“I take it she didn’t have the weapon on her when you found her.”

She shook her head. “We can’t remain here and investigate what happened to Madame LeFleur. There are situations in Naenden that must be addressed, and our other avenue of extracting information is occupied at the moment. Kiran doesn’t think your father is trustworthy, so we came to you.”

“Why would I know anything about Madame LeFleur’s death?”

Her mouth opened. “Because she was one of your prominent citizens. And she dropped dead out of nowhere, with no visible wounds, no murder weapon. Doesn’t that make you the least bit curious?”

No. No, it really didn’t. But I was raised in a palace court, and my tutors had drilled it into me that it did not behoove me to admit to such.

“No. No, it really doesn’t.” Okay, so the lessons they drilled into me didn’t always stick.

The queen’s jaw dropped, and she bristled.

“What? No offense, but humans die of relatively nothing all the time. You, for instance. You could suffer a paper cut tomorrow and fall ill to an infection that would kill you within the week.”

Her mouth twitched. “I’m guessing this is not the particular brand of charm you use on the ladies who give you your glowing reputation.”

I flashed her a grin. “No, no it is not.”

“I agree that she could have died of natural causes, but when a weapon of that magnitude is involved, I can’t help but think it could have been foul play.”

“Do you do this often?” I asked.

“Do what?”

“Go sleuthing?”

She scoffed, but she didn’t seem to have a response to that.

“You know what I think, Your Majesty?”

She gave me a look like she didn’t want to know, but assumed I would tell her, anyway. She was correct.

“I think you get a thrill from a good mystery, and that is why you’re interested in the death of Madame LeFleur.”

Her hand jerked again, like she was waving me off. “Our palace in Naenden has plenty of mysteries to keep me entertained without having to drag myself north to suffer this obscene weather, thank you very much.”

I twirled her, but she was still glaring by the time she got back around to facing me.

“Usually women like that,” I teased.

“Well, it makes me dizzy,” she said, and by her words alone, I would have thought she was sticking her tongue out at me.

That word, dizzy, had me thinking of Blaise, of that wretched perfume she’d been wearing tonight that had sent my stomach somersaulting. As soon as I’d sensed it, I’d been sure Cinderella had just strode into the room. Of course, I should have known Cinderella couldn’t have been the only woman in Othian to purchase that particular scent. Humans weren’t as bothered by having their scents match another’s as the fae were. For the fae, scents were fundamentally attached to specific memories, certain people. Blaise might have been wearing the scent, but it was Cinderella my mind associated it with. Just one whiff had sent my mind spiraling into a frenzy, one I didn’t at all want to experience. Not when I’d wanted the night to be about Ellie.

My head had swum until the scent of Blaise’s perfume dissipated, and by the time Ellie and I reached the ballroom, I’d about decided to petition my father to outlaw whatever recipe that perfume was.

“I’m afraid I have nothing to offer you, Your Majesty,” I said, returning my attention to Queen Asha. “My apologies that you came all this way for nothing. And didn’t even enjoy the weather.”

She was ruffled, and she gave me a look like she wasn’t about to take no for an answer, but then the song ended, and she slipped her hands from mine. “Very well, then.”

Asha said something else, but I didn’t hear it.

My ears were ringing too loudly.

Because Prince Fin and Ellie had danced into my line of vision, and he had just pressed a kiss to her forehead.

I left the Queen of Naenden abandoned on the dance floor as I made my way over to my future wife.

CHAPTER 43

ELLIE

“You look like you need some fresh air,” Evander said, taking Fin’s place in front of me and clutching the fabric around my waist.

My heart jolted to my throat at the tenderness of his touch.

The image of Lady Nightingale leaning into Evander popped into my mind, and I shot him a souring smirk. “Oh, I don’t know. I was actually quite enjoying being breathless for a change.”

I made to look like I was craning my head toward Fin, who had rejoined the Naenden entourage and was now looking as if he couldn’t decide whether it would be more painful to speak to his brother or the queen’s sister.

I didn’t get the chance to see whom he chose, because Evander leaned into me, pressing his forehead against mine and blocking my view. The scents of pine and rainwater hit me, overwhelming my senses. Or perhaps that was simply my reaction to Evander’s fingers, playing with the fabric of my gown.

“What about now?” he breathed.

“Wha—”

“Do you need fresh air now?”

Yes. Yes, thank you, I did.

I swallowed, as embarrassed as I was intoxicated by his touch. The ballroom was crowded, and as the ball was being thrown in our honor, I doubted very much that no one was paying us attention.

“Okay,” I whispered.

“Okay.” He bit his lip. Fates above, why did he have to grin like that?

A moment later, he’d led me to the balcony and shut the glass doors behind us. Instinctively, I made my way to the railing, but Evander didn’t follow. “Wrong way,” he said.

I wasn’t sure how there could be any wrong way on a balcony, other than down, but I humored him anyway.

With about as much effort as driftwood employs to float, he jumped onto the roof overhang and extended his arm. “You coming?”

I bit my lip, then took a glance through the balcony windows, but no one was looking in our direction. I grabbed his hand, and he pulled me up with one arm.

“That’s really not fair,” I huffed as he steadied me on the roof by placing his warm palm between my shoulder blades. Rather gentlemanly for a male who’d courted so many females.

His sea-green eyes twinkled playfully in the moonlight. “What’s not?”