Page 9 of Glass Hearts
“Now, who is that? I think I just found my bed partner.” Grayer licks his lips, wiggling his pierced eyebrows.
Koi whispers, “I think I am going to pick her for one slot. I can foresee my head between those thick thighs.”
“Did she just walk away from us?” Archer adds in disbelief.
My attention goes to them. “I think we should each talk to her. I have a bad feeling about her. Good things don’t tend to come in such pretty packages.”
“Sylas, always the practical grump. Chill out, man, let loose. Maybe we can even convince the sexpot to take part in a group activity.” Grayer slinks away before I can admonish him. If it were my guess, he was going to find the beauty haunting us in her wake. Jealousy is not something I frequently feel with my brothers. We have shared women before, but there is just something about that little vixen. If we are to look for a wife, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if a little thing like herself was in my bed.
Before I can even set out to find her, another group of ladies joins us at the edge of the dance floor, impatient at our lack of movement. “My prince, I know it is forward, but seeing as how you haven’t moved from this spot, I was wondering if you would like to join me for a dance?”
Before I can decline, Councilman Mendez comes up behind me. “He would love to, Daria! And Sarah, dance with Koi here.” Archer has already slunk away, lucky bastard.
With a sigh, I offered my hand to Daria, and we navigated toward the crowded dance floor. Koi looks just as displeased as he leads his dance partner to the ballroom floor. She asks me questions, and I half-answer them. She is a pretty girl, but I find myself looking for someone a little more unique, dressed in all black.
Arabella
The enormous ballroom shines with gold and red decor. Red roses touch every surface, from the centerpieces to the walls. Their fresh fragrance is a calming balm to my nerves. An exorbitant display of wealth surrounds me. Ladies in their best dresses, men donned in all their finery. It’s disgusting as much as it is beautiful.
The councilman makes a flowery speech, though I don’t pay attention as I watch my partners in crime from the corner of my eye. Kip and Bert pickpocket distracted patrons. People clap, and drinks and mini appetizers continue to make their rounds. A server walks by as I grab a glass of champagne and continue my perusal of which mark I plan to hit.
So many possibilities.
The band plays an upbeat song as the couples sway in a choreographed manner with their partners.
That is when I feel eyes upon me. I turn to find myself looking at the four princes of the evening, mask-less. I knew they were the most eligible bachelors in Velora, but I can’t help losing my breath seeing them.
Their crowns shine with jewels and sparkle in the ballroom light. On the far left stands the tallest and most muscular prince. Based on his crown of green jewels, I believe him to be the Earth Prince, Sylas Stone. His chocolate brown hair is in an unkempt bun, as if he rolled out of bed and put it up just to get his hair out of his face. He wears royal garb that matches the other princesbut with green highlights. I can’t miss his stern green eyes, looking at me with pure curiosity.
Which differ greatly from the amber eyes that watch me hungrily, as if trying to undress me from across the room. The black-haired beauty is dangerous, the Prince of Fire, Grayer Wixx. His confidence exudes from across the room; everyone knows he is the unhinged prince of the four. He is the only one who hasn’t bothered to wear a cravat, the top buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, exposing some of his many tattoos.
Next to him is his half-brother, Koi Wixx. They could be twins if it weren’t for Prince Koi’s more muscular form, golden blond hair, and blue eyes. The water prince has a panty-melting smile as he looks me up and down. It’s known that Grayer is quite the womanizer, but something tells me his brother is just as much of one.
Then there is the striking and elusive Wind Prince, Archer Everhart. He is beautiful, a figure of stark elegance with sharp cutting facial features, white hair, and captivating grey eyes. Of all the princes, he is the only one I couldn’t find a ton of information on.
Stealing their jeweled crowns would be impossible and ridiculously noticeable. Prince Koi and Prince Grayer wear their shirts buttoned down, exposing their chests, and a glint of something shiny beckons me like a siren. I smirk, realizing they also each most likely wear the same super shiny pendants.Bingo. If I can see the sparkle from afar, it must be worth quite a few gold coins.
It may be risky stealing from the princes, but if they are all looking at me the way they are, Lo’s dress was a success. Making it all the easier for them to come to me and steal their jewels. So I turn to walk away. Men love the chase, or so the romance novels I read say.
I mentally fill in Kip & Bert on the necklaces as I wait for the first prince to approach me. In the corner of my eye, I notice the handsome dark-haired prince break away from the other princes. I move to the side where the pillars can block me from others’ prying eyes. As expected, he makes it directly my way.
“My, my, now who do we have here?” A deep voice filled with pure sex purrs, hands in his pockets as he leans on the large pillar. Perfectly hidden from the crowd of inquisitive eyes. Perfect.
“Prince Grayer looks to be our first mark. I will continue to distract, but be careful extracting the necklace.”
“We got this, Arabelly!”
“I believe we haven’t met, your Grace.” I hold out my hand for him to kiss. “Carmella, Duchess of the Hinterlands.” There is no such thing as the Hinterlands, but it’s not like these men have time to track all the houses. They probably wouldn’t even care about the lorded and noble sub-lands on the mainland.
“Hmm. I haven’t heard of that one, but I would like to know more about these Hinterlands, Duchess. Maybe I should get acquainted if beauties such as yourself live there. Duchess by marriage?”
The corner of my eye catches Kip and Bert expertly crawling up the prince’s legs, torso, then reaching his shoulder. Their cute little tactical uniforms disguised them along the prince’s clothes. Kip unclasps while Bert reaches to grab the necklace.
“My prince, you flatter me. Duchess by inheritance.” I bat my lashes and place my hand upon his chest, moving closer to him, so it feels as if the movements from Kip and Bert is part of my touch. From this close, I can see the black flakes in his golden eyes. He truly is breathtaking. Dangerous. He raises his pierced eyebrow in question at the audacity to have touched him, though his dimpled grin never wavers. “But I can assure you, there is no other woman like me.”
“I don’t doubt that, my Duchess. A beauty like you should be out there dancing, not standing on the sidelines. I would offer, but I don’t dance. I would rather dance between the sheets, if you get my drift.”
Normally, a line like that would make me internally groan at his forward audacity. Yet my body lights with heat, going straight to between my thighs.
