Page 16 of Wild Flame

I paused. “I’m not running away.”

He simply raised a dark eyebrow.

“I just remembered I have somewhere I need to be.”

“And where might that be?” he asked. “The banquet is not for a few hours yet.”

I tried to remember that my father wanted me to make a good impression on this man, to get close to him, but in this moment, all I wanted to do was wipe that smug smile off his too-attractive face. “I’m not sure what concern it is of yours,Your Highness.” This time I did not try to conceal the irritation in my voice.

He clasped his hands behind his back and strode closer until we were mere feet apart. And again, to my extreme aggravation, the insufferable man grinned.Grinned.

“Oh, it most certainly is not my business, which is exactly why I want to know.” Before I could even think of what to say to that, his dark head tilted. “Have I done something to earn your ire?”

I blinked at him, taken aback at his directness. “Excuse me?”

“Have I offended you in some manner I am unaware of? Because you act as if I have irritated you in some way, though I cannot fathom why.”

I clasped my hands before me and answered calmly, “No, Your Highness, you have not offended me. I’m sorry if anything I said gave you that impression.”

His eyes took in my new stance, my blank expression, and his brows came together. “Princess—” he began.

But before he could say more, a man rounded the hedge at the end of the path. I quickly recognized him as Harun, Malik’s second and head of his Fangdar. The tall man skirted our guards and drew closer. “Mal, I have the reports concerning—oh!” Hefinally looked up from the parchment in his hands and halted a few feet away. “Your Highness,” he nodded to me. “My apologies for interrupting.”

“You interrupt nothing,” I told him.

Malik’s smirk returned at my response, as did the humor in his eyes, before he asked, “Did he not?”

Harun’s gaze shot between the two of us as I glared daggers at his sovereign. “I’ll just . . . come back later—"

“No need,” I said. “We’re done here.”

I thought I might have caught a glint of humor in the rider’s eyes as I dipped my head in the barest farewell to both of them and began to walk away.

“I will see you tonight at the banquet, Princess,” Malik called.

I didn’t bother to respond.

Luckily, the group I was seated with that night at dinner had been made up of Zehvitian nobles more interested in sampling the palace wine than in conversation. I had been relieved that I wasn’t sitting by the prince—apparently it was Zehvitian custom to rotate seating placement during the course of the funeral celebrations—especially not after ourinteractionin the garden this afternoon. I avoided looking over at the high table at all costs and excused myself the moment it was socially acceptable.

I could have sworn I felt eyes on me as I slipped away, but when I glanced back toward the dais, where the feeling had originated, the prince and other members of the royal family were all otherwise occupied. Dismissing it, I had retreated to my rooms with my guards in tow. I allowed my maids to dress me in my nightgown before dismissing them for the night.

When they were gone, I quickly stripped and donned the Zehvitian style flowing pants and fitted tunic I had purchased when we were staying at the inn in Viraj. A simple shawl completed the ensemble, and I used it to cover my head and pulled it low to cover the sides of my face. Once I was satisfied my identity was as concealed as I could make it, I slipped barefoot over the side of the balcony with my shoes tucked in my waistband. I shimmied down to the gardens, put on my shoes, and crept through the foliage around the outside walls. A small gate I had noticed earlier led me to a courtyard beyond, and I was soon on the road that led down to the main gate, my desired destination.

Since I was exiting the palace rather than entering, the guards barely spared me a glance as I swept past and out into the city. No doubt in my current garb, they assumed I was a servant making my way home for the night, or that I meant to join the celebrations.

In no time at all, I had joined the revelers on the streets and slipped by unnoticed. My gaze took in my surroundings, eager to see what a celebration out amongst the people of this peculiar kingdom was all about.

All of Taveran was alight with torches and braziers set at intervals along the streets. Tavern doors were flung wide, patrons streaming in and out, laughing and drinking. Market stalls and shops were still open and doing a steady business. The air was thick with the scents of spiced meat, ale, and fresh bread. Music drifted to me from several street performers. A man with a monkey on his shoulder played some kind of lute, while a woman danced barefoot, sensually swinging her hips, tied with small clattering symbols that shook as she moved. She wore only a short, sheer skirt and a swath of fabric across her breasts.

I couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable and somewhat scandalized at the display.Barbarians, the lot of them.Heathens with no decency or decorum.My mother’s voice played in my mind as I walked by, glancing away.

I also passed a trio of fire eaters and made sure to give them a wide berth as I skirted the crowd of enraptured onlookers. The heat from the flames kissed my skin, even at a distance, and I shuddered at the dreaded sensation.

Everywhere I looked, I spotted the Kathar family sigil—a roaring dragon’s head—and nearly everyone I passed wore at least some small token of white clothing.

I was careful to avoid any city guards or dragon riders that were mingling amongst the crowd. I was confident my disguise held, and I knew none of them would ever think to look for the demure Halmarish princess out here, but I was still cautious. Even though I wasn’t a prisoner here by any means, and no one would stop me from taking part in the celebrations, the last thing I needed was for Leif or Hilde to find out I had slipped free of my guards and for it to get back to my mother. But the risk was worth it to me to get to see the city and its people as they truly were, without anyone knowing or caring who I was.

As I kept moving farther into the city, a stall owner I passed tried to entice me to buy a jeweled necklace, while another tried to offer me a small bird with colorful feathers and a long beak that looked odd on its small face. I declined with a smile and noticed a small crowd that had gathered in the center of one of the main thoroughfares.

---