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The guard’s frown deepened.

The princess said, “For now, I will call you Kai, if that is acceptable. Where are you from?”

Kaerius pointed out across the water.

“I don’t know of any lands that direction.”

I live in the water, not across it.He made a swimming motion with his hands.

She looked confused, and Kaerius found her befuddled look unexpectedly adorable.

“You came out of the water? I know; I’ll tell them you’re a foreign prince from a far off land, and you don’t speak our language yet. Do you know how to dance?”

The gravity of the world above water was challenging enough. Kaerius tried to imagine attempting anything like a dance when limited to sideways movement alone and frowned. What about movement up and down? What about the graceful changes of direction, from heads to tails uppermost and around again, and the triumphant flips and turns that characterized the dance of the Mer?

He tilted his head doubtfully. He was an excellent dancer, but he suspected his skill and grace in the water was not what she meant.

“Why him, if I might be so bold, Your Highness?” asked Brighton quietly.

“Look at him.” The princess gestured. “He can pull it off. He carries himself like a prince, even mute and wearing borrowed clothes. He can’t be startled into some accidental comment that Ralph will use against me. No one knows him, so they can’t prove he’s not from far away. Being a foreign prince would explain his unfamiliarity with our customs. Do you have a specific objection to him, or just to the plan in general?”

Brighton sighed. “He’ll embarrass you, Your Highness. Helicked the soapthis morning! Can I really not serve as escort? Or I can find you one of the young lords from the barracks no one has seen.”

“I want you watching my back, please. I trust you most.” She smiled affectionately at him, and he bowed. “As for the young lords, I’ve seen them all, and I know that as proud and patriotic and eager to serve as they are, they’ll look at me with awe as their princess. Do you see any awe in Kai?” The princess gestured at him, and Kaerius turned his most regal smile upon the guard. Only a tiny quirk of his lips betrayed his amusement.

Brighton’s sharp eyes flicked up and down the prince’s lean figure, apparently taking in every detail of his body and bearing. The prince had seen no one else with coloring like his, and heimagined his s mop of golden waves and blue-green eyes did look foreign. His strong, sensitive lips and sharp jaw looked as regal as any prince might have wished, at least among the Mer. His shoulders were broad, his arms muscular, and his hands moved with elegant grace that looked good on anyone, human or Mer. Kaerius raised his chin as he held Brighton’s gaze.

The guard pressed his lips together. “He’s certainly pretty enough to be a prince,” he said reluctantly. “And I see no reason to think he would intentionally harm or endanger you. He owes you his life and current comfort.”

Kaerius looked back at the princess, and he smiled just a little at this, his expression sweet and delighted, so that she might see his admiration and intentions. He was not awed. He was entranced.

“I still wish we could buy you a little time some other way,” said the guard. “But I cannot think of how, other than delaying the balls and pretending you are indisposed.”

“Oh, I can be indisposed all right,” said the princess. “But I need to see Ralph and Galbraith, at least, without having to be dancing with them at the time. Everyone else will expect something from me.” Her pale hazel eyes rested on Kaerius gravely. “I need you to understand that I owe you nothing else, other than the payment I promised and my gratitude.”

Kaerius bowed deeply, imitating Brighton’s grace.I am eager to serve Your Royal Highness. But I do believe you will love me by the end. I am irresistible. He grinned at her, his eyes sparkling with teasing humor.Even Brighton says I’m pretty.

“I ought to be able to sign your name, even if I must use a short form for now. Will you teach me?”

He signed it for her, and then, when she got the left hand’s position wrong on the first part, he shot a reassuring look at Brighton and stepped forward.

“Wait here,” said Brighton, putting a hand on his shoulder.

The princess rose, descended the steps, and then, at last, stood before him. Apparently it suited protocol for a royal to descend to the floor, but not for a presumed commoner to ascend too near the throne.

When she reached him, Kaerius couldn’t help his slow smile, for it was an entirely honest response to being face to face with the princess he had so often admired from afar. The light of intelligence, kindness, and determination in her eyes elevated her from merely beautiful in form to beautiful in spirit as well, and his heart thundered within him.

Conscious of the guard’s watchful eye, he signed his name again more slowly, watching for the nuances in her imitation. Slowly, so as not to provoke Brighton, he reached out to correct the position of her left hand and spread the fingers a little more.

Her skin was warm and smooth, with faint calluses on the tips of her fingers. What had caused that? The sensation of her skin on his sent fiery desire through him, but he gave no sign of it. It was too early; she had not loved him from a distance as he had loved her.

Well, love was a strong word. He had no real experience of love. But he had desired her, and now she was here, nearly in his arms, and he did not want to frighten her. So he kept his touch upon her hands light and respectful, and he stepped back immediately when she signed his name correctly.

He pointed at her in the polite way, with two fingers.Your Royal Highness Marin, he signed.

“Is that my name?” she asked.

He nodded and did the sign more slowly, watching her imitate the movements. Her hands were graceful, and that pleased him more than he had expected.