Chapter 6

I had moved to press myself against the wall. Hoping I could melt into it as the men drew closer.

They made up a quarter of us, so I may be able to avoid having to dance with them. I didn't want to assume, but I was surely more than half of us would be eliminated using this process. I snorted as I imagined the excuse being something lame like a lack of funds, as if someone would believe that.

Maybe it was because I picked a mellow colour, but I avoided their sight. The pretty colours grabbing their attention so although I was in the light I was basically a wallflower. But I could only wait so long before my stomach began to growl with hunger, and my feet began to twitch restlessly.

I looked to my side and saw the refreshments table; it was quite a distance from the moving dance floor, so I decided it should be safe to go there. There was an occasional visitor, but most people danced or watched.

None of the men even looked in the direction of the table.

It's safe. Just go.

I tiptoed over there, lowering my head and thanking my mother and father for the short height I otherwise despised.

I felt someone touch my shoulder, a brush, and I cringed in terror. I looked over, and no one seemed to be there. At least no one was looking at me.

It must've been an accident.

With relief, I got to the table and, without hesitation, picked up a glass of the nearest liquid. It was deep red but tasty enough for me not to care.

Though I noticed nobody had even touched the drinks, and only when a girl shot me a concerned look did I realise why.

I couldn't help a snort.

"Do they think its blood?" I muttered to myself with a smirk.

"I think they do", a voice replied, startling me as I swivelled my head towards the source.

A masked man stood beside me; in his fingers was the same beverage. He gave me a polite smile, and I could feel an internal build-up of dread.

"How silly", I replied, unable to help sound constrained.

"What makes you think it isn't?" He continued, clearly having no intention to dance or better, leave.

I quirked a brow at him. One that I hope conveyed there was no need to answer such a ridiculous question, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it and continued waiting.

"Blood does not taste like pomegranates…." I said with a sigh.

I hope he leaves soon. Marks me as an unsuitable woman for the prince, so I won't have to come back here for such a stupid reason.

"Any interest in being a princess?" He asked, unperturbed by my lack of interest. How persistent.

In business one required so many masks it was exhausting. You can't be grumpy on bad days or giddy on good ones. It was always the same good humour and sensibility. But I could see being truthful for once may be advantageous, so I grinned and replied.

"Not at all. Being a queen is even less of an interest of mine" I took a sip for courage even though the drink wasn't alcohol and stared back at the man confidently.

I expected some defiance or disgust.

He laughed.

"Any reason for your sureness, Miss..?"

"Colter, Madeline Colter", I emphasised, hoping he'd remember it.

"Colter? The merchant family?" He held a hand beneath his chin as if he thought deeply of something and then, with a sudden smile, said, "then you must be the young lady with the boutique business".

I felt my face flush deeply.

Most people did not guess it was me behind the business. Everyone was quick to assume my brothers opened it, and I only corrected them when it was necessary. It was my first experience with someone knowing it was me.

It was nice.

"That's right. I have my future set, so I can't exactly be a crown princess alongside it. It'd be a sacrifice on my side," I explained, cheeks still burning.

"But a woman does not need such dedication to the business. And considering your family, you have very little need for more wealth unless you truly have an insatiable greed for money" his tone was instantly mocking, and he did not hide the sneer on his lips nor the disgust in his eyes which I could not tell the colour of.

It would be best to agree. It would be best to just nod, but for some reason, that mocking tone made it very, very hard to.

"It's far worse than greed. Something even more disgusting is the drive of my ambitions. Someone like you wouldn't understand" I took another sip—this time to soothe my rage.

"Well, don't leave me hanging. Tell me" he leaned closer to me, and I sidestepped away. He was tall. Very tall.

"It's spite", I spat, hoping it would get him to leave. When he waited, I continued, "I have been coddled and indulged—treated useless. You know my father had us all ingrained with how to be the perfect merchant. He had my brothers set off once they became sixteen. He told them if they returned with nothing, he would disown them. I expected the same and had so many business ideas to work with. I was excited to go off into the world and make my mark. I didn't realise he didn't expect anything of me. Do you know how terrible it feels when the one person you admire tell you he doesn't expect anything from you?" I hated thinking about how I felt at that time. How stupid I was to believe that the whole time I was going to be treated like my brothers.

"I was crushed. So I decided I would open a business that greatly succeeds both my brothers and have my father apologise to me!" I let out a triumphed breath and turned to the man, who gave me a mysterious smile.

"Then you plan to make it big in the Capital?" He asked, and I almost replied instantly before I caught myself and gave him a narrow-eyes smile.

My start-up plans in the capital weren't so public that a stranger would know of it. And it wasn't something one does because although the Capital had plenty of thriving stores, it was probably the most nerve-racking place to trade. A rumour could have you out of business, and nobility walked in hoards, so any customer of value would be gone.

"What makes you say that?" I looked up at his face properly for the first time.

His jaw was sharp, nicely squared, and his thin red lips suited it. His nose was long and straight, and his brows were thick but well-shaped.

In short. He was hot.

"I know of all the trades in this city" now that I noticed his face, I noted that his voice was quite husky.

"Then you must be someone high up in taxes", I accused, and he gave me a surprised look and then laughed.

"I would never work in such a boring field", he retorted, sounding insulted, "I did not expect to be thrown such hurtful jabs by a queen candidate. What if I were the crown Prince disguised among the men?"

I thought about it, but the odds were so low it may as well be impossible.

"The crown Prince doesn't strike me as someone to idle around and drink juice while conversing with someone who would rather be anywhere else" I set my glass down and noticed how I had his full attention. I looked at his outstretched hand with a glare. Flat and ready for mine. He was asking for a dance.

If there was one thing I disliked the most about this process, it was that not attending or cooperating would get you into trouble. You needed a sick note if you had problems.

"You look displeased to dance. Are you injured?" The man teased, mouth uncomfortably close to my ear as I took his hand.

"I wish I were", I snapped and he feigned a wince of pain.

"You wound me, my lady", he continued as we walked through the crowd.

"I dance terribly, so I may if you continue testing me", I warned, frowning at the bright dance floor.

"Is that a threat?" He asked, daring me to say yes.

Unfortunately, I did not care.

"Yes".