Star Dust (Force Of Gravity Book 1)

by Ali Winters

  Oriana blushed and dropped her eyes. “Thank you.”

  His armed tightened slightly around her waist as he pulled her closer. It wasn’t a possessive movement, but one of giving comfort.

  They moved with the slow tempo of the music. They alone danced, their guests lining the outer edges of the room, watching the new couple.

  The song ended, and Caelan guided her around the open space, as they presented themselves to the masses.

  Finally, the rest of the guests filed onto the floor and danced. Soft murmurs filled the dance hall again as the next song started up.

  “Would you care for another dance?” he asked as he smiled down at her.

  Chilled air drifted through the open doors, caressing her heated skin. “Would you please excuse me, Prince Caelan. I must find my maid.”

  “I would be happy to accompany you, my Princess.”

  My Princess? Her chest squeezed and suddenly all the air seemed to leave the room. “No, it’s all right, I will just be a moment.” Oriana pressed her palm to his firm chest to stop him from following her, before picking up the hem of her dress, and walking away into the crowd. Submerged within the throng of bodies, she paused, looking over her shoulder. Caelan towered over many of the others and an easy smile graced his lips as he spoke with King Odine. Both men let out a laugh, as the King patted her betrothed on the back.

  Oriana

  Winding her way through the crowd, Oriana moved further into the castle. She spotted Celeste in the back, near the open door, leading into the main castle.

  How could I let myself get so close to the wrong Prince?

  “Oriana, are you all right?”

  “Yes… no… I don’t know,” she stammered.

  “What happened?” Celeste clasped Oriana’s hands in hers and pulled her closer to the wall. Her eyes scanned the hall for any who might overhear.

  “I made a mistake. I didn’t recognize Prince Caelan.”

  “That was to be expected—”

  “No, I spoke with another Prince, I… I made a fool out of myself. I thought he was Prince Caelan and I let myself…” Oriana hung her head, unsure how much to say.

  “It was before you knew who Caelan was. No one can blame you for that.” Celeste placed a hand on her arm, understanding in the slight frown on her lips. “You must forget about him. Prince Caelan is your betrothed.”

  “You’re right.” Oriana hung her head.

  Celeste pressed a hand to her cheek. “You are warm. Get some air, then go back to the party and spend time with your Prince.”

  Oriana nodded. “Thank you, Celeste.” She pulled her friend into a quick hug before heading out into the night.

  The cool night air hit her face as she pulled in a deep breath. What had just happened? Oriana’s mind refused to make sense of the last hour. This was not what she had expected. If Prince Caelan wasn’t the one from the garden, then who had she been talking to? Who would have the nerve to approach her and act so boldly? All the Kingdoms knew of her betrothal; it was not news to any of them. Her stomach sank when it hit her: she knew who the prince was.

  She sighed. Their connection meant nothing, she told herself. And at least she would never see—

  “Princess?” a deep voice filled with uncertainty pulled her away from her thoughts.

  Her spine straightened. Slowly, Oriana turned to face him. “You,” she accused, the words hissing out between her clenched teeth.

  “Princess—” He pulled off the black crystal mask, revealing his face.

  Anger flared through her. The masks were a stupid idea. What was the point? His face was exactly what she’d expected when they’d spoken. Strong features, mahogany eyes... she shook her head, clearing her mind. “What are you doing here?”

  “I want to apologize. I... Didn’t know about the betrothal.” He stood with his back stiff, his arms hung limply at his sides. One white gloved hand grasped the black crystal mask, but his eyes remained downcast. His black suit was neat and he looked embarrassed. It was an odd look for him, as though the feeling didn’t come naturally to him. The way he held himself was impeccable, even under the circumstances.

  “You can’t be here.” She stalked up to him, her hands balled into small fists. “Do you have any idea what would happen to you... to me if we were seen talking without Prince Caelan by my side?”

