Prince Riku was across the room, talking to some diplomat, but his amber eyes were fixed on our little group.
He's watching us.
He's been watching us.
How long has he been watching us?
"Speaking of dangerous," I murmured. "See that man over there? The devastatingly handsome one with the amber eyes?"
Elara followed my gaze and her eyes widened.
"That's Prince Riku," she said. "From the Valdris Empire."
"That's the DEVILISH prince," I corrected. "And he's far more dangerous than he looks."
"He looks pretty dangerous already," Celeste observed. "What with the dark magic radiating off him and the way he's staring at you like you're the most interesting thing in the room."
She's not wrong.
He IS staring.
And I'm definitely blushing.
FUCK.
Celeste leaned in slightly toward Elara, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she glanced between me and Riku.
"You know what's truly remarkable?" she said to Elara, her voice low and conspiratorial. "I've known Isabel for five days now. Five days. And I have NEVER seen her blush."
Elara's eyes widened, her gaze darting to me.
"Never?" she asked.
"Never," Celeste confirmed. "Until yesterday when that prince started talking to her. She turned absolutely CRIMSON. It was unprecedented."
I'm going to KILL her.
I'm going to curse her into the next LIFETIME.
"I was NOT blushing," I said through gritted teeth.
"You absolutely were," Celeste said, her smile widening with pure delight. "And the fact that you're denying it so vehemently just proves it."
As if sensing our attention, Riku excused himself from the diplomat and started walking toward us.
Oh no.
Oh NO.
He's coming over here.
And I'm with Elara and Celeste.
This is going to be HUMILIATING.
"He's coming over," Elara whispered, sounding excited.
"I can see that," I muttered.
"Try not to blush," Celeste said helpfully.
I'm going to KILL her.
Riku stopped in front of our little group and bowed—that same fluid, graceful movement that made my brain short-circuit.
"Lady Raven," he said, and his voice was warm and rich. "Sister Celeste. Your Highness. What a pleasure to find you all together."
He's being CHARMING.
He's being DIPLOMATIC.
He's playing the GAME.
"Your Excellency," I said, trying to sound composed. "I hope you're enjoying the reception."
"It's been... illuminating," he said, and his amber eyes were fixed on me. "Though I have to say, the most interesting part of the evening is right here."
Oh, he's DEFINITELY flirting.
In front of Elara and Celeste.
This man has NO SHAME.
Elara looked absolutely FASCINATED, her eyes darting between Riku and me.
Celeste looked AMUSED, which was somehow worse.
"Prince Riku is from the Valdris Empire," I said to Elara, trying to maintain some semblance of control. "Where they study all forms of magic. Including the ones Astervane bans."
"So I've heard," Elara said, and there was genuine interest in her voice. "Is it true that your kingdom doesn't restrict dark magic?"
"It's true," Riku said, turning his attention to her. "In the Valdris Empire, we believe that power is power, regardless of its source. Banning certain types of magic is like... banning certain types of knowledge. It only creates ignorance and fear."
He's RECRUITING.
He's absolutely RECRUITING.
He's showing Elara that there are other options.
Other kingdoms where she could study freely.
Smart.
Very smart.
"That sounds... wonderful," Elara said softly.
"It is," Riku said. "Though I have to say, I've been impressed by what I've seen here in Astervane. Despite the restrictions, there are still those who pursue knowledge. Who refuse to be limited by fear." His eyes returned to me. "Lady Raven, for example, is quite remarkable."
Stop.
Stop being so PERFECT.
Stop saying exactly what I want to hear.
"You're very kind, Your Excellency," I said, trying to sound sarcastic and not like I was melting.
"I'm not kind," Riku said, and that smile—that DEVASTATING smile—appeared. "I'm honest. There's a difference."
Celeste made a small sound that might have been a laugh.
I'm going to curse her.
I'm going to curse her SO HARD.
"Lady Raven," Riku said, "might I steal you for a moment? There's something I'd like to show you."
Oh no.
He wants to talk PRIVATELY.
This is either the best thing ever or a TRAP.
Probably both.
I glanced at Celeste and Elara, who both looked far too amused.
"Go ahead," Celeste said. "We'll be fine here. Won't we, Your Highness?"
