I stumble over my feet, nearly falling into Montana. “What?”
Holding me steady, he offers me a cold smile. “Step carefully, Miss Calico. I won’t always be there when you fall.”
The music stops, and Montana inclines his head. “Thank you for the dance. It was most enlightening.”
As he walks toward the other side of the ballroom, I glare at his broad back. I don’t think Montana orchestrated last night’s attack, but he would certainly cover up another murder if it helped the Chamber of Ministers marry Prince Kevon to the girl of their choice.
Montana stops to speak with Lady Circi, who stands by one of the ballroom’s many columns. Whatever he says to the lady-at-arms causes her to glance in my direction and walk into the dance floor, where Prince Kevon kisses Queen Damascena’s hand.
Lady Circi pulls Queen Damascena aside, and Prince Kevon glances from left to right. Next to them, Emmera leaves her partner, a red-haired soldier with a broad, stocky build. She holds the fabric of her golden dress and dips into a curtsey. I can’t see the prince’s expression because I’m several feet behind him, but he places his hands behind his back.
A few of the other girls watch Emmera with scowls, and I immediately discount her from my list of suspects from last night’s attack. The girl might be attention-seeking, but she wouldn’t leave herself open to hostility by acting forward in front of the others.
Garret rushes over from one of the many side tables and offers Emmera his hand. She glances at Prince Kevon, who nods. Emmera’s posture sags, and she allows Garret to whisk her away.
Prince Kevon turns around, and our eyes meet. He strides across the dance floor and approaches me with a relieved smile.
“Finally,” he says with a long sigh.
My brows draw together. “Are you alright?”
“As well as can be given the circumstances.” The orchestra starts again, and he gestures toward a far corner of the ballroom. “Will you walk with me?”
I nod. No member of the Red Runners has ever infiltrated the palace. If today is my last in the Oasis, I had better return to Rugosa with something useful.
The occupants of the tables stare as we walk past, but none of the guards in burgundy attempt to stop us from leaving through a single door behind the orchestra. It leads to a narrow hallway where palace servants rush in and out of rooms with trays of snacks and glasses.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
He gives me a half-smile. “I promised you a tour. Do you like roses?”
I shrug. “They don’t grow in Rugosa, so it’s always a pleasure to see them.”
“I’m surprised you came out with me.” He places a hand on the small of my back. “It’s everyone’s last chance to sway the public before they vote.”
The warmth of his palm seeps through my silk bodice, and it’s not unpleasant. “Every resident of the Oasis, you mean? They’ve probably decided on who they want to progress to the next round.”
At the end of the hallway, Prince Kevon opens a door. A warm, rose-scented breeze swirls around us. We step out into a lamp-lit garden path flanked by six-foot-tall rose trees with thin stems, which remind me of tomato trees, except there are flowers where there should be fruit. In between the trees are lavender shrubs, but their scent is faint compared to the roses.
The door clicks shut, and Prince Kevon pauses. “Master Thymel did a wonderful job.” His gaze drops to the blue tomato hanging off the thin gold chain. “You look exquisite.”
Even though my brain knows I’m playing a role, I can’t help the flush of heat that crawls across my cheeks. The only people who ever complimented me on my looks are Mom and Dad. It’s also hard to stay calm under the gaze of a man who has over thirty girls competing for his heart.
“Thank you,” I say. “For the dress and the compliment.”
The look Prince Kevon gives me is so expectant that I have to skip back a few seconds to remember if he asked me a question. My bodice tightens around my torso, and my breaths become shallow. It’s hard to maintain eye contact when I can’t stop cringing that he got to hear my heartfelt words about being the woman who leads Phanglora at Ryce’s side.
I turn my gaze toward an archway of climbing roses lit by tiny, flower-shaped lights. “What’s over there?”
“A fountain.” He gestures at the arches. “Would you like to see it?”
All the tension leaves me in a long exhale, and I walk alongside Prince Kevon toward the other roses.
We continue in silence toward a fountain with over three-dozen jets of water shooting out into the air, forming a bouquet shape. Lights at the base of the waterspout color the water yellow, yet it turns purple and then electric-blue when curves down to the stone bowl.
Cold droplets of water spray across the air, providing a pleasant cooling effect.
“I spoke to my mother about pardoning Gemini Pixel,” he murmurs.
“What did she say?”
“At first, she refused to overturn the sentence, even though it was her who incited Leonidas Pixel to break the law.”
My breath catches. “But you convinced the queen?”
“Only when I refused to participate in the Princess Trials,” he replies. “Apparently, the Lifestyle Channel’s ratings are at an all-time high. If I dropped out, it would undermine the monarchy.”
Joy bursts through my chest, and I fling my arms around Prince Kevon’s neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
He wraps his arms around my middle, and his warm, sensual scent engulfs my senses. Suddenly, I’m aware that I’m embracing not just a Noble, but the highest-ranking of them all: a Royal.
Prince Kevon draws back and cups the side of my face with his large hand. “Keep sharing your perspective of the
