Ksar’s lips thinned as he felt a twinge of something. Something like raw, gut-wrenching longing.
Ignoring it, he strode toward his wardrobe.
He had a ball to get dressed for and a fiancée to collect.
Chapter 21
Seyn did his best not to tense up outwardly when they announced Ksar’s name. But when they announced Leylen’s name right after Ksar’s, his mask of indifference slipped for a moment.
Seyn hurriedly put it back and didn’t look toward the entrance of the ballroom as whispers ran through the crowd. He pretended he couldn’t feel the stares and didn’t know that people were watching for his reaction to his ex-bondmate and his new fiancée’s first public appearance together.
They would be waiting for a long time.
Seyn smiled crookedly at Prince Aedan and murmured, “I feel like an exotic specimen in a zoo.”
Aedan shot him a sympathetic look. “It could have been worse.”
“You think?” Seyn said with a laugh.
“Your mother could have been trying to whore you out to another planet’s king,” Aedan said wryly.
Seyn grimaced. Queen-Consort Zeyneb, Aedan’s mother, was notoriously known for being eager for her son’s marriage to the King of Planet Zicur.
“Do you not like him?” Seyn said, trying to distract himself from the overwhelming desire to look toward the entrance. It was fucking ridiculous. He’d gone longer stretches without seeing Ksar than the nine days that had passed since the official dissolution of their non-existent bond. But somehow, it felt different this time. More final. The knowledge that there was nothing tying them together anymore made him feel…agitated. It was driving him crazy—this maddening, dissatisfied feeling under his skin—as if he had no purpose in life besides arguing with Ksar, which was fucked up on so many levels Seyn didn’t dare mention it to anyone for fear of sounding insane. The only person he trusted enough to talk about it with was Harry, but he was still on Earth with his human. Besides, Harry wasn’t exactly impartial where Ksar was concerned.
Aedan shrugged, his dark eyes not quite meeting Seyn’s. “He’s nice, I suppose. It could have been worse.”
Seyn blinked, having already forgotten what he’d asked. “Yeah—I guess,” he said. He hoped he didn’t look as distracted and self-conscious as he felt.
Judging by the look Aedan shot him, he wasn’t fooling anyone.
“You don’t have to pretend to be completely fine with the situation, you know,” Aedan said. “In fact, if you do, it’ll probably be obvious that your indifference is fake. He was your bondmate for your entire life. Some hurt pride is expected, especially after the malicious rumors Leylen has spread about you.”
Seyn gave a laugh. “They were nothing but the truth. It’s hardly a secret that Ksar always found some fault in everything I did.”
Aedan huffed. “She claimed that he’d chosen her because Ksar wanted a ‘consort who can behave according to their station,’ which is just…” Aedan shook his head. “It’s incredibly offensive, both to you and your House. You’re a prince yourself. You’ve been literally taught how to be a King-Consort since before you could walk.”
Seyn shrugged. He wasn’t particularly offended by the rumors, especially since he was honest enough with himself to admit that there was some truth to them. He hadn’t always behaved in a way befitting a prince, much less the future consort of a king; he’d always known that, but he didn’t care. Behaving improperly had been a foolproof way to get Ksar to notice his existence. Granted, it had also earned him Ksar’s ire, but truth be told, Seyn had always preferred to be on the receiving end of Ksar’s anger to being ignored by him, as if he wasn’t worthy of Ksar’s attention. Ugh. Even thinking about it made his blood boil, his body tensing for a fight—a fight that wouldn’t happen. He and Ksar were nothing to each other. There was no reason to argue with Ksar anymore. No reason to want his attention. Not that he’d ever wanted Ksar’s attention. He’d just hated not having it. There was a difference. He was sure there was.
“Stop ignoring them so obviously,” Aedan said quietly. “People won’t stop staring at you until you satisfy their curiosity. Just look at him and then look away.”
Aedan was probably right. His indifference probably looked odd. How hard could it possibly be to look at Ksar and then look away, as if Ksar was beneath his notice? He could totally do it. He could.
Seyn turned his head.
The ballroom was huge. There were probably over five hundred people there. His eyes shouldn’t have found Ksar as quickly as they did.
Ksar was talking to Queen-Consort Zeyneb, looking regal as usual, not a hair out of place. Seyn stared at him hungrily, his gaze roaming over his firm jaw and sharp cheekbones, and thin, cruel lips that had felt so good on his—
Seyn looked away and grabbed a drink from a passing waiter. He gulped it down greedily, trying to quell the thirst he suddenly felt. It didn’t quite work.