, this is your naming day,

ould not give it the opportunity to ruin me twice. I would have nothing to do with Monteluce. His Majesty would leave once the celebrations were over, surely, and I could return to the life I had before memories of Ramiro came crashing back into

one

one

would love m

into formal court dress. He looked every bit the King of Monteluce now, although that did nothing to make him less painfully familiar. He was handsome. Of course he was. I already knew that. I had

ng in his gaze changed. His cold blue eyes

me, I knew

r look was followed by his hands finding

your face i

th

miro so quickly that m

erfectl

e grew

der

-- and worse, the bastard looked amused. It was becoming increasingly clear that eighteen years had turned Ramiro into quite the philanderer. The man I had

is current condition was none of my concern. Who he looked at, courted, or eventually t

matters that actually concerned me. Namely, my own betrothal. I turned deliberately away from Ramiro and surveyed the grand hall once more. Surely finding one suitable unmarried

self and pay my guests the

ate her naming day?" Father chuckled. "Nothing w

cross the hall when a sickenin

ess, Prince

urn

ng welcomed wherever he went. Berbania was a human kingdom much like Valdoren, which already

antly, he w

able mat

of courtly experience had afforded me. His gr

oothly. "If I did not know better, I would think the M

tter, perhaps I woul

lattery when I heard it. Still, a reputation was not necessarily a sentence. He remained

uly, but I fear such praise does t

ght hand in hi

es, an unreasonable part of my mind immediately

ntirely d

urse

mind to be comparing the two men, ye

did not return to mine. Instead, he seemed t

t, something flickered

e

lin

e

ough to mak

hers, jealous husbands, and women who ought to have known better without so much as losing his smile. Yet

coat. I tilted my head back, and there he was. At the same moment, Prince Miguel relea

gs, Princes

e used to wear it at court whenever someone had thoroughly displeased him but rank, politics, or simple good manners prevented him from showing it. His lips would curve just enough to remain polite while his ey

ty." I incl

ion shifted tow

My greetings t

Prince Miguel some

rlier," Ramiro continued pleasantly.