Page 5 of A Sea So Cruel
Nobility was a game, and Kaid was a star player. Duke Aerik, his father, handled the paperwork, the residents and the politics. Kaid, however, handled the social interactions. Even with his notorious reputation, he found that everyone he encountered seemed to love him.
Everyone except for Princess Asta, apparently.
Kaid spun Maren to the melody, her mint green dress billowing out in a circle around her, and he used that moment to glance over at the jade-eyed she-devil standing at the edge of the dance floor. She seemed to be chuckling at something Halsten said, but she kept her eyes pinned on Kaid and Maren.
Maren smiled fully, a small gasp escaping her as Kaid pulled her back to him. That was what he needed to finally get her attention. He seized the opportunity in the song to dip her dramatically, his strong hold on her never wavering as she fellback, and then pulled up again. This time, she wasn’t smiling. But her large, brown eyes were locked on him, a fire burning within. At that moment, Kaid knew he had her, and could easily keep this up for a few weeks. But could he do this for his entire life?
He supposed he might grow to love her. Someday. A very, very long time from now. But he didn’t want to love anyone. He didn’t want his happiness to rely on anyone but himself.
Kaid saw the struggles his father still went through regularly for having to live out the rest of his life without his true love, Kaid’s mother. He sometimes felt guilty for his father’s sorrow, even though he couldn’t have stopped his mother passing away during childbirth.
Kaid’s gaze drifted to Asta again, the other person in the room who had unintentionally killed their own mother. He wondered if she ever felt that same guilt.
Likely not,he thought to himself.She seems too heartless to care about such a thing.
“It is customary that you dance with my sister as well, Lord Kaidian,” Maren stepped back, “I will send her to you. Thank you for the dance.”
Before she could walk away, Kaid pulled her fingers to his lips once more and lingered seconds longer. He pulled his eyes up and saw that her face was rosy, accentuating the freckles peppering her nose and cheekbones.
“I look forward to our first date. Tomorrow?” Kaid asked.
“Tomorrow,” Maren replied, trying not to look too eager.
She floated off toward her sister, her steps weightless. Her face turned serious as she spoke to Asta, and then Maren was escorted out by a brunette woman. Kaid assumed the woman must be Svanhild, her lady-in-waiting.
Asta stalked toward Kaid, leaving Halsten standing with a woman with light auburn hair in a sky blue dress. The two were awkwardly shifting on their feet and not speaking.
Kaid was shocked when Asta grabbed his arms and placed one of his hands in the proper position on her waist and his other hand in hers. He was even more shocked to feel the well-developed calluses of her grip.
“No spinning, no dipping, no frills,” Asta mumbled through gritted teeth.
Kaid gripped her tightly and pulled her closer to him as he began leading their motions. He dipped his head down to her, keeping his voice low. “As you wish, Princess.”
Asta rolled her eyes but let him take the lead. Kaid was amazed at the amount of muscle he could feel through the fabric of her dress, the delicate lilac color hiding what fury lurked within. How did a princess become so strong? They danced quietly for a few moments, the air thick between them.
Kaid gestured toward Halsten with his head. “Who have you left my chief courtier with?”
“Linnea, my lady-in-waiting.” Asta glanced over at the odd pair. “I made sure she knew exactly where to kick him if he tried anything with her.”
Kaid barked a laugh. “He would probably deserve it.”
They danced mutely for a few moments.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Asta blurted.
Kaid acted clueless, though he knew where this conversation was going. He wanted to see how much further Asta could dig herself into a hole. “Say anything about what?” He quirked up an eyebrow.
Asta stopped moving with the music. “When we first met in the hall, obviously. Why didn’t you mention who you are? Why didn’t you stop me?”
“What better way is there to learn what people think about you than hiding your identity? Though you didn’t teach me anything new.” Kaid smirked.
“You won’t be marrying her.” Her voice was stern and unyielding, her face expressionless.
“I most definitely will. And I’ll win you over, too.” Kaid pushed on Asta, a reminder for her to keep dancing.
Asta howled a humorless laugh. “Not even when I’m dead will I have an ounce of respect or liking for you. Go back to Haalberg and drink yourself to death, as you seemed so fit to do before my father made this ridiculous arrangement.”
“Drinking seems to be more of your father’s hobby, is it not?” Kaid smiled, keeping his voice light, but he knew how much his words stung.