  He hesitated for a moment, “No, do you?”

  “No!” She threw up her hands.

  “Please, Oriana, lower your voice,” he ordered, keeping his voice low, looking around to see if anyone else had followed.

  Her eyes widened at the command.

  “You need to leave,” she spat, venom dripping from her words. Embarrassment, shame, fear. The emotions warred within her like a violent solar storm. It was impossible for her to tell if it came from her missing the obvious clues, or from the fact that he should have known better to not have put her in such a compromising situation. He glared at her, stone-faced.

  “What—” The next string of words died on her lips as the Prince abruptly stiffened, then turned, and headed back down the stairs into the garden.

  Irrational anger took hold. He’d left just like she’d told him too, but her anger wasn’t ready to leave with him.

  She stormed off after him, following him down the steps and further away from the guests, and the prince inside waiting for her. The least he could have done was stand there, and let her finish having her say, then leave.

  Her step faltered as he walked past the tree they’d sat beneath earlier in the evening. He headed for the river. Picking up her pace and hurried after him, determined to catch him before he made it any further into the garden. Rounding the corner, she saw him crossing the bridge and heading into the tall maze of hedges.

  Her heart pounding, she rushed on after, determined to finish giving him a piece of her mind.

  She jogged after him, her heels clicking on the arched bridge. Oriana entered the maze and turned the first corner.

  “Ouch!” she cried, bouncing off a hard surface and stumbling back. Strong hands gripped her upper arms and steadied her.

  “Be careful,” he said.

  “What are you doing?” she snapped, jerking her arms out of his hold.

  He stared at her with a bemused, yet guarded expression. “You told me to go. So I went.”

  “I know what I said!”

  “Why did you follow me?” Dark eyes sparkled, heavy with unspoken words.

  “I was still talking,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “If you wanted me to stay then you shouldn’t have told me to leave.” He gave her that cocky smile she was beginning to hate. “What happened to ’if you were seen talking to me’?” he mocked in an imitation of her voice.

  “You let me worry about that!” Heat rose to her cheeks. The fluttering of her heart increased.

  Anger. She told herself.

  “Don’t worry, I will.” He turned his back on her.

  Oriana stared at his back. “You’re the Earthen Prince aren’t you?”

  “Prince Lucian, at your service.” He spun around to face her and bowed low. “I am glad you finally guessed correctly. I was beginning to worry about your deduction skills,” he added dryly.

  “What?”

  “I am referring to our deal. You had three guesses, and this was your last try.” He tilted his head. “That’s why you followed me out here isn’t it? So you could claim the favor you wanted?” He stepped closer to her, forcing her to tilt her chin uncomfortably high to maintain eye contact.

  “No.” She would not let his proximity move her.

  “Then, why did you follow me?” he asked, inching closer. Dark mahogany eyes stared down at her, crinkling in the corner as if he were laughing at her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t Prince Caelan?” she demanded, taking an involuntary step back.

  “It’s a masque. Identities are supposed to remain secret until the final moments. You wanted
to guess. I was not made aware that I should divulge mine to you upon sight.”

  “Well, you should have known.” She craned her neck, lifting her gaze higher. He towered over her, but she refused to be intimidated.

  “In case you forgot, Princess,” he said, a hint of defense darkening his words. “I am new here. We are new here. This is a first for my court, and we do not yet know all of your silly rules.”

  “Our rules are not silly,” she countered with authority. “They are a long standing tradition, and you would know that, Prince Lucian, if you had bothered to study before coming here.” She knew she was being unfair to him. There was no rule stating that anyone, even new guests, had to reveal their identity before the final hour. She cringed inwardly at her words. Udaya was about celebration and building closer relationships with neighboring Kingdoms—not about knowing everything about everyone before arriving. By removing the masks, they removed the known symbols that identified them, allowing the heirs to mingle without associated stigmas and stereotypes that were so often tied to their origins. It was the hope of the Kingdoms that in this instance, personal friendships and therefore alliances would be formed that would have otherwise been prevented by the muddy histories and grudges of past rulers. With each new ruler the slate was wiped clean because of events such as this, giving the planet new hope for beneficial treaties and alliances that would have otherwise been impossible.

