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She smiled and put her hand in his because she had a feeling refusing would ruin whatever plan he had. But under her breath she whispered, “You didn’t warn me there would be dancing.”

He laughed and led her toward the dance floor. “It is a ball.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to dance.”

“Feel free to stand on my feet and let me lead you around.”

The image brought a laugh to her throat and a more genuine smile to her lips. “Right.”

He didn’t take her to the center of the floor, anyway.

Just to its edge. But he spun her around with far too much flair, anchored her with a hand on her waist, and then swept her into some step she’d never seen before.

“Eyes on me,” he murmured with the first movement.

“Not on your feet. Try to look…” He set that too-blue gaze of his on her face and smiled. “Never mind. Like that.”

Like what? She didn’t know, but if she was doing something right, then she’d stick with it—even if she did have to fight the urge to look down at their feet.

He knew how to lead, though, so she let him. And kept her eyes, as instructed, on his face. Not exactly a hardship, if one ignored the fact that he was a king. And two-hundred-seventy-five years old. And her only hope of finding her sister.

She smiled to cover her confusion as she asked, “What exactly is the purpose of this? And of the dress?”

He glanced down, his smile going a bit smirking. “Don’t like it?”

“Understatement.”

He chuckled, released her waist, propelled her out into a twirl, and then reeled her back in.

She settled her left hand on his shoulder with a smirk of her own. “I’m not that easily distracted.”

“I didn’t imagine.” He drew her closer and moved his head to the side of hers, and to anyone watching—which was most people at this point—it probably looked like he was whispering something sweet and personal into her ear.

Instead, he whispered, “When the House of Sael arrived this morning, I quickly learned of what is at least their overt reason for coming. They would like to arrange a marriage with one of their younger two daughters.”

A match—with him? She forced herself not to frown. “And…?”

“And that isn’t my priority tonight, is it? I needed something to signal to them that such a decision isn’t so simple—and yours was the only gown I had any say over.”

Understanding settled on her shoulders. And lit fire in her veins. “You didn’t. The white—”

“Only worn by the royal family. Sorry.” His grin said otherwise. “You don’t mind being assumed to be my secret betrothed for a night, do you?”

If it wouldn’t have worked against her hope for rescuing Jade, she’d have glared at him with all the fury she felt, king or no king. As it was, she had a feeling he had no trouble seeing the truth in her eyes. “You could have warned me.”

“You’d have chickened out.”

“Think you know me so well after a half hour?” But the truth of it wriggled her conscience to life, and she sighed. “All right, fine. I absolutely would have.”

He chuckled again, drew her even closer, and whispered, “I’ve had a bit of practice at learning how to read people.”

No doubt. But she couldn’t quite find the breath to retort. She hadn’t danced with anyone other than Storm at the last Awakening celebration, when she was fifteen, and being held so close…it should have felt suffocating. Awkward.

It didn’t. And that made all sorts of alarms go off in her head. She shouldn’t like dancing with him—especially when he, with his skill at reading people, would know it.

How long was this song, anyway? She did her best to look besotted—and to ignore the warmth of his hand against the exposed skin on her back.

Though a few more steps, a few more intercepted looks from the crowd, was enough to remind her of why this was absurd.

“You do realize, Your Majesty, that no one believes your little ruse for a second?”

“They may be surprised, but they have no reason to doubt it. Everyone knows I’ll have to marry again soon.” He said it lightly, easily. As if he honestly didn’t see the problem.

She would have shaken her head if it wouldn’t have meant knocking it against his. “Sure. But not someone like me.”

He drew his head back so he could meet her eyes. His own had a note of sharp confusion. “Why would you say that? You’re the daughter of one of my highest ranking—”

“I know who my father is, Your Majesty.” She hoped her smile looked sweet. “And that’s why everyone at home was afraid you’d whisk Jade away. Not me.”

He studied her for a long moment. Read her. Smiled again. “Seidon.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I would appreciate it if you’d call me by name tonight. The ‘Your Majesty’ business would indeed ruin my ruse.”

Papa had always said the king was stubborn—she was beginning to see his point. “Not what I meant.”

“I know what you meant. I’m dismissing it.” He sent her a wink he’d no doubt honed over centuries to bully people into giving him his way. And geysers if it didn’t work. “I’m allowed. Perk of the position.”

Arden breathed a laugh and tried not to enjoy the dance.