And a woman in my position couldn’t afford to be reduced to ash.
A few men asked to sign my dance card, which I’d left in my bedroom. I declined them all. I had more important things to do than dance the night away. Like watch Rían shamelessly flirt with anyone in a bloody skirt.
The only time he was out of my sight was when I’d danced with Keelynn. She was the only person in this ballroom I’d happily agreed to dance with. My sister giggled the whole time, the belle of the ball, with a full dance card and fuller smile.
“Is it just me or has James Wallace gotten prettier?” Keelynn said when we came together. When she retreated in a swirl of magenta skirts, I found the man she’d mentioned against the wall near the hallway.
We came back together to spin in a slow circle, hands an inch apart. “He’s passably attractive.”
“Perhaps you can marry him.” She twirled away, her hair flying over her shoulders, then spun back and caught my hands. I felt her giggle in my soul.
“Pass.” I’d greeted James when he’d arrived, and he’d choked on his response, blushing more than I had at Rían’s suggestive comments. As much as I despised Rían’s cockiness, at least he had a spine.
“Come now, sister. If you must marry someone, he may as well be pretty. And you’ve turned away every other man who has called. It’s like you’ve given up.”
I had given up, but now wasn’t the time for that discussion.
Rían made his way toward Robert and his brothers, a glass of wine in his hand.
All of the Trench men had the same tall, broad frames, square shoulders, and dirty-blond hair. The eldest two had beards, and the next in line had a manicured goatee. But Robert, the youngest, always kept his face clean-shaven because his facial hair grew patchy and soft.
I hated that I knew that about him.
I hated that he knew things about me too.
Next to them, Rían looked like a dark devil, all wicked smiles and glinting eyes and danger. How many drinks had he had? Between flute after flute of champagne and the flask and the brandy and the wine, it had to be at least ten.
“Or . . .” Keelynn drew out the word. When I looked back, her eyes narrowed. “You already have someone in mind.”
“Don’t be daft.”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Her eyes sparkled when she grinned. “Could it be a mysterious man with dark hair and blue eyes so deep you could drown in them?”
She thought I was interested in Rían? In what world would I ever want to be with someone so conceited and condescending and rude and annoying and . . . The list of his shortcomings far outweighed any redeeming qualities he had, if any.
Keelynn wiggled her fingers at someone behind me. Rían grinned at her from where he stood. Then the bastard winked at me, sending my sister into a fit of giggles.
“I amnotmarrying Ambassador Flirt.”
“Why not?” In my ear, she whispered, “Did you see his arse in those fitted breeches?”
“Keelynn!”
The infernal prince was full on laughing now. Stupid bloody fae with their stupid bloody super-sensitive hearing.
A man sidled up next to us. When I saw who it was, I stifled my groan.
“May I cut in?”Robert asked, nodding toward my sister.
Keelynn lifted her chin like a haughty princess, glaring up at the man who had broken her heart. “You can wait your turn.”
Good woman. That was the first time I’d seen my sister do anything but jump at the chance to please him. Robert would walk all over her if she let him.
“Are you really going to make me look a fool in front of everyone?” he said under his breath.
“That depends.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Are you finished being an ass?”
I stifled my laugh behind my glove.