Page 116 of Rise of the Vicious Princess

“Yes.” She breathed the word, full of longing.

They were silent for a moment as the song shifted to something slow and beautiful. And then Tal said softly, “Put me down for your last dance of the evening, Your Highness.”

Warmth flooded her cheeks, and she bit her lip to keep from smiling while the eyes of the kingdom were on her. “I’ll have to check my dance card and see if I can fit you in.”

He made a noise that sounded as though he’d smothered a laugh, and she turned away from the crowd to meet his gaze. The warmth within her grew bold and dangerous at the glint in his eyes, and she whispered, “I think my dance card for this particular event is completely full.”

“How unfortunate.”

It was impossible not to smile. “Indeed.”

“Whatever shall we do?” He raised a brow.

“I was thinking of visiting the bluff later tonight.”

He sucked in a little breath, his eyes darkening. “I suppose I’ll have to come along.”

“I suppose you will.” The dangerous heat in her veins sparkled as she looked at him.

“Time to go do your duty,” he said softly. “Before I abandon all common sense and kiss you in front of everyone.”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

He grinned. “I dare a great many things, Your Highness.”

She was absolutely looking forward to standing on the bluff with him and seeing what exactly he dared to do, but first, she had a duty to perform. The longer she stood on this dais with him, the more she risked revealing her true feelings to the kingdom. Turning, she began moving toward the stairs, Tal a step behind, but then the doors to the ballroom crashed open, and someone started to scream.

Forty-Two

CHARIS WHIPPED AROUND to face the entrance to the ballroom as a haunting cry shredded the air. It rose in pitch until her teeth ached and then tapered off into a series of rapid clicks, like bones rattling.

Horror blossomed, slick and cold, as a pearly white hand with unnaturally long fingers wrapped around the doorframe.

Rakuuna. On land. Where everything Charis had ever learned about them said they’d never go.

Tal grabbed her arm and anchored her to his side as those at the edge of the ballroom began screaming.

Tall, slender creatures with shimmering silver-blue scales, long white hair, and black eyes moved into the room with impossible speed. Their long webbed fingers snatched at people, tearing limbs and spraying blood onto the silvery shryenthian blooms, while their mouths opened, revealing rows of sharp fangs.

One of them snatched Lord Comferoy as he ran toward the exit, leaped onto his back like a mountain cat, and sank their fangs into his neck. He stumbled, went down on his knees, and hit the floor, where he twitched once and then lay still.

“To the queen!” a guard yelled, and a blur of uniformed staff converged on the dais. Charis went for her sword, but Reuben reached her, grabbing her other arm and putting his body between hers and the Rakuuna, who were racing for the dais with terrifying speed.

“Kill them!” The queen’s voice was a whiplash of fury.

The first wave of guards raised their weapons and took a fighting stance, but the Rakuuna simply smashed through them, tearing bodies and sending weapons skittering across the floor.

Another five guards stood at the base of the platform, their eyes wild as they raised their weapons.

“Remove the royal family!” Reuben shouted.

Mother’s security team closed around her and began moving her toward the left-hand stairs. Charis’s team moved her toward the right.

Charis could barely swallow past the fear clogging her throat as she drew the daggers she wore on her wrists. Where was Mother? Holland? Nalani? The ballroom was utter chaos, and as Tal, Reuben, and Elsbet herded her down the stairs, she craned her neck to look for those she loved.

“We can’t fight them,” Tal said in a voice that shook. “Look at them! We have to know their weakness to even have a chance. Charis. Charis! We have to run.”

Two more Rakuuna sidled up the sides of the ballroom wall closest to the queen, their webbed hands and feet clinging to the wall as though they were spiders.

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