"Absolutely," Elara said, grinning.
Traitors.
Both of them.
I'm surrounded by TRAITORS.
"Fine," I said, trying to sound reluctant and not excited.
Riku offered his arm, and I took it, feeling the warmth of his skin through the fabric of his jacket.
He's WARM.
Why is he so WARM?
This is SO UNFAIR.
He led me to a quieter corner of the ballroom, away from the crowd, near one of the tall windows.
"I heard you mastered illusion magic today," he said once we were alone. "In a single afternoon. That's... impressive."
How does he KNOW that?
Who's telling him these things?
Does he have SPIES in my house?
"I watched you from the gardens earlier today," Riku said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Your mother's demonstration was... illuminating. Though I have to say, watching you fail seven times before you finally succeeded was far more entertaining than the finished product."
He was WATCHING?
He counted the FAILURES?
This is humiliating.
And also incredibly hot, which is WORSE.
"You seem to enjoy my suffering," I said dryly.
"Not suffering," he corrected. "Determination. Persistence. The kind of raw ambition that makes most mages look like they're just playing at power." His amber eyes fixed on mine. "You don't play, Isabel. You're building something."
Oh fuck, he GETS it.
He understands exactly what I'm doing.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a rose.
A rose.
He's giving me a rose.
The rose was white—perfectly white, with delicate petals and a long green stem.
A white rose.
How... conventional.
But then Riku did something that made my breath catch.
He held the rose between us, and I felt a pulse of magic.
Illusion magic.
He's casting an illusion.
The white rose shimmered, and suddenly I was looking at something completely different.
A black rose.
A BLACK ROSE.
Perfect, dark, STUNNING.
The white rose was an ILLUSION.
The black rose is REAL.
"You spent all afternoon learning that illusions are about control," Riku said softly, his eyes never leaving mine. "Discipline. Hiding your true nature under a perfect mask. So I thought I'd give you something that does the opposite. Something that hides truth under beauty."
That's...
That's PERFECT.
That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever done for me.
And I'm definitely blushing.
FUCK.
I took the rose carefully, feeling the soft petals, the sharp thorns.
It's real.
It's perfect.
It's MINE.
"Thank you," I said, and my voice was definitely breathless. "It's... beautiful."
"It's honest," Riku said simply. "Like you."
Stop.
Stop being so PERFECT.
Stop saying exactly what I want to hear.
"I heard you humiliated the crown prince," Riku continued, his tone conversational. "Compared him unfavorably to his fourteen-year-old sister. In front of the entire court."
Of course he heard about that.
Everyone heard about that.
"I simply made an observation," I said.
"You made a STATEMENT," Riku corrected. "You told the entire kingdom that their crown prince is weak, predictable, and less impressive than a child. That takes either incredible courage or incredible stupidity."
"Which do you think it was?" I asked.
"Courage," Riku said immediately. "Definitely courage. And strategy. You wanted to make an enemy of him. You wanted to force him to react. You wanted to see what he's really made of."
He UNDERSTANDS.
He understands EXACTLY what I was doing.
This man is DANGEROUS.
"And what do you think he's made of?" I asked.
"Pride," Riku said. "Wounded pride. Which makes him dangerous. But also predictable." He leaned in slightly, and I caught that scent again—sandalwood and dark spice. "You, on the other hand, are anything but predictable."
Oh, he's definitely flirting.
He's ABSOLUTELY flirting.
And I'm definitely enjoying it.
And I'm definitely blushing HARDER.
"I should return to my friends," I said, trying to sound composed. "They'll wonder where I've gone."
"Of course," Riku said. "But I hope we can continue this conversation later. I find your perspective on... magic and power... absolutely fascinating."
He wants to talk about magic.
He wants to talk about DARK magic.
He wants to COMPARE notes.
This is either the best thing ever or a TRAP.
Probably both.
"I'd like that," I said, and I meant it.
Riku bowed again—that same graceful movement—and I walked back to where Celeste and Elara were waiting.
Fuck.
FUCK.
Why is he so PERFECT?
Why does he have to be handsome AND powerful AND interested in dark magic?
This is SO UNFAIR.