I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. She was the only thing I saw as she stood in the center of the doorway, uncertain with her head down. Blonde hair hid her face, but I found myself desperate to meet her cerulean eyes again.
King Harold seemed impatient with his daughter. His lips were twisted with dissatisfaction, and his eyes held anything but contentment.
Kira was propelled slightly forward by a single push from King Harold’s palm.
I thought she wouldn’t go far, but it looked like the old man used some force. She stumbled forward and landed on her knee.
High-pitched, satisfied cackles left the mouths of the other three princesses.
I shot a glare at the princesses, causing them to go quiet immediately and turn their gazes downward toward their feet.
My dragon stirred inside me, urging me to offer Kira assistance.
I hurried to my feet and toward her. I was not sure why I was so desperately inclined to help her, but I was. I needed to. My dragon even wanted me to do so. I offered her my hand, which she hesitantly took as she rose to her feet. She shifted her eyes after meeting mine and hung her head as she bowed.
She looked a bit disheveled, her blonde hair slipping across her shoulders and backside. Her blue eyes were swollen from crying, but there was that abundant innocence, the abundance of good clinging to her gaze as she met mine.
I shifted my gaze toward Kira’s father, King Harold, and saw his glare fixed upon Princess Kira’s backside.
The other three kings had looked overjoyed to be standing beside their daughters at the selection ceremony, but Harold only appeared angry.
“Let us enjoy the day!” My tone was a bit overjoyed. I fixed my eyes upon the other princesses’ faces, but my gaze kept returning to Princess Kira. Her gaze was still aimed at the floor, and she refused to look up toward me.
Theodora, Helen, and Anya made a beeline for me as their fathers mingled with the assembled nobles. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed King Harold grab Princess Kira by her arm, tugging her toward him.
She looked terrified, her gaze fixed on the floor. I might have been known as the Dragon of Ruin, but I wasn’t about to let a potential queen candidate be harmed in my castle.
I quickly shifted my attention from the three eager princesses back to Princess Kira. Standing so close to her, I could smell the sweet scent of lavender radiating off her skin.
King Harold noticed me and dropped her arm at once. “My king!” he said, his anger replaced with a fake smile.
“My daughter, Princess Kira,” he offered, turning her body toward mine. Her head was still down, and I could feel anxiety radiating off her in waves.
“Pleased to meet you, Princess.” I tried to lower my gaze to hers, hoping to catch her eye.
My reputation definitely preceded me, but I thought a princess vying to become queen would put that aside to gain favor. But Princess Kira wasn’t like the other princesses.
She was inexperienced in life, men, and probably a whole lot of other things, especially at the young age of nineteen. Her father was already piercing her with his stare when I turned my attention back to him.
“King Harold, how is your kingdom doing?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
He seemed taken aback by the question but answered anyway, “Fine, my king. With an alliance with your kingdom, Valon would undoubtedly thrive.”
The Valon Kingdom was considered one of the weaker kingdoms. I didn’t blame King Harold for offering his daughter as payment. All kings did as much to gain money, power, favor—but there was something about him that didn’t sit quite right with me.
“Is this your oldest daughter?” I asked, turning the attention back to Kira, and I could see her shift her weight and meet my eyes again briefly.
“Yes, this is. She is the beauty of the two,” he responded proudly.
She shot a look at me in shock, then looked down again.
“Are you hoping for an heir soon?” King Harold asked, the old man’s devious eyes meeting mine.
“Yes,” I responded, studying his movement.
“Kira is an excellent choice. She is young, only nineteen years old. She would make an excellent mother. She is in exceptional health and cares for her younger sister—a natural nurturer,” he replied, selling his daughter off to me like a prize mare.
My gaze moved toward the top of her blonde head until she stirred again and met my gaze. This time our eyes lingered on one another until I saw a tear well in her eye.
I’d choose between the other three. But my body raged against me as my heart thumped against my chest from our interaction, as brief and soundless as it was.
There was something about this girl that I didn’t want to let go of. I cursed myself.
As soon as I tore myself away from Princess Kira, I was surrounded by the other three princesses, who were eager for my affection and to win my favor. Soon, libations were passed around, and my guests were in good spirits.
Princess Theodora was the first to engage with me, wrapping her long, thin fingers around my muscular bicep. She drew her sultry lips near my face as she played with her vibrant red hair between her fingertips.
Her mouth formed into a sensual smile as she said, “Why, my king, you’re so strong!”
Before Princess Theodora could sink her alluring hooks into me, Princess Helen was clinging to my other side. Her eyes were narrowed toward Theodora, but neither woman would back down.
Helen’s eyes were calculating as she glanced at me. “My king, would you honor me with a dance?” she asked, her voice smooth as silk, as the musicians in the corner started playing.
I knew exactly what she was doing. After all, she’d made the first move.
Theodora was fuming, her face as red as her fiery hair. I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears.
“I shall,” I replied, taking Helen’s hand in mine. We swayed to the music, our bodies moving in sync.
When my gaze reached Kira’s, she retreated, turning her head downward to study her lap as she smoothed her dress with her thin and delicate hands.
But I’d already made up my mind. My new mission was to lure Kira into a dance with me.
I turned on my heel, moving in the opposite direction to Theodora. I heard her sigh in irritation, her feet stomping like a child’s.
As I approached Kira, I heard her breath catch. She smoothed down her dress again, giving me a glimpse of her ivory skin.
Her eyes remained fixed on her legs, studying the pattern of her dress as I stood over her.
“Princess Kira, I was hoping you’d honor me with a dance?” I extended my hand.
She hesitated, her cerulean eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. She glanced at her father, who was occupied elsewhere.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally placed her hand in mine. Her milky skin contrasted against my own as I gripped her hand tightly.
She jolted at the contact, her eyes darting back to the marble floor. I lifted her chin with the tip of my finger, then slid my hand down her back.
“I’m not so bad, am I?” I asked with a smirk, feeling her warmth radiate into me. She shivered at my words, her body quivering as we moved across the dance floor.
I tightened my grip on her hand and drew her closer. Suddenly, she tore herself away from me, her delicate features now set in a steely gaze.
We were in the middle of the song, but she had the audacity to walk away. She retreated to her seat without so much as a glance in my direction.
The entire room fell silent, all eyes on us. In the distance, I could see her father fuming, his face a mask of rage as he stormed toward Kira.
I stepped forward, blocking his path to her. Even after she’d humiliated me, I felt the need to protect her.
King Harold’s eyes were filled with fury as he stared me down. He didn’t appreciate me getting in his way, king or not.
But he’d soon appreciate it when my own fury surfaced. King Harold’s wits finally returned, and he realized this wasn’t a fight he wanted to pick.
“My king, I apologize for my daughter’s actions,” he said, his gaze cooling. I waved him off, trying to appear nonchalant.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. She’s high-spirited, even in her timid nature. It was merely a small indiscretion,” I replied.
I felt Kira’s gaze on me as I spoke with her father. Her eyes lingered for a moment before she tore them away.
The festivities wound down as midday approached. I couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of the day would bring.
I needed to wipe the image of her face from my mind.
