Page 57 of The Crown of the Dark Prince
How many times in the past year had people I assumed were genuine betrayed me?
Veric cleared his throat, turning back to his dinner. “Anyway, did the Empress mention tomorrow’s plans?”
“We’re touring the city?”
It didn’t matter how many shallow breaths I forced into my lungs, I couldn’t seem to stop that heavy feeling on top of my chest.
“Indeed.” Veric sipped his wine, his tone warming. “The streets outside the Sun Palace are alive with beauty and culture. I’m looking forward to seeing them through your eyes.”
“Have you lived in the city for long?” I asked, noticing the way his eyes lit up as he spoke about it.
Veric grinned, his expression playful and full of pride. “For as long as I can remember. I can’t wait to share it with you. The food, the people, the music—everything here is so vibrant. It’s unlike any other place in all of creation.”
I shifted in my seat, still feeling trapped in the awkward formality of our meeting. “It will be lovely to spend the day together.”
Veric’s eyes sparkled as he took in my words. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but hesitated, sighing softly before leaning closer to me. His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Actually, I think I have an idea for tomorrow.”
“Yes?”
“In the name of building trust, what if, just for a day, we forget about the marriage and the alliance and simply enjoy exploring the city together? I’ll take you to my favorite shops, and we can do or say whatever we like without worrying about politics or expectations. You’ll just be you, I’ll just be me, and we’ll focus on having some fun. Then, when we return to the engagement ball, we can go back to being diplomatic and responsible. Until then, I want us both to feel comfortable enough that we can simply be ourselves."
His suggestion took me by surprise, and even though I still had plenty of misgivings,I couldn’t stop the small smile spreading across my lips. If he was being honest about simply wanting to build a friendship between us, then perhaps spending our first day together free of expectations could be... nice.
Because if he was being genuine about wanting a partner in his wife, then I could admit that it would be nice to have a partner in my husband.
“I think I would very much like that, Veric.”
His smile widened into something remarkably radiant, a perfect white grin that made him seem even more approachable. He squeezed my shoulder affectionately just as a young man approached him, calling his name fondly. Veric turned to greet the newcomer, who spoke to him as though they were old friends. Veric introduced me briefly, and I nodded politely, but my thoughts lingered on our conversation.
And then, as was always the case, I thought of Clay and wondered if he had heard all of that.
“They will probably expect us to mingle shortly,” Veric whispered under his breath, his tone conspiratorial. “Truthfully, I’ve never been fantastic at feigning interest in small talk.”
“Well, in all honesty, neither have I.”
“I believe that is part of your job description, Councilwoman, is it not?” Veric’s eyes glinted mischievously, a playful spark lighting his features.
I blinked at him, momentarily surprised. It took me a moment to recognize the teasing in his tone.
First, he offered me a reprieve from formalities, and now he teased me as though we were already old friends.
It was becoming obvious that Veric was nothing like I had feared he would be.
I wasn’t sure what was worse: being chained to a cruel man or having an incredibly kind, likeable man chained to me while my affections were so obviously somewhere else.
“It’s a new position,” I said, smiling sheepishly. “You could say I’m learning as I go.”
He extended a hand to me as he stood. “Perhaps we should go learn together, then.”
This time, when I offered him my hand, it wasn’t because I felt obligated or because an entire room was watching. It was because I wanted to.
We moved through the room together, mingling with guests, as others drew us into different conversations. Everywhere we went, Veric was careful to introduce me first and include me in every discussion. When one of his friends mentioned a recent harvest of dates, Veric stopped to ask if I liked the fruit. When a young woman proudly spoke of her work teaching mythology at a new school, he turned to me, curious about my experiences learning mythology at the Athenian castle. Each time we moved to another guest, his hand on my waist was a steady, reassuring presence.
His behavior was... remarkably perfect.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked suddenly as the band transitioned into an upbeat melody, the string instruments humming with life.
My gaze shifted to the center of the hall, where guests had begun to rise and fall into step with practiced ease. Women twirled in quick circles around their partners, their feet kicking lightly before their movements culminated in graceful lifts. The men shuffled them effortlessly between their arms, the steps both intricate and elegant.
