Page 45 of Courting the Tiger King

They made to step away and Wren halted Gabe with a hand to the inside of his shoulder, but his words were for Neah. “What are you doing?”

“Dancing. It’s customary at these events, I’m told.”

He scowled at his own words thrown back at him, but couldn’t stop his eyes from dropping as Neah led Gabe to the center of the room and pulled him close.

Was she trying to kill him?

Gabe, for his part, looked wildly uncomfortable and that was when Wren realised Neah had been holding back the last time they’d danced.

The dancers surrounding them began to back away, giving them space, as they began to move and Gabe glanced downin surprise to find that Neah was easily keeping up with his complicated footwork. Gabriel was an excellent dancer, but Neah might just be better. If he’d been hoping to dissuade her, Gabe had miscalculated.

They twirled, the music amping up until Gabe wrapped his arms around her, lifting Neah into the air as they spun, her arms stretched out wide and her hair a golden banner behind her.

Applause broke out as the dance finished and Neah bowed to Gabe, making Wren rankle again. She would be his queen, she needn’t bow to anyone.

He stood still and her eyes didn’t leave his as she stalked closer and then brushed past him without looking back.

His uncle had cornered Neah not long after she passed Wren and he didn’t bother to wait for their conversation to be done before he whirled around and gently took her arm in his and tugged her with him to the privacy of an alcove on the edge of the party. “Sorry, Uncle.”

“What is your problem?” Neah hissed, snatching her arm back out of his grip as soon as they settled into the shadows. “I was having a conversation.”

“What’s going on? You won’t even look at me, and then you dance with Gabe?—”

“I’m just being a good little trophy,” she spat and Wren blinked, not having a clue what she was talking about. “Because that’s what I am, right? A way for you to hold onto the crown, your power? Using your mate bond to further your own status… Is nothing sacred to you people?”

Wren’s mouth opened and then closed. She was right, but also so very wrong. “That’s not?—”

“Don’t lie to me, Wren.”

Was that the first time she’d said his given name? It was, perhaps, not the right moment to be exhilarated by it, but hecouldn’t help the curve of his mouth. “Caritas, please, that’s not true?—”

“So you don’t need me to secure your position? To keep the throne?”

“Well, yes, but it’s?—”

She held up a hand. “I’ll do this, for the crown. For the kingdom. As is my duty, but that is all our bond will be.”

His face fell, anger beginning to burn within him for the first time. “If you’d let me finish a damn sentence, you’d know that this is not about power. Not entirely.”

But her face had already shuttered, any glimpse of vulnerability tidied away until he was surprised a layer of frost didn’t coat her skin. “As you say, my king.”

Wren blew out a breath and didn’t stop her when she walked away. This wasn’t the time or place for this conversation. They could clear all of this up later but, for now, he was irritated and not in the mood to watch her dance with Gabe and Skye all evening.

Instead, he beat a hasty retreat, his mind already whirling with ways he could explain the situation to Neah properly. But she needed time to cool off and, truthfully, so did he. They would try this again, maybe with breakfast at hand and definitely less people around, and she would understand. He hoped.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

NEAH

To Neah’s utmost irritation, she couldn’t say that she was having a better time at the ball for Wren’s absence. Not that his presence had pleased her much, either.

He’d left not long after they’d argued and, for some reason, that had only incensed her further. It was probably contrary, she knew, but that he hadn’t even tried to go after her, had instead walked away, rankled.

Zennon, on the other hand, seemed to be having a great time—aside from the fact that she’d been rip-roaringly drunk for the past hour with no sign of slowing down.

“She’s beautiful, right? And talented. I mean…” Zen gestured to her dress with an exaggerated flourish that made Neah snort. “And her name! So interesting. Rooowmi. Rowmeee.”

“Yes?”

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