  “Forgive me then, Princess. My intent was not to offend you, nor anyone else.”

  “I am betrothed.” The sadness in her voice, as she said those words aloud, hit her in a way she never expected. Oriana held her breath and strengthened her resolve. This Earth Prince would not get the better of her.

  “I know. I didn’t realize that fact when we met.” Lucian dropped his gaze before continuing, “Or I would have kept my distance.”

  “You should learn to be more careful.” She spun on her heel and marched away.

  Oriana walked as fast as she could from the maze. Her heart pounded against her chest. It was unbelievable, she never should have followed him. Someone could have seen them. At the very least it would have meant a break down in the treaty Soleis had with Jupiter. It would most certainly also have all the other planets questioning her ability to rule, as well as causing them to rethink their own treaties with her Kingdom.

  Her head snapped up at an unexpected splash in the river. She scanned the open area.

  Nothing.

  The water continued to peacefully bubble along its way. Oriana shook her head and continued to walk wistfully back to the party, pushing all thoughts of Prince Lucian from her mind. She needed to focus on Caelan now. He was her priority, as were her duties to everyone attending to celebrate her.

  Running up the steps that led to the ballroom, she paused right outside the open doors, took one slow, calming breath and straightened her hair and gown. Then Oriana walked through the doors to rejoin the party.

  Lucian

  Lucian ran a hand down his face. “That went well,” he muttered as he waited for her to put distance between them. The first event since Earth signed the treaty with the Inner Ring Alliance and he’d already jeopardized his world’s relationship with the most powerful Kingdom within it. Hiding in the garden wouldn’t fix this, he had to go back inside and face the music.

  Stepping forward, the tip of his shoe lightly tapped a hard, foreign object. A crystal pendant rocked back and forth, sparkling up at him. Lucian bent down and scooped it up. It had to belong to Oriana. He was unable to recall seeing her wear it; but the short time he spent around her he had only managed to look into her deep, smoky eyes. As much as he would like to return it to her, now was probably not the best time.

  Certainly, any attempt at getting near Oriana would only cause trouble from this point onward. He couldn’t even claim innocence of being new. Now with the engagement announced, his chances at getting near her again were next to impossible. The only one who would approach her from now on, was her intended.

  He could find a servant or someone who could return it to her… No, that would lead to questions about how it came to be in his possession in the first place. Any doubt of his, or his Kingdom’s intentions would only strain the relationship between them and every other planet. Earth needed to be on good terms with Jupiter more than any other planet, a fact he couldn’t ignore. Troubled, he decided it wasn’t a risk he was willing to take in order to return a simple necklace.

  Letting out a frustrated breath, he pocketed the pendant. At the least, he would look for a place to leave it where she could find it. He shook his head. Why had returning the necklace become so important to him?

  Lucian walked out of the maze, intending to head back toward the party. However, he pulled up short at the entrance to the hedge maze. A strange grey-haired man was climbing out of the river, stopping him in his tracks. As he watched, he observed that the man wore the uniform of Soleis. Lucian jogged over to his waterlogged form.

  “Let me help you.” He offered his hand to the man attempting to crawl out of the water. The Citali guard startled and slipped partially back into the river. Lucian reached down, and grabbed the man by his arm, pulling him onto dry land.

  “Thank you, Prince Lucian.” The man bowed but would not meet his eyes as so many Citali did. Quickly, he spun on his heel and hurried away from the palace.

  Lucian narrowed his eyes. There was something off about that old man. What had he been doing in the water?

  Shaking off the strange encounter, Lucian walked slowly back to the party.

