Page 93 of Court of Winter
“The ball’s champagne always is. They flavor it with berries and chocolate to heighten the taste.”
I took another drink and then another.
Nuwin chuckled. “Careful there, Ilara Seary. You’ll be drunk before you know it if you keep that up.”
Ignoring him, I swallowed more. “Maybe drunk is what I want to be. If you’d heard the way your father and brother just spoke of me—” I cut myself off, realizing who I was speaking to. “I’m sorry, my prince. I don’t mean to speak ill of them.”
But instead of being angry, Nuwin just cocked his head. “He’s not as bad as he seems.”
“Which one?”
That got a bark of laughter from him. “My brother.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then he obviously hasn’t murdered half of your family, taken you prisoner, and then treated you as though you were an object to own instead of a living fairy with a beating heart.”
Nuwin took a sip from his flute, his expression impossible to read before his lips kicked up. “I can tell he’s going to have his hands full with you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
But instead of replying, Nuwin whisked my empty flute away, then swept me closer to his side. “Shall we return to the ball? I do enjoy dancing with beautiful females.”
“I’m not much of a dancer, and I’d rather not be the center of gossip.”
“Then we shall drink and eat and watch the dancers if you prefer.”
I sighed. Staying in the library and hiding away from the court’s prying eyes sounded more appealing, but I couldn’t hide forever, and I wouldn’t have my first impression to the court be that I was weak and afraid.
Sighing, I nodded toward the door. “Lead the way.”
* * *
Nuwin ledme back to the throne room, and after we slipped inside, he nabbed me another flute of champagne.
My fingers curled around the cool glass as the tantalizing taste of berries hit my tongue again. I scanned the crowd, searching for the large fairy with talon-tipped wings, but Prince Norivun was nowhere to be seen.
“Do you know where he is?” I took another sip of the drink as a pleasant dizzying feeling swept through me. I lowered my glass. Despite what I’d said to Nuwin earlier, I didn’t actually want to be drunk. It would be stupid to allow alcohol to cloud my thoughts on a night such as this.
Nuwin shrugged. “Still in the maze is my best guess. Or, he’s exited and is searching in the wrong area of the castle, depending upon which secret door he thought we took. Regardless, he’s not here. You should try to enjoy it.”
Perhaps Nuwin was right. Music floated through the room, the symphony working toward a crescendo as fae paired in sets of two waltzed across the floor. Laughter and conversation drifted in the air like a melody unto itself. Not surprisingly, the dancing, drinking, and eating continued despite the scene the prince and I had caused earlier.
Forcing my shoulders to relax more, I focused on Nuwin and ignored all prying eyes that had landed on me.
“Does Solisarium often have royal balls?” I asked Nuwin as we traveled along the wall, drawing deeper into the room.
Nuwin’s eyebrows rose. “My brother didn’t tell you what this ball is for?”
“No, what’s it for?”
“It’s being held in honor of him reaching a hundred winters. The time has come to select his betrothed.”
I nearly snorted champagne through my nose.
Nuwin laughed softly. “I take it he failed to mention any of that?”
“You would be correct.”
“Have you not noticed the dozens upon dozens of noble females dressed in their finest?” He swept his arm toward the edge of the room, by the doors that we’d slipped through.