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If I didn’t know my sister, I would have pegged her for a seductress. An onslaught of emotions fought for first place. Surprise, pride, jealousy. How she’d managed to be so calm and collected when moments ago I’d remained motionless like a buffoon was beyond me.

His throaty chuckle pebbled my skin. “Of course not, Miss?”

“Melody.” She gave a small curtsy once again.

“Melody. And you are?” He faced Kenzie, not letting her feel excluded from the interaction. Very calculated, but I couldn’t say I didn’t appreciate it. Most men threw themselves at Melody, leaving Kenzie to entertain herself. While she was generally a shrew of a girl, I couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if Melody monopolized the attention of a prince.

“Kenzie, Your Highness.” She curtsied a little too low to look natural.

He nodded to the strawberry blonde sister. “I just mean,” the prince continued, “the constant frenzy of my staff working to keep this place looking perfectly pristine at all times might make one feel less comfortable than I would hope. You both have lovely names, by the way,” his voice purred and rasped simultaneously. How’s that even possible?

Stiffening my spine, I set my shoulders back. I wouldn’t let my guard lower. While my sisters were here to technically make him my brother-in-law, I wouldn’t fawn or excuse his treasonous behavior. Wouldn’t let the blinding elegance and temptation of his riches and power take over.

“If it’s any consolation, Your Grace, I have yet to see one bothered expression in this entire room.” Melody held his gaze with a level of confidence that seemed godly. No, not godly, queenly.

She held perfect poise without wavering, which actually forced him to break their eye contact. He released a breathy laugh, glancing at his shoes, and I thought I caught some sort of twitch on his lips. The mask of a prince settled again when he returned his gaze.

I peeped the prince’s aid to his right. The plump, cherub-faced gentleman held a glimmer of approval in his eye while assessing Melody. He scribbled some notes on a pad of paper.

My heart fluttered in my chest. Could this actually become a reality? I hadn’t let myself consider what would happen beyond the duration of this competition, for either outcome.

“Five minutes, Your Highness,” a guard stationed behind him said.

“Thank you, ladies, for your pleasant company. Please, enjoy the food and beverages prepared for you.” The prince bowed to my sisters, and they followed suit. So did I, this time using them as a wall of protection.

None of us spoke as we weaved around the tables of other women dressed in colorful frills and finery. Any further inspection would reveal the tattered seams, stitched up holes, and scuffs or stains that plagued most outfits. Women from the upper villages would surely have more pristine clothing, and I couldn’t help but fear that would weigh on the prince’s decision.

Though, I suspected the prince wouldn’t be the only one making that choice. The cherub-faced gentleman continued inspecting the next lady during her five-minute allotment.

We approached long tables lining the rightmost wall of the room, and my mouth watered.

14

Nora

Pastries, brownies, cookies, tarts. I could open-mouth kiss whoever orchestrated this table. My small plate currently hosted a mountain of piled on sweet treats, and I had my eye on more.

“Don’t you dare put one more thing on that plate. You’re embarrassing us!” Kenzie scolded me in a whisper. I stopped my hoard and took a seat at the table we’d chosen. Not because I worried about her embarrassment, but because anything else added to the mound would have probably just toppled off.

“I’m taking leftovers home,” I said, extending a lemon tart like one would cheers with a glass toward Melody who’d curated a perfectly acceptable platter. Two triangles of a crustless sandwich, a few fresh cherry tomatoes, and one tiny chocolate mousse.

She snickered and shook her head while delicately nibbling on the pointed end of her crustless cucumber and cream cheese. Kenzie had a few more desserts than Melody, but a pitiful amount compared to mine. My plate rivaled the most coveted artwork in galleries, the beauty of a sunset, the first sip from a cold glass of water on a hot summer's day.

Kenzie tossed me a disgusted glare, her face wrinkling in a grimace while I shoved a second pastry into my mouth. My cheeks were so bloated I had a hard time working around the delectable desserts to actually chew them.

Seated at the table next to us were Jenta and her mother, and two of her friends and their escorts. They nibbled demurely on their triangle sandwiches, casting glances at the prince still greeting more guests. Jenta’s judgmental glare caught mine, and her eyes dipped to my plate. Her lip curled in a snarl of disgust, and I only beamed back.

Not one ounce of shame could be found on my being. As a chaperone, I was overlooked. Whenever I scanned our surroundings, I rarely met another set of eyes. My attire certainly didn’t warrant any attention, and with that camouflage, I could live my best gluttonous life.

The texture of cream wrapping around my tongue brought back memories I’d long since forgotten. My father had traveled across the ocean, bringing back trinkets and goodies. He’d planned to return to the country that specialized in pastries a couple months before his death, after he’d been so excited about his new business deal. He’d booked the trip right away for all of us to go.

The memory made the sweetness turn bitter, and I had to force down the mushy lump. “I need a drink.” The chair scraped against the floor from the force of my leave.

“Nora! Please!” Kenzie continued her ridicule of my behavior, but my back already faced her.

I made for the table with the punch bowls and poured myself a cup. Sipping down the sweet fruity red juice, I couldn’t help from seeking out the end of the aisle, only to find that everyone had cleared. Probably the prince’s time to mingle before the next delivery of carriages brought more candidates to bolster his ego. I sneered.

Nora, keep your face in check.