Page 60 of Destiny Redeemed
I couldn’t speak. What could I possibly say? That I was sorry? That I’d grown so accustomed to handling everything alone thatI didn’t know how to let someone in? That the thought of losing his trust terrified me more than prison or exile or death?
The music ended with a flourish. Anderic’s hand slipped from my waist, leaving a cold void where his warmth had been. He bowed stiffly, the perfect picture of courtly manners.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he murmured, his eyes no longer meeting mine.
And then he was gone, striding through the crowd that parted like water before him.
I stood alone in the middle of the dance floor, feeling as if I’d been gutted. My chest ached. My throat burned. The weight of the eyes on me—curious, judging, pitying—was suddenly unbearable.
I walked with as much dignity as I could muster toward the refreshment table, my fingers trembling as I seized a glass of champagne and downed it in one desperate swallow. The bubbles burned my throat but did nothing to soothe the hollow feeling in my chest.
I grabbed a second glass, the cool crystal biting into my palm as I tipped it back.
What the hell was I supposed to do now—stage a prison break with a broken heart?
“Thirsty?”
I turned, glass still tilted to my lips, to find Rosalind standing there with her perfect posture and knowing smile. My annoyance must have been written across my face like one of those giant palace banners because her smile only widened.
“Did you enjoy the show?” I asked, setting my empty glass down with more force than necessary.
Rosalind took a delicate sip from her own glass, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Not just me, but everyone saw that little scene crystal clear. I must say, I enjoyed it quite well.”
“Glad to be your entertainment for the evening.” My voice was flatter than week-old ale.
We drifted away from the refreshment table, the crowd parting around us like we carried some contagious disease. The whispers followed in our wake, but I’d grown used to them. What was one more scandal to add to my collection?
“Where’s Noah?” I asked, desperate to change the subject. “I would have thought he’d be glued to your side.”
Rosalind’s eyes flashed. “Contrary to what you might believe, I’m fully capable of existing without Noah hovering over me every moment of the day.”
“My apologies. I didn’t realize independent thought was your new fashion accessory.”
Instead of taking offense, she laughed. “I never thought I’d see the day when Prince Anderic would lose his composure over a woman. I used to think he hated you. The cool, collected golden prince, brought to his knees by Lady Ilyana D’Arcane. It’s almost poetic.”
The tips of my ears burned. “He hasn’t fallen for me. That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” Rosalind raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Then perhaps you’ve fallen for him?”
The question struck me like a physical blow. I mean, I liked him a lot. I could admit that much. But love? Had I? The way my heart leapt when he entered a room, how I searched for his face in every crowd, the electricity that sparked between us when we touched…
I opened my mouth to deliver a cutting denial, but nothing came out.
We had wandered into a quieter section of the ballroom, the music now a distant melody. Ahead of us stood Anderic, his golden curls catching the light from the crystal chandeliers.
“Your Highness,” a woman called from behind him.
Anderic glanced in the direction of the voice, his face softening as he halted. “Lady Isolde.”
The woman who approached him was stunning in a way that made even Rosalind look ordinary. Her copper-red hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, and her emerald gown complemented her fair complexion perfectly. Her movements were graceful, her smile radiant.
“Lady Isolde Valebrook,” Rosalind whispered beside me.
Isolde Brightmoor now, I mentally corrected. After her marriage. At some point in the past, there were rumors that Anderic was supposed to get engaged to her. I’d heard it once in casual conversation with Mother and had looked her up afterward.
No, I wasn’t obsessed.
They were speaking, but at this distance, I couldn’t make out their words.
