The ballroom held its breath.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Hundreds of nobles watched as the most powerful man in the kingdom stood face-to-face with the vampire prince.
And neither looked willing to back down.
Hendrick smiled.
Kael did not.
"State matters?" Hendrick repeated.
"Correct."
The prince glanced at Elara.
"Interesting."
His smile widened.
"Because from where I'm standing, it looks more personal."
Several nobles immediately looked away.
Nobody wanted to witness the king's anger.
Especially not up close.
Kael's expression remained unreadable.
His thoughts, however, were another matter.
One more word.
Just one.
I dare you.
Elara quickly looked at the ceiling.
If she kept listening, she was going to laugh.
Lucien finally released her hand.
"Very well."
The prince stepped back.
"But Lady Lyra, I hope we'll continue our conversation another time."
No.
Elara nearly snorted.
Absolutely not.
Over my dead body.
Kael had not changed his expression once.
How was he doing this?
The moments Hendrick left, Kael turned toward her.
"Come."
That was it.
One word.
No explanation.
No discussion.
Just a command.
Elara crossed her arms.
"No."
The ballroom gasped.
A noblewoman dropped her fan.
A servant nearly fainted.
Nobody told the Hybrid King no.
Ever.
Kael stared at her.
She stared back.
The silence stretched.
Then she heard it.
She's arguing with me.
A pause.
Why am I enjoying this?
Elara blinked.
What?
Kael sighed.
Actually sighed.
"Lady Lyra."
"No."
Another pause.
She's adorable.
Elara almost tripped over absolutely nothing.
Had this man lost his mind?
Apparently yes.
Because the next thing he did shocked everyone.
Instead of threatening her...
Instead of punishing her...
He held out his hand.
The entire ballroom froze.
The king was asking.
Not ordering.
Asking.
Please.
Elara's eyes widened.
The thought was so quiet she almost missed it.
Come with me.
For some reason, that single thought felt more sincere than everything he had said so far.
Slowly, she placed her hand in his.
The room exploded with whispers.
Kael ignored all of them.
His fingers tightened slightly around hers.
As though reassuring himself she was actually there.
As though he was afraid she might disappear.
Then he led her out of the ballroom.
The giant doors closed behind them.
Silence greeted them.
For the first time all evening, they were alone.
Well.
Mostly.
Several guards followed from a respectful distance.
Kael finally released her hand.
His face immediately returned to its usual coldness.
"There are dangerous people in this palace."
Elara raised an eyebrow.
"Like you?"
Kael's jaw tightened.
Fair.
She bit back a smile.
The king continued walking.
"I don't want you wandering around alone."
Because I nearly had a heart attack watching Lucien flirt with you.
Elara rolled her eyes.
"You know, your thoughts are much more honest than your mouth."
Kael stopped walking.
Completely.
The corridor fell silent.
A chill ran down her spine.
Oops.
Maybe she shouldn't have said that.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Kael turned around.
His golden eyes locked onto hers.
"What did you say?"
Too late.
No taking it back now.
Elara swallowed.
Then decided to jump off the cliff entirely.
"I can hear them."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The guards wisely moved farther away.
Kael stared.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then his thoughts exploded.
She can hear me.
She can actually hear me.
I've been thinking like an idiot around her.
Gods above.
Elara covered her mouth.
Kael looked horrified.
Not angry.
Horrified.
That somehow made it worse.
"How long?"
His voice was dangerously calm.
"Since the sacrifice."
Kael closed his eyes.
A muscle twitched in his jaw.
I need to move to another kingdom.
Elara laughed.
She couldn't help it.
The mighty Hybrid King looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him.
"You heard everything?"
"Most things."
His expression darkened.
Most things?
THAT'S WORSE.
The panic in his thoughts made her laugh harder.
For a moment, neither of them noticed.
Neither noticed how natural it felt.
How Kael's eyes softened slightly.
How the tension between them shifted.
Until another voice interrupted.
"Well."
The familiar drawl echoed through the corridor.
Both turned.
Prince Hendrick stood at the end of the hall.
Smiling.
Again.
"Now this is interesting."
Kael's face instantly hardened.
And the next thought that thundered through Elara's mind was so possessive it nearly shook the bond.
Why is he still here?
To be continued..
