Page 44 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

“Your Highness,” a husky female voice sounded next to me, making me realize that Adrian and I were no longer alone in this part of the foyer.

Reluctantly, I dragged my gaze away from him and looked at Lady May. Under her pinched brows, her keen gray eyes darted between me and the lord.

“Lady May,” I greeted the Sorceress with a small smile, trying to ignore how flushed my face felt.

I hadn’t seen her in a while, but she looked the same—of average height and full-bodied, with short hair white due to her age. Although no one knew exactly how old she was, she appeared to be in her late seventies, yet she remained spry and lively. She was wearing a feather-gray gown made of thick silk, and a look of irritation on her face.

“The ball is about to commence. You should join your family,” she said to me before addressing Adrian. “And you should join the other guests.” After she had barked the words like an order, she turned and began striding away in the direction of the ballroom.

Her curt tone bothered me, but I chose not to take it personally. Everyone knew that she was straightforward, to the point of being blunt, which made most people nervous in her presence. As soon as her back was to us, Adrian and I grinned at each other as if we were children who had been caught misbehaving.

“You look…” he tried again.

“Adrian,” Lady May called over her shoulder, halting a few feet ahead of us.

The lord barely stifled an exasperated sigh as he gestured for me to lead the way. Shaking my head with a wry smile, I followed the Sorceress to the ballroom.

“There is someone I want you to meet,” she said to Adrian as soon as we entered the grand space sumptuously decorated in emerald and gold.

“Save me a dance,” he whispered to me before following Lady May to the other end of the room.

Nervous energy filled my veins as my gaze swept over the crowd, looking for Gideon. Though the thoughts of him and his betrayal did not haunt me as often as they used to, I wasn’t prepared to face him again. I didn’t see Gideon, but I did notice Christian York. He noticed me, too, his eyes lighting up when they landed on me. He began making a beeline for me through the crowd, but before he could reach me, Sebastian came up to me, and he wasn’t alone. Lady May’s daughter was by his side.

“Your Highness.” She curtsied, greeting me with a warm smile.

“Mirielle.” I inclined my head and glanced at my brother, who could hardly contain his excitement, looking between the girl and me.

“Please, call me Miri.” Her voice was feminine and soft.

“Only if you call me Emelin.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I mean Emelin.” She giggled, her cheeks turning pink.

Sebastian’s gaze was full of affection as he looked at her and gently tucked one loose black curl behind her ear. Short and petite, Mirielle seemed dainty next to my brother, but they looked perfect together, and my heart swelled with happiness as I stared at them. It was obvious they were absolutely smitten with each other.

“Emelin!” Christian exclaimed when he finally reached me. “I’m delighted to see you!” Two dimples appeared on his round face as he smiled at me.

“And I you.” I gave an answering smile as Sebastian and Mirielle walked away.

“It’s been too long since we last saw each other. Your staying in Zalie for magical training was unexpected. I look forward to your permanent return to the capital.” A hopeful expression settled into his boyish features. It was the same look that I had often glimpsed through the years of our friendship.

“Being away from the capital has its benefits.” I tried to be gentle as I shut him down. “I needed to escape for a bit in light of what happened.”

“I understand.” He gave me an empathetic look. “You know I’m here for you, don’t you?” Like I’ve always been, I read in his eyes.

A soft exhale left me. Christian was a good man, but I had never seen him as anything more than a friend. I had told him so in the past, but it seemed he still held out hope for being with me.

“Emelin,” came Adrian’s voice from my left. “I’m sorry to interrupt.” He didn’t sound sorry at all as he glanced at Christian before refocusing on me. “May I speak with you in private?”

Christian’s fair brows lifted at the interruption and he looked at me, waiting to see what I would say.

“We’ll talk more in a bit,” I told him with an apologetic smile. He looked displeased but quickly schooled his features before he nodded and walked off. I turned to Adrian. “You need to speak with me?”

“I do.” One side of his mouth turned up. “I need to tell you that you look stunning tonight.”

I ran my hands down my skirt. “This dress is a work of art.”

“It’s not the dress.”