Rafe bowed formally and planted a chaste kiss on my hand. “Princess Aurora, always a pleasure,” he said, smiling the most dazzling smile I had ever seen. I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes off him, even though I was terribly embarrassed.
“Rafe . . . I mean, Your Highness,” I said, suddenly remembering where I was.
“I must say, you look exceptionally beautiful tonight,” he said softly, straightening, his eyes never leaving my face.
He finally let go of my hand when Erien butted in. “Let’s go and find Mother,” he said quickly to me.
Rafe scowled but didn’t say anything.
“What’s the rush?” I was irritated to be pulled away from Rafe.
Erien didn’t answer as he took me by the arm and led me through the crowd.
I glared at Erien when he finally stopped with me behind a potted plant at the far end of the ballroom. “What was all that about?”
His jaw tightened. “Rafael.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What about him?”
“He’s no good for you,” said Erien sharply. “He may be a great warrior-mage, and he is the crown prince, but he is not the type to be tied down. It will only end in heartache, mainly yours.”
I tried to look astonished but failed miserably. Erien was right—Rafe may not have been an outlaw, but he was definitely dangerous. And Kalen and his mother had warned me about that side of Rafe. Even his own father seemed to be exasperated with him.
Then I thought back to everything Celia and Vivienne had said about the crown prince. It was a different picture from how Rafe really acted. But which one was his real self? Was he the hardened warrior who traveled the kingdom helping the poor and helpless, the outlaw who was the bane of Morgana’s guards? Or the spoiled princeling who was only interested in wine and women?
“I know that,” I said, sighing. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to mess up my future because of some guy, even if he is a prince.” Although I wanted to mean what I said, I wasn’t sure how much truth there was in that statement.
Erien let out a relieved breath. “That’s good to know,” he said, becoming his usual jovial self again. “In any case, there is so much none of us knows about him. There are things about the crown prince that are a mystery to even those who know him best.”
I nodded. I knew I had to stay as far away from Rafe as was possible. The more I saw him, the more I wanted to be with him. In hindsight, spending so much time with him training every night was probably not the smartest thing to do. I knew that, Prince of Eldoren or not, Rafael Ravenswood was definitely not good for me.
Erien walked off to mingle with the guests. I declined to go with him, as I was still anxious about slipping up and saying the wrong thing. I looked around the room, searching for Kalen. When I saw him, I waved him over. He came over by the plant where I was hiding with a big grin on his face.
“It was kind of your uncle to permit me to stay at the palace with my mother,” Kalen said enthusiastically, looking around at the whirling dancers. It was his first time inside the Summer Palace. “I am having a marvelous time.”
I smiled at him from behind my plant. It was so good to have Kalen to talk to again.
“Why are you hiding behind a plant?” Kalen’s brow furrowed. “Let us go and meet Rafe. Don’t you want to talk to him?”
“No!” I said, catching Kalen’s arm and pulling him back behind the plant before he could escape again. “That’s exactly who I am trying to stay away from.”
“By hiding behind a plant?” asked Kalen, looking at me as if I had lost a few brain cells along the way.
I bit my fingernail. “Sort of.”
“But why? I thought you liked Rafe,” said Kalen, again looking confused.
“I do,” I said, now getting exasperated. “Too much. That’s why I have to stay away from him. Don’t you see?”
“No, I don’t see, but if you say so.”
I rolled my eyes. Kalen could be so oblivious sometimes.
“And don’t you think you should have mentioned that the Black Wolf was really the Prince of Eldoren?” I whispered.
“Shhh,” Kalen hissed. “Be careful. If anyone overhears us, Rafe’s life will be in danger.”
“But how could you not tell me?” I asked again, trying to keep my voice to the softest of whispers.
“I told you when you asked me the first time—he didn’t tell you because he didn’t want you to know.”
I hung my head. Rafe didn’t trust me. That hurt more than it should, and I turned away so Kalen could not see the tears that swam in my eyes and threatened to fall.
“Oh, it will be fun to watch Rafe when he realizes his betrothed is here,” said Kalen blithely, scanning the room.
I thought I was going to faint again.
Betrothed!
Rafe was engaged!
Oh no, Leticia! How could I have forgotten?
My eyes whipped about the room, and I spotted Rafe almost immediately, standing rather stiffly in front of Leticia. She had her back to me, and her beautiful golden hair, woven with glittering diamonds, cascaded down her back. She was dressed in a dazzling confection of baby pink and silver satin. She turned, and I noticed her icy eyes shone with anger—and she was directing that anger at Rafe.
I wanted to find out what they were saying. “Tell me about her,” I whispered to Kalen.
Kalen was busy looking around the room and was obviously getting bored standing with me behind the plant. I could tell by the look on his face that he was glad to spill some gossip.
“That’s Leticia, the daughter of the Earl of
