She stops suddenly when there’s another knock on the door.
“Come in,” I say, straightening my robe.
My father walks in with a gorgeous floral beaded headdress. I’d forgotten that in most of the pictures, my mom wore the beautiful heirloom. I gasp when he hands it to me.
“I don’t want to do anything to mess it up.”
“Anything can be fixed. If you want to wear it, it’s yours.” He beams at me and I swallow the lump in my throat.
“I’m so happy you’re well, Papa. I think this is a wonderful idea, celebrating your life.” I reach out and hug him and he pats me on the back while I sniffle.
When he steps back, he clears his throat and looks unsettled.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “You’re not overdoing it, are you?”
He looks at the floor and shakes his head. “I’m fine, sweetheart. I’m happy to do something special for you tonight. This is a night you will long remember.”
I crinkle my nose and grin at him, unused to his over-the-top sentimentality. He chuckles when he sees my face and points toward the door.
“I better leave you to get ready or you’ll be late for your own party,” he says.
“Your party,” I correct.
He does an exaggerated nod. “Right. My party.”
The dress is so revealing, it’s hard to imagine my mother ever wearing this, but it fits perfectly. I feel like I’m slipping on a costume that is way more exquisite than anything I’ve worn, and once I slip the headdress over my waves, the floral beading catching the light just right, I feel like I’ve stepped back in the early days of Alidonian royalty.
“Wow,” Darcy breathes. “I can’t believe the resemblance to your mother. Dare I say even more beautiful,” she whispers, her hand on her throat. “No one will be able to look away.”
My father comes back a few minutes before I’m supposed to walk down to the ballroom. He stares at me, his mouth dropping when I open the door.
“Are you sure this is okay?” I ask.
“I’m so proud of you, baby girl,” he says. He holds out his arm and I loop my hand through it. We walk toward the staircase and Caulder is standing at the bottom of the stairs, talking to a tall man with long blond hair. They both look up and watch as I slowly descend the stairs. The stranger looks me over so thoroughly, I feel way too exposed. I clasp my dad’s arm tighter and focus on Caulder. He looks even cockier than usual.
“Delilah,” he says, bowing low. He holds out his arm to his friend and nods toward Papa.
We reach the bottom and my dad puts his arm around the man. They all turn to face me and I feel my skin flush with all the attention.
“Allow me to introduce you to King Avaban of Blorl,” my father says. “This is my beautiful daughter, Delilah.”
King Avaban’s eyes get stuck between my breasts, even as he’s lowering his head in a bow. “She’s a beauty all right,” he says.
He takes my hand even though I haven’t offered it and my skin gets clammy all over. I nearly pull it back before he can kiss it, but my father’s expectant smile forces me to pause. I swallow hard, feeling a little sick and chalk it up to nerves and being severely grossed out by King Avaban. He looks about forty and the pervy vibes he’s putting out are enough to make me want to run back to my bedroom.
Instead, I pull my hand away and give the slightest nod. He licks his lips and stares at my mouth, his eyes looking like ice.
“Well, we should get to the party, Papa,” I say, smiling at my father. “We can’t keep the guest of honor from all the guests.”
He holds out his arm again and I take it, glad to be walking away from the Ice King even though I can still feel his eyes drilling holes through me.
King Avaban and Caulder go in ahead of us, saying something about a grand entrance, and then it is just Papa and me. It’s quiet for a moment and I turn to my father one more time.
“You sure you’re feeling up to this?”
“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” he says.
I laugh. “You must be feeling better…you’ve never wanted a party before.”
“You’ll see.” He winks.
My head tilts as I’m about to ask what he’s talking about when the double doors swing wide open and we are announced throughout the ballroom.
All is forgotten when I see him standing in the center of the room, his eyes sweeping over me like a caress. I shiver and this time, it’s pure pleasure. King Jadon Safrin. I feel my heart begin to thud and the beginnings of a smile that I can’t hide taking over my face.
Calm yourself. He’s just a man. And the enemy at that.
There is a round of applause that draws me out of my stupor and I wave, trying to greet all the guests with a smile rather than just the one man who has captured my attention. A few of the guests line up to greet my father and me, and then we are ushered to our table, an elaborate feast already laid out on each table.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Papa,” I tell him as I sit down, noticing Jadon is just one table away.
“I’m glad you’re pleased,” he says.
Our glasses are filled and our plates are piled high. I lift my hand to stop any more from being added to my plate; I already don’t know how I’ll get out of this dress if I eat anything. But Papa is so excited about all the delicacies offered, I try a little bit of everything.
“This is shantas…you’ve never had it because I couldn’t find anyone who could make it as well as my grandmother…until this.” He closes his eyes and savors the bite of meat-filled pastry with a creamy sauce.
I try a bite and groan. “Oh, that’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
I feel eyes on me and look up to see Jadon staring at me. His blue eyes are brilliant even from a distance and his long black wavy hair shines like silk in the candlelight. He is the most perfect specimen of man I’ve ever seen and I wish I had the luxury of staring at him for as long as I want. There’s a kindness about him that I wasn’t expecting, that someone as built and brilliant as him could also be gentle is such a paradox. I must be fantasizing because all of my life I’ve been told the Safrins are fools of the winter, brutes who don’t know the meaning of culture.
“I see you’ve caught the eye of King Safrin,” Papa says, leaning into my ear. “I’m glad he’s seeing your beauty firsthand, to know one more thing he’s missing out on.”
I rear back, looking at my father like I’ve been hit. “What are you saying?”
He shrugs. “Just that you are one more unattainable in this castle of all the things he must desire.”
I set my glass down and stare at him. “I’d rather you not ever talk about me like I’m cattle, Father.”
His eyes widen and he chuckles. He leans past me to look at Caulder and raises his glass. “Uh-oh, she’s calling me Father now. Can’t have our baby girl angry at the ball.”
“Well then, don’t say such ridiculous things,” I snap.
Caulder laughs and my blood boils as I sit between the two of them, once again feeling like a child.
“Don’t get your panties in a knot,” Caulder says. “If you can even wear panties in that thing.” He waves his fork up and down my dress and I want to stab him with the fork.