I said with another wince. Guilt flooded me for being so selfish as to want more when I already had more than enough. She shrugged me off with a careless wave of her hand.
"Don't be. It was a long shot. Besides, it isn't like I've ever had a conversation with the man. He was just nice to look at, so it would have been nice to hope for that, at least," she laughed.
“I’m sure, but attractiveness isn’t everything, is it?” What mattered was that pull I hadn’t been sure existed until I’d been lit aflame in Aric’s arms.
“Well, Holden is handsome.” Piper gave me a pointed look that I ignored. “Did you see Mallory? With her out in society and all, the ambitious Princes are flocking to her.” Piper plucked a glass of champagne from a passing tray and, after casting a cautious glance my way, took another and handed it to me.
“Thanks,” I said as I took it and handed the empty one to the same server. “Poor Mallory. I wouldn’t want to be her right now. How can she possibly tell if any of these men have her in their sights and not just Arristoel?”
“She can’t, and I suppose that’s going to be difficult for her. I don’t know if I envy her or feel sorry for her. Neither, I suppose. I know Holden may not be what you’d dream of for yourself, but there’s something to be said for knowing exactly what you’re getting. He’s handsome and you get along just fine, so not a trial in that manner.”
"He is handsome. Objectively, I know that. But we grew up together, which is how I ended up liking him. Unfortunately, all those summers we spent together didn’t work out the way our families intended." I laughed. "He's like a brother now."
Piper wrinkled her nose. Her knowledge of brothers was vast, given that she had several herself. "That's… definitely unfortunate," she conceded. "Perhaps that will change. Once you, you know, have to see each other sexually to produce an heir."
I grimaced, not wanting to think of it. The idea of having to be with Holden in such a way was horrific. "Has anyone else caught your eye?" I asked, to change the subject as we walked around the edges of the room.
"I've only just suffered a rejection. I'm not ready to set myself up for another," she joked. She looked down at her glass of champagne, like she was looking into the liquid for answers to her dilemma.
"You said he danced with the newly unveiled Princess of Lantis?” I cast my glance around until I saw the couple in question. The dashing, wealthy King and the young and beautiful Princess with stars in her eyes.
“She certainly made a spectacle of the revelation, didn’t she? But I suppose it worked. She caught the eye of the most eligible bachelor in the room. What a mystery that family is, really. I mean, you know, besides the scandal.” She threw me a sidelong glance.
I nodded and gave a casual lift of my shoulders. “Sure, that’s the one thing they’re most known for. What else do you know? She has a brother, right? The current King of Lantis.” My gazed darted around the room as I waited for her answer. Hoping that she wouldn't see through my games and would take it for disinterest or just making conversation.
"King Aric? Well, he’s enigmatic, but from what I’ve heard, he seems to be trying to improve Lantis’s standing. Make a better life for the people of his kingdom. And he's certainly handsome too," she sighed. "If not formidable in his wealth, he looks like he could prove to be in other areas of life," she teased.
My gut tightened, wondering if I'd made a mistake. Lantis was poor. Marrying a noble of any form would be beneficial for him, and Piper was lovely. "He’s a good friend of Holden’s, but I'm afraid I know next to nothing about him aside from a few stories," I admitted.
"I don't think anyone outside his circle of friends does," she agreed. "You can see it, really, how controlled that one is. Careful, and always appears so unruffled." She laughed, then her mouth formed an ‘o’ as she turned toward me. "Oh, you know what? I have heard some staff refer to his mother as a dragon from Hell, so I'm not so certain I would like to have that for my mother-in-law. I mean, King Aric doesn’t seem to be