Page 27 of Bound By Honey

It didn't take long for a few of the men to take notice of Piper. A tall, broad-shouldered man with light brown hair and sapphire eyes approached her.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked, a romantic look in his eyes.

Piper smiled and gave him a single nod before taking his hand, and they disappeared into the crowd, swept away by music and laughter.

Suddenly feeling alone and uncomfortable, Sage wandered over to the food table and grabbed a small plate.

The table held all sorts of beautiful delicacies, small pastries filled with custard, chocolate, and cream. There were fruits of every kind: bananas, oranges, apples, cherries, and pears. Many of these fruits she had never seen before and could only imagine how they tasted.

Sage reached for a pastry first, picking it up by its leaf-like plate. It was golden, with a sticky syrup, causing it to stick to the plate. The pastry was soft and warm, with a savory sweetness that melted in her mouth.

She let out a small moan of happiness as a dark-haired man approached her.

"I'm glad to see that someone is enjoying the food. I hate how no one eats at these events." His voice was soft yet confident. "Such a waste. To be fair, most have a healthy avoidance of fae food. You never know what it will do to you."

Sage could feel her cheeks heat up. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so ... enthusiastic."

The man smiled and shook his head. "No, don't be sorry. It's nice to see someone who can appreciate something so small."

He reached out his hand. "My name's Owen."

Sage took his hand and nodded. "Sage."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to my birthday party."

Sage's stomach dropped. This wasn't just anyone. This was the crown prince. Prince Finn's brother.

"Oh, I didn't realize…" She could feel her cheeks turning red.

"It's quite alright. I'm sure many people here don't know who I am. They may know my name but not my face." He smiled, seemingly amused by her confusion.

Sage couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you, Your Highness," she said, curtsying.

Prince Owen just laughed. "No need to be so formal. We can be friends, right?"

Sage laughed. "Yes, of course. If that's what you wish."

He offered her his arm. "Would you care to dance then?"

"Only if you promise not to throw me in the dungeon for stepping on your toes."

"That bad?"

"You have been warned. I'm truly terrible at dancing." She took his arm and followed Prince Owen onto the dance floor.

"One of your few flaws, I'm sure."

Sage snorted before she noticed his face held no humor. "Oh, you were serious."

The arch of his brow made her melt a little. "I don't give out compliments unless I feel they are deserved."

"Perhaps you should know someone longer than a minute before offering such compliments if you want to keep that reputation."

The twinkle in his eye told her he was enjoying the banter as much as she was. Why he had picked her out of the crowd to dance with was beyond her, but she had to admit that Prince Owen was much easier to please than his brother.

The music began to play, and Sage tried her best to keep up with the steps. She stumbled a few times, but Prince Owen's hand caught her each time and gently guided her back into the dance.

"You're doing amazingly," he said with a smile.

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