Hearts of Dusk

006. Assassin of Rivadin

CHAPTER SIX:
Assassin of Rivadin

• • •

My wet hair captured the King's attention just as Jungkook predicted. In fact, I had most of the room's eyes on me as I took a seat across the prince responsible for my apparent unkemptness. I didn't think damp hair was a big deal. I should've known better.

Sky was already occupying the chair next to me, and I ignored the scorch of her gaze to offer nods of greeting to the rest of the princes. By my count, the massively long table was shared by eighteen other guests whom I presumed were all invited to the palace by the King—or rather, by his impostors.

"Jungkook." The King was at the head of the table only a few spaces down from me and Sky. His cold and deliberate voice did nothing to lessen Jungkook's mischievous smirk. "Care to explain why you arrived with one of my guests dripping wet?"

My hearts fluttered as I recalled slipping on my way out of the pool. Jungkook had instinctively caught me and got half of his hair wet in the process. I'd apologized more than once, but he seemed excited that it happened. Made me wonder if he didn't mind the fact that our arrival would clearly announce that we had been together.

"Moon wanted a tour of the palace grounds. Before we were done, I decided to show her the rock pool." Several of the princes turned their heads to stare at him, but he carried on smiling. Then those violet eyes found mine from across the table. "I suppose things got a little out of hand."

I scoffed before I could catch myself. He was unbelievable.

The King hardly moved, save for the faintest shift of his jawbone. Beneath that silver mask, his gaze strayed to me briefly before locking in on the scheming prince once more. "Need I remind you—"

"Nothing happened, Your Greatness," he said in a tone that bordered dangerously close to mockful.

The King's shoulders widened as he drew a deep breath. He looked exactly the same as he did the two other times I'd seen him, except that his hair was pulled into a tight bun. Still immeasurably beautiful. Still exuding physical waves of power. I was sure that it was not the same man who had danced with me in Oreth, though.

I'd met four princes, but there were five in total. And only four sat at the table now. The True King wouldn't be so careless as to let the one impostor be found out simply by his absence. My earlier theory had to be correct: each prince took turns appearing as the King, meaning whichever one of them was missing was the current impostor.

Jungkook sat just one spot off from being in front of me, and Prince Jimin sat between him and the King. On the other side of the King was Prince Seokjin, and beside him was the one brother I had yet to officially meet. That left the warrior prince, Hoseok, as the present King. The single question remaining was whether he was the true ruler or just a shield.

"Are we that wonderful to look at?"

Breaking from my concentration, I met Jimin's grey eyes. "Yes, actually."

Better for them to think I so easily fall under their allure than to suspect I'm here for the throne.

A soft breath left the nose of the prince next to me. I turned my head toward him and watched his brow lift as he shifted to meet my gaze straight-on. Yet another outrageous beauty, of course, with his strong nose and jaw, wide lips and defined cupid's bow, thick brows, deep brown eyes, and hair to his shoulders the color of sun-warmed honey. Flowers and leaves weaved throughout a braid that fell in front of his pointed ear.

When he refused to break the silence, I widened my smile. "I'm Moon of Oreth."

He surprised me with an easy laugh. "I know."