Page 39 of Mermaid on Heels
And her inner-self argued with her brain that this was more than ameredisappointment.
When complimented, she had always, effortlessly, smiled with grace and told every merman a simplethank you. However, with Luke, she seemed to have forgotten not just words but even herself.
“I… I do not know what to say.”
Her mama would have fainted if she heard this, but Liriya meant her words. For the first time in her life, on an occasion like this, Princess Liriyalda didn’tknowwhat to say.
King Luke’s smile only grew. “You don’t have to, not when your eyes are speaking.”
That brought back her smile. “I have never had a dance like this, too—not that I have ever danced on feet before. This was my first time besides my practices.”
“You practiced dancing on your feet?” He was astonished at her revealing this fact.
Liriya nodded, smilingly.
“For tonight or…?”
“For tonight.”
The young king’s eyes softened. “How did you get here? How did you find me? How…”
“It is a long story, Your Majesty. But how didyourecognize me?”
“It’s a long story I’m more than willing to share, but first, I’m dying to learn yours,” he told her earnestly. “Will you let me steal you out of this room after I dance with a few more ladies here just for the sake of my duty?”
Liriya’s smile stretched across her face. “Of course, I would be delighted.”
“Thank you,” he said and placed her back on the marble floor from off his boots. He lifted her gloved hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on her knuckles. “Can you wait by the doorway you can see behind me? My brother Cedric will escort you to the library when my final dance begins; I will find you there.”
“I can definitely do that.” Liriya fell into a curtsy. He let her hand slide from his as she stepped back from him.
Every eye was on the two of them. That was when Liriya noticed they were the only pair on the dance floor. She blushed furiously but didn’t let it dither her from turning back to look at the young king once again, whose eyes were already on her, before walking back to the refreshment table past the crowd.
Biting her lips from smiling like a fool, Liriya searched for Bianca. When the next dance started, she assumed that perhaps Gezer had gotten her away. She grabbed a glass of wine from the table and sipped from it, facing the dance floor and watching the twirling couples.
A lot of them joined the dance floor this time, and in the middle were King Luke and Princess Aeira. Liriya’s eyes lingered on them, watching the two of them exchanging words and laughing. An extremely odd pang hit her chest and she absently rubbed a hand over it. She almost strained her ears to hear their conversation but stopped, reminding herself that it was rude.
Finishing her first glass, Liriya reached for the next; the wine was delicious. Bringing her eyes back on the dancing king and princess, Liriya observed how he was holding Princess Aeira at arm’s length while he had heldherin such proximity.Andhe wasn’t looking at the foreign princess like he had looked at her. Liriya felt the pang in her chest dissipating at this.
When the dance ended and the king chose his next partner, Liriya groaned inwardly. It was Lady Hannah, one of the triplets. The girl was over the surface—no,moon—when King Luke asked her for the dance. She fanned her face a little frantically before saying a breathlessyes.
King Luke seemed to have realized his mistake when he led her onto the dance floor. If he talked and laughed with Princess Aeira as though they were friends, now he looked like he was in a torture. Lady Hannah was practically talking his ears off, batting her eyelashes ridiculously and shooting him sickeningly sweet smiles.
Sometime while she was watching them, Bianca rejoined Liriya’s side and nudged her arm to get her reaction.
“Bia!” Liriya gushed with the excitement of one seeing their best friend after weeks.
“Hey you, Your Highness,” Bianca greeted her back with a teasing smile and sang, “I saw the king smitten with you…”
“Oh, hush,” Liriya admonished her, fighting her blushing smile.
“Ooh, seems like you are too!” Bianca’s eyes shone like the stars and she looked like she was withholding her urge to bounce up and down. “Oh, you should’ve seen howperfectyou two were together, swept up in a romantic dance. I swooned, but of course, every other girl in the room looked red with jealousy! And you—youdanced,Liriya! You danced and you were perfect! What magic was that?”
Liriya laughed softly at her friend’s enthusiasm and she wished her sisters were here to see this, too. “I call it King Luke magic,” she said and told her how the king made her stand on his boots, and that he recognized her as a mermaid.
Bianca, who swooned at the first part, now looked at Liriya as though she grew two heads. “How?”
“I do not know, but he does. And he wants to talk with me alone. He—”