and unfamiliar scents—blood, even. My familial line does, anyway. The Highcrest line.”
“I didn’t know that,” I mumble, wondering where this is going.
“Surprisingly, not many do. It’s fascinating, especially when I come across something I’ve never scented before, like the rich black orchid I got off of you,” he explains, and I stiffen against him. “So, you can understand my surprise when I realized it was you who stole those documents out of my study.”
39
We transition into another dance,easily swaying as if nothing interrupted us. I find myself sliding my eyes up with a soft smile, hoping that I’ve masked the fiery storm brewing beneath the surface. I didn’t count on him scenting me in his studies.
I glance to my left, catching Elion’s stare, who’s then distracted by Ezra. He leans down to murmur something to Elion, and I take advantage of the reprieve.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” I purr.
A broad smile. “I must admit, you are quite convincing. I have no doubt that you belong in this royal gown, but I don’t believe that you are Sensa Blackwyth as you say. But now I’m intrigued, and that’s a dangerous thing for me to be. So who are you?”
I hold his gaze, my thoughts racing as I carefully calculate my answer. The music fades, marking the end of our second song before Ekrin dips me low, arms holding me steady around my waist. He hovers close with a wide, mesmerizing grin.
“Tell me whose blood it is that smells of Shadovar, but also of royalty? Such power you hold,” he whispers the moment Iplant my feet onto the marble, my eyes flicking across the room for any sign of someone overhearing.
Ice coats my veins. “If you breathe those words any louder, I’ll gut you in the middle of the floor while Elion watches.”
A menacing gleam shines in his eyes, as if seeing me for the first time, and then he grins. I find myself facing off with the arrogant male I suspected he was just moments earlier—he’s as arrogant as I thought.
“Then why don’t we find somewhere private to discuss this,” he mumbles, guiding us to the balcony overlooking the courtyard.
We stop at the railing and face each other. Ren follows but hovers by the glass doors with a wary look on his face, remaining far enough away to not overhear our conversation.
I hold Ekrin’s cold stare when he leans in. “I’ve been wondering if it was a coincidence that you stole the wrong documents with a fresh seal, or if you’re just really bad at your job.”
My elbows lean against the railing, a knowing grin lifting the corners of my mouth. I knew that what I stole is nothing important.Not really.
Nothing other than a stack of marriage proposals from women waiting in line for their chance at being a duchess. I placed them into a new envelope with the duke’s wax seal, knowing that what Ididfind is enough to get him killed.
What can I say? Curiosity is a weakness of mine.
“And what if I did purposely steal the wrong ones, choosing to leave behind what was so bravely left out on the desk? A duke should know better, don’t you think?” I tsk with a smirk.
“Then you have my full attention, because why would you want to steal marriage proposals knowing that what I had lying around was incredibly incriminating?” he asks.
I face the courtyard as he steps beside me. He’s so close that I feel the warmth seeping through his tunic, but I know if wewere farther apart and arguing, someone would relay that to King Elion. Ekrin pivots, angling his body toward mine.
His cold but curious gaze meets mine, keeping my voice down. “I spent my time doing what I could to find out why King Elion had me steal those documents before I even scouted your estate. You’d be surprised by what you can find out when posing as someone looking to leave the realm,” I mutter, and he clenches his jaw. “You can imaginemysurprise when I learned that Duke Ekrin Highcrest has been smuggling out the Shadovar half-breeds and into Aurelia right under Elion’s nose. Or is that Eldryn?”
“What do you want?”
“Answer me this and I’ll tell you. Why do you do it?” I ask, and his gaze softens for a breath before scoffing.