  Oriana

  “Oriana!” Caelan called out, striding toward her. “I was wondering where you went off to. My parents were asking about you.”

  Oh stars! The last thing she was in the mood for now, was meeting her future in-laws. Her nerves were frayed, and her pulse was still erratic in her veins.

  “Please forgive me, I am not used to so much attention,” Oriana smiled weakly up into his beaming face. “I am here now.”

  He grinned and took her hand in his. “Do not worry. Let me introduce you to them now.”

  Perhaps being married to him wouldn’t be too bad.

  The tall man with sharp features watched her cross the floor with Prince Caelan. He leaned over to the King and Queen of Neptune, whispering to them closely before disappearing into the crowd. Their gazes lifted, filling with curiosity as they followed Oriana’s movements.

  Who is that man? Why are they looking at me like that?

  “Is something the matter?” Prince Caelan asked.

  She shook her head; not having realized she’d stopped walking.

  “No, I just thought… I saw someone I didn’t recognize.”

  “Of course you did, this is a masquerade.” He started walking again, pulling her behind him.

  “No, I mean—”

  “Princess Oriana, please allow me to introduce you to my parents, Queen Fray and King Jarrett.”

  Oriana found herself being turned around, Caelan’s hands weighing heavy on her shoulders. Facing them now, she stared up at his parents.

  Just like their son, they were tall and imposing. But their kind faces held genuine smiles.

  “Pleased to finally meet you Your Highness’.” She curtsied.

  “Oh, the pleasure is ours dear,” the Queen said, pulling Oriana toward her and kissing both cheeks, eliciting a squeak of surprise. All her worries prior to meeting them melted away at that moment. Oriana barely had time to blink before the King greeted her in the same way.

  Yes, her future family was kind. She straightened and stood up tall next to them, then looked back at Prince Caelan. They towered over everyone in the room. How had she missed the most obvious clue as to their origins? Determined in her resolve to make this alliance and joining work, she stepped back to his side and linked her arm with his. As Oriana and her future family watched the festivities, guest began coming up to congratulate them.

  Hours later, she closed the ceiling high doors behind her
and leaned against them. Kicking off her left shoe, then her right, she wiggled her bare feet on the opulent carpet. Ambling across the room, she dropped into the rounded, wing-backed chair, slouching down into its plush cushions. Stretching her neck from left to right, she let out a sigh.

  It had been a long, and strange night. Prince Lucian… No, she had no reason to think about him ever again. Dark, coal black eyes and sharp features hovered at the edges of her memory too. She pushed both men from her mind. From now on her thoughts would be only of Caelan.

  The door opened and Celeste walked in, drawing a groan from Oriana. “The evening went well. Don’t you agree Princess? Caelan is a fine match for you.”

  “He is nice,” she agreed. Her hand, reaching up to her neck to finger the crystal pendant, found only the jewel encrusted necklace she’d put on earlier that evening. Oriana felt around her wrist, hopeful it was where she’d wrapped it at the beginning of the night. Nothing.

  “You—” Celeste began.

  “My necklace, it’s gone.” Oriana shot to her feet, and scanned the ground.

  “It’s probably with the rest of your jewelry that you didn’t wear tonight.”

  “But I did wear it. I wrapped it around my wrist, for the party. I didn’t want to take it off.” She dropped to her hands and knees, feeling around under the chair.

  “Then I’m sure it will turn up as the hall is cleaned,” Celeste used the most patient and calming voice she could muster, lifting Oriana by the elbow.

  “But…”

  “It is time for you to get into bed now. We can look for it when the sun is up,” her tone strained with exhaustion, Oriana knew she wouldn’t win this battle. She would wait until Celeste had left and then search. Crawling under her silken sheets, she watched as Celeste extinguished the candles and left, leaving her alone in the darkened room.

  Lucian

  “I thought you would be out riding now, Lucian.” His mother, Queen Raina, placed a cool hand on his forehead.