Chapter 193: The Dangerous Part

Elara:

I needed to change the subject before I did something catastrophically stupid, such as smiling too brightly or agreeing to let him take me on a date before I had even processed his confession. So I cleared my throat, straightened in my seat, and turned toward him with what I hoped was a perfectly casual expression.

"Speaking of making decisions, how exactly did you manage to get me out of the welcoming party without anyone making a fuss?" I asked. "Because I’m fairly certain that simply disappearing from an event organized in my honor should have caused at least three political crises by now."

Esme’s smile turned positively wicked. "Oh, Snowdrop," he murmured, starting the car again, "you have absolutely no idea how easy it is to get things done when you know the right people."

I turned my head to look at him, curiosity getting the better of me. He was wearing that infuriatingly innocent expression again, one that made it difficult to determine whether he was genuinely being harmless or secretly planning something that would leave everyone else scrambling to catch up. Considering what I had learned about him tonight, I was beginning to suspect that his innocent face was a weapon in itself.

"What exactly did you do?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. "And before you answer, I would appreciate it if you didn’t give me another mysterious little smile and expect me to figure everything out myself."

Esme chuckled, glancing at me briefly before returning his attention to the road ahead. The snow-covered mountains stretched into the distance, while the illuminated Royal Palace glittered above us like something from a fairy tale. It was almost strange to think that I belonged to that place now, that the magnificent building perched on the mountain was my home and that the people inside it were slowly becoming part of my life. 23Stranger still was the fact that I was sitting in a car with a man who had just confessed his feelings for me, calmly explaining his intentions as though he had announced that he preferred tea over coffee.

"I called my mother," he finally admitted, sounding far too pleased with himself.

I blinked. "You called your mother?"

"That’s right." He nodded, his lips twitching with amusement. "I told her that I wanted to drive you back to the palace myself and that you were tired after the party. Since she was the one who wanted me to get closer to you in the first place, she was more than happy to take care of everything else. I’m fairly certain she’s already explaining your early departure to Selene Valemont and every other person who might have questions about it." He paused, then added with a casual shrug, "So you don’t need to worry about anyone questioning you tonight. By the time we reach the palace, the matter should be settled."

For several seconds, I could only stare at him. I had spent the entire ride worrying about the political implications of leaving a party held in my honor before it officially ended, imagining the whispers that might follow me and the possible consequences of appearing careless in front of Starfall’s influential families. Meanwhile, Esme had apparently solved the entire problem with one phone call to his mother.

His mother, who had almost desperately wanted him to cultivate a relationship with me for the benefit of House Ashbourne, was now helping him create an excuse to spend time alone with me. The sheer audacity of it left me speechless.

Unfortunately, my silence seemed to give Esme the wrong impression, because his playful expression gradually faded into something more cautious. "Are you unhappy about that?" he asked, glancing at me again. "I know I said I wouldn’t let my mother interfere in our relationship, but I suppose I just gave her another reason to believe there’s something between us. If that bothers you, I can explain things to her tomorrow and make it clear that-"

"No!" I interrupted, shaking my head so quickly that a strand of hair fell across my cheek. "No, that’s not it at all."

His eyebrows drew together, and I realized that I needed to explain before he misunderstood me completely. "I’m not upset about your mother. I’m shocked by you."

He looked genuinely confused. "Me?"

"Yes, you!" I gestured toward him, struggling to find the right words. "I thought you were the quiet, considerate, perfectly behaved gentleman who apologized when he accidentally stepped on someone’s toes. You know, the sort of person who would probably ask permission before plotting something remotely mischievous."

His lips parted, but I continued before he could interrupt. "And now I’m discovering that you can make a single phone call, manipulate an entire room full of powerful people into accepting your plans, and somehow make it sound as though you have done absolutely nothing wrong. It’s almost evil."

I stared at him for another moment before a smile crept across my face. "I didn’t know you had this side to you, Esme. And, honestly..." I paused, realizing too late that my mouth was moving faster than my brain. "I’m liking you even more now."

The moment the words left my mouth, my entire body seemed to freeze. My eyes widened, and I slapped a hand over my mouth as though I could somehow force the confession back inside. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done.

Esme’s expression transformed right before my eyes, the confusion disappearing as a slow, devastatingly pleased smile spread across his lips. He didn’t even need to say anything. The look on his face told me that he had heard every single word and was already filing it away somewhere he could use against me later.

Oh, no. Absolutely not.

I turned toward the windshield so quickly that I nearly gave myself whiplash, pretending the road ahead had suddenly become the most fascinating thing I had ever seen. "You should start driving," I announced, trying to sound authoritative despite the warmth spreading across my cheeks. "It’s late, I’m tired, and I would like to get back to the palace so I can rest."

For one horrifying second, I expected him to tease me, perhaps ask how much more I would like him if he revealed another secret talent or remind me that I had just admitted to finding him attractive in a very roundabout way. Instead, Esme mercifully spared me the embarrassment.

"As you wish, Snowdrop," he replied, his voice suspiciously cheerful.

The engine came to life, and he guided the car back onto the road leading toward the palace. I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead, refusing to look at him even when I caught the faintest glimpse of his smile from the corner of my eye.

I had a terrible feeling that my spontaneous confession would haunt me for the foreseeable future. Worse, I couldn’t even convince myself that I regretted saying it. Perhaps that was the most dangerous part of all.