Page 35 of The Pureblood Princess
“Charming? Is that so?” He scoffs under his breath. “Well, she was eager to meet you, especially after hearing of your engagement.” His smile is sharp, and she can tell he’s baiting her, but she’ll not give him the pleasure of seeing her squirm.
“We look forward to revealing the engagement. I do hope Clan Kazamir will be in attendance at the wedding.” She blinks her blue eyes innocently, and Konrád laughs once.
“I enjoy you, Miss Magdalena. Perhaps more than the viscount would like.” His expression is sharp, cunning. “In any case, I’m glad I found you, for I hoped you’d do me the honor of a dance.”
Konrád holds out a hand, and Nadia hesitates. She doesn’t want to dance with him, doesn’t want to have anything to do with him or his family or his cold blue eyes, yet she still lifts her hand and places it in his. Perhaps one dance will keep him at bay for the remainder of the evening. And if Sister Kazamir sees them dancing, it may help ease the tension between the Kazamirs and the Rosettis.
Konrád sweeps her onto the floor, then spins her once, making her gown swish around her ankles. Drawing her in, he whispers, “Your viscount is a lucky man. I do hope he keeps an eye on you. It would be a pity if you were to slip through his fingers.”
“He need not worry, for I’m not going anywhere,” she replies civilly, striving not to flinch away when his face comes too nearhers for comfort. She quickly casts her gaze around for Theodore but can’t seem to find him.
Theodore? Where are you?
Thankfully, the next dance is a quadrille; it’s much slower than the dance she and Theodore shared, and she need not touch Konrád in so intimate a way as the waltz requires.
She and Konrád take their places in the group, and just as the orchestra ques up for the song, Theodore materializes from the crowd and quickly takes the place of one of the male dancers. Though the man gives him a withering look, he puts up no fight, and then Theodore is there, so close Nadia could reach out and touch him, and she is much settled for it.
I’m here, he says.I’m always right here.
The song begins, and they move in a measured dance, the pattern repetitive and familiar. Each time Nadia has to dance with Konrád, even if only in his proximity, a chill skitters over her skin, some deeply rooted instinct rising up to warn her away from him. When her hand touches his, just for a brief moment, he intertwines their fingers, and she pulls quickly away, trying not to let the other dancers see her discomfort. His response is a quick smile, a muttered laugh.
Theodore notes it immediately, and a violent expression settles upon his face.
It’s all right, Nadia tells him. He seems not to hear her, focused on Konrád as he is.Theodore, she says, more directly this time, and his green gaze snaps to hers.He’s not worth it.She gives him a reassuring smile, and the angry expression on his face softens.
When the song finally comes to a close, the women curtsying and the men bowing, Nadia cannot get away from the blue-eyed Kazamir quickly enough. She steps hurriedly into Theodore’s arms, and when she turns, Konrád is giving her a hawk-eyed smile.
“Thank you for the dance, Miss Magdalena. It was quite”—his gaze shifts quickly to Theodore, then back—“invigorating.” He bows, and Nadia dips her head. “Viscount,” he says as he passes, and then he’s gone, drifting off into the crowded ballroom.
Theodore’s sharp gaze follows him, and once Konrád has disappeared, he turns to face Nadia.
“Did he do anything untoward?” he asks, then looks her up and down quickly, as if assessing whether Konrád laid a hand on her.
“No,” Nadia says quietly. She considers telling him what Konrád said but determines it’s best not to. It’s clear his intention was to unsettle her, and she’ll not let him succeed.
Clearing his throat, Theodore shifts beside her. “Konrád has always been... troublesome. Like the rest of his clan, he is not one to be trusted easily—if at all.” His eyes are serious as he meets her gaze.
“I understand,” she whispers. “I’ve no intention of trusting anyone in that family.”
This seems to calm him, and he sighs. “Come, tell me what the brotherhood had to say.” He holds his arm out, and Nadia slips her hand into the crook of his elbow.
“They were... welcoming, I suppose,” she says as Theodore escorts her to the long buffet tables at the far end of the ballroom. They’re overflowing with foods of all kinds, from delectable breads and cheeses to chocolates and fruits. “Though Sister Kazamir certainly seemed to dominate the whole thing. I thought the brotherhood was a council of equals?”
“It is.” Theodore swipes a cube of cheddar from a tray and holds it up to Nadia’s lips. As she opens her mouth, he presses the cube onto her tongue, his smile curling seductively. “Each member of the brotherhood holds equal weight, or they’re supposed to, but Dorota Kazamir has been their unofficial leader for many years now.” The smile fades from his face, and he tipshis head curiously. “You said something wasn’t right. Did my father have any success discussing your parents’ murders with them?”
Nadia’s face falls. “Not at all. Sister Kazamir was quick to dismiss him despite his evidence, and I believe him greatly disappointed. I don’t understand it.” She shakes her head in frustration, then pops another cube of cheese into her mouth and chews thoughtfully. “Why wouldn’t they want to see those responsible brought to justice? Not to mention the violence attempted against you.” Nadia reaches out and touches Theodore’s cheek, and he leans into her hand, his eyes closing. “I cannot imagine how I would have suffered had that man taken you from me,” she whispers.
The thought brings mist to her eyes, and she quickly blinks it away and steals her hand back from Theodore’s face. Perhaps the wine has gone to her head; vampire gala or not, she’s being surprisingly perspicuous in her affections for the viscount.
“The hunters have been quiet for many years,” Theodore says. He draws himself up and sweeps his gaze across the ballroom. “Perhaps the brotherhood wishes to keep it that way.”
“You think they’re trying to avoid ruffling feathers?”
“It’s possible, though it doesn’t explain why they didn’t address the issue when it first arose all those years ago.” He runs a hand through his dark hair. “I suppose we’ll let it lie for now, though we shan’t give up.”
His commitment to seeking justice for her parents makes warmth curl in her chest.
Theodore swipes a strawberry from the tray and bites into it, the heaviness in his expression giving way to something more jovial. “Come with me,” he says, reaching for Nadia’s hand. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to do all night.”
