Every one of them stopped what they were doing to watch me as we made our way through them. I could hear their hushed whispers and gasps of surprise as I passed. My mark. Every one of them turned their heads to stare at my mark on my back.
I had almost forgotten about it when I was with Evren. It was almost as if my mark didn’t matter when I was with him. But that was absurd.
My mark mattered more than my own life. It was everything that I was and everything that this kingdom wanted from me. And tonight, I was here to show it off.
The crowd moved as we walked, clearing a path for the Starblessed escorted by the bastard prince, and I knew that was how they all saw us. Neither one of us was more than what they had labeled us, and as Gavril came into view, his gaze searched me out and he didn’t even notice his brother at my side.
It was a mistake on his part.
Because his brother was all I could see.
He started toward us with a grin on his face, and he bowed deeply once he stood in front of me. “Adara,” he sighed my name before reaching his hand out for me. “You look breathtaking.”
“Thank you.” My hand clenched against Evren before I mustered the courage to drop my hold on him and allow his brother to pull me away.
Gavril pulled me into his side without acknowledging his brother, and he led me toward the dais where the king and queen waited. “Gods, you’re beautiful.” Gavril ran his fingers down my spine, and chill bumps were left in his wake.
I was still so raw from his brother, so on edge.
The urge to bow before the queen was overwhelming, but I somehow managed to keep my head held high like I hadn’t just let the other prince of their kingdom eat from my flesh.
“You look different, Starblessed.” Those were the first words she spoke, and my breath rushed out of me as fear consumed me.
“What?” There was no way for her to know. No possible way that she could see the way Evren had marked my soul with his touch.
“Your thigh.” She nodded toward the slit in my dress. “That star mark hasn’t always been there.” She narrowed her eyes as she studied it. “It’s different than the others.”
“Oh.” I pressed my fingers to the new mark Evren had given me and looked down at the scar as my heart raced. “No, Your Majesty. It’s new.”
She smiled, although the motion held no trace of pleasure, and looked back and forth between her son and me. “It would appear that this betrothal will bring out the best in both of you.” She paused for a long moment as her gaze fell back to my thigh. “Please dance. Let our guests gaze upon the magic that mars your skin.”
I watched as her hard gaze fell on Evren before she looked back at me slowly, and my stomach sank at her assessment. Her eyes narrowed on me before they fell back to my thigh, and my hands trembled at my sides. Whatever she was seeing was wrong. I had to make sure she believed that.
I turned toward Gavril and smiled at him with as much joy as I could muster. “Then let’s dance.”
He pulled me toward the middle of the floor where others were already dancing, and for the first time since I walked into the room, I noticed how handsome he looked. His brown hair was pushed back out of his face perfectly, and his clothes hung close to his body in a way that drew you in.
“I didn’t think you were ever going to get here.” He laughed as he lifted my hands and placed them along his shoulders. He ran his fingers slowly down my arms, and I tried not to tense under his touch.
“This dress took a long time to get into.”
He laughed softly, and his gaze fell to my chest. “I bet it did. Did I tell you how beautiful you look in it?”
“You did.” I smiled and looked away from him, and I was reminded of how on display we were.
Everyone in the room was watching us, assessing their future king and me, and I could see them waiting for me to make a mistake.
“There will be a few noblemen who will ask for your hand in a dance tonight.”
My gaze flew back up to meet Gavril’s.
“The queen has requested that you accept.”
“Requested or demanded?” My heart raced at the thought of having to dance with anyone else. Of having their hands on me.
Gavril gave me a tight smile. “I guess they are one and the same.”
I nodded because I knew exactly what that meant. I didn’t have a choice.