Oh, to be rid of Mr. Williams! My heart danced with joy. "But are you sure there aren't others?"

"There will always be others and no doubt someone will rise up to challenge me again." The king gave a careless shrug. "Their numbers are crippled enough to no longer be a threat, for now."

"Let's get Cydney inside." Dunston reached for the k.n.o.b on the French door.

Panic filled me. Remy's jacket covered all the important stuff, but I was still practically naked. "Wait. Uh... I'm a little underdressed."

Dunston coughed. "Of course. We can't have you rejoining the guests without your gown on. And you'll need to clean up. Remy, please find Annalise. Tell her to bring her emergency kit."

"I can't leave you out here, Dad. What if the werewolves come back?" Remy asked.

"They never left." The king pointed beyond the stone wall, just several feet from us. At least fifteen werewolves hung in mid-air, limp.

My mouth dropped open. "That's some powerful magic."

"Yeah, they don't look so threatening anymore, do they? I'll be back." Remy gave his father a nod, then disappeared.

"What will happen to the werewolves?" I asked.

"They'll be tried and probably convicted," King Lefevre answered.

"Will they be killed?" I asked.

"That depends on sentencing, which is handled by the council. Cydney, in order to get a conviction, I may need you to give a statement. Which means you'd have to testify against your own kind." The king's voice softened. "Are you alright with that?"

"I don't care if they're vampires, werewolves or hyenas. It's not a matter of species. It's about right and wrong. If they commit a crime, they should pay. They were trying to overthrow you and you don't deserve that."

"Thank you, Cydney." The king smiled. "I hope that you and your family will stay with us the remainder of the weekend, so I can show my grat.i.tude for saving my life and my son's." His commanding tone didn't give me a choice.

But I didn't want a choice. Any doubts I'd had about Remy and me had vanished. Remy wasn't in any danger around me and neither was anyone else. I had no reason to stay away. And I didn't want a reason. I just wanted him back - royalty and all.

"Oh, my!" Annalise's eyes widened when she saw me. She immediately let her miracle box - the one that held her tools to fix my face - drop to the floor. Her gaze fell on the discarded pile of green fabric. She nudged the king aside and picked it up the dress. "A little dusty, but no blood."

Annalise rose and began barking orders at the men. Apparently, ranking higher than her as the royal family didn't matter one bit when it came to girl stuff. Making the men go away would've been easier while I got dressed, but after the recent attack, the last thing I wanted was to be left all alone on the balcony.

Soon, they all formed a wall around me, facing away, and I stepped into the dress. She zipped me up, then spun me around to face her. "Minimal damage. I'll have you fixed up in no time."

Several minutes later, she had contained my wild red curls again and worked her magic on my face.

"You boys can turn around now."

"Let's get back to our guests." The king adjusted his tuxedo and faced the door.

Remy had put his tuxedo jacket back on, which covered his b.l.o.o.d.y shirt.

"What about the werewolves?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder. They still hung there.

"The magic will last a few more hours. I'll have my security men restrain the traitors long before the magic fades. Let's enjoy the rest of the ball."

Remy offered me his arm and I slipped mine through his. As soon as we crossed the threshold, security men were by the king's side. They exchanged whispers, but the ballroom was too noisy for me to distinguish between syllables. Every eye in the place riveted to us.

A moment later, one of the men talked into his earpiece, probably relaying the king's latest orders. Annalise slipped away and blended in with the crowd.

"Cydney!" Winnie called out. "We've been waiting for you."

Just as she reached me, one of the security men stepped between us.

"It's okay, Gerard." Dunston held up a hand. "Winnie is her cousin."

"What's going on?" she asked, her eyes darting between Remy and the guards.

"Nothing," I answered, feeling very certain the king wouldn't want the news of the attempted a.s.sa.s.sination getting out. Not at the ball anyway.

"Nothing?" Winnie c.o.c.ked her head.

"I'll be right back," I told Remy. He nodded, but as I stepped away, Gerard followed. My brows furrowed and I met the king's gaze.

"He's your bodyguard now," he said. "You have another one on the way. Get used to it."

My jaw dropped. "Two?" Why did I even have one?

"What?" Winnie's reaction mirrored mine.

"I will not leave you unprotected. It's not up for debate," the king insisted in a commanding tone before turning away from me.

"What was that all about?" Winnie asked. "You were gone forever, then we saw those guys running around, in and out of here. Why are they protecting you now? And what's up with you and the prince?"

"I..." Every explanation that came to mind sounded outrageous. If I tried to tell Winnie that I'd prevented a national disaster, she'd think all those hours in the bas.e.m.e.nt had given me brain damage. I decided to ignore her first question and concentrate on the last one. "The prince... well, he hasn't always been the prince. Not to me anyway."

She squinted. "Huh?"

"What's going on?" Beatrice asked, appearing beside Winnie.

"The prince, I met him years ago. He's the boy I used to sneak out to meet. But I knew him as Jack. The boy I bit."

Beatrice gasped. Winnie's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened.

"He's not mad at me. And he doesn't hate me either." Every part of me vibrated with the need to get back to him. But I didn't mind taking a moment to share my newfound happiness with my cousins.

"Of course he doesn't hate you. Anyone who knows you would never believe it was anything but an accident," Beatrice said. Her gaze moved to behind me, but I didn't turn around. "By the way he's looking at you now, I'd say he definitely doesn't hate you."

I took a deep breath and forged on. "I missed him so much."

Beatrice gathered me in a hug. "You deserve some happiness." She withdrew and grinned. "Let's go, Winnie. Cyd needs time with Prince Hottie."

I waved to Beatrice as she went off and couldn't stop myself from matching her grin. It felt like the smile would take over my whole face.

"Aren't you glad you came to the ball?" Winnie gave me a crooked smile, then spun and followed her sister.

"Remy," the king bellowed, "why don't you have another dance with your pretty friend?"

When Remy hesitated, I froze. It hadn't occurred to me until that second that maybe my display of rabid wolfishness had turned him off. Or maybe, after seeing me all hairy, he's decided werewolf girls weren't for him.

I'd been so close to having everything I ever wanted - life with Remy, but without fear. Would fate be so cruel as to finally give me the freedom to be with him, only for him to change his mind?

Remy answered his father, but his intense gaze remained on me. I couldn't read his expression. "h.e.l.l, yeah." He grinned and held out his hand.

I took it and relaxed a bit. A part of me didn't want to hope we had a chance. Where hope festered, disappointment reigned. That had been my life the last several years anyway.

Remy led me away and once again, we were floating across the dance floor. "Dunston likes you," Remy whispered in my ear.

I put some distance between us, so I could see Remy's face. "No, he doesn't like me at all. He stalked me all week, then threatened to tell everyone I bit you and have me thrown in the dungeon if I didn't come tonight."

Remy chuckled. "But didn't you hear him outside? He said you were worth the wait. Dunston doesn't give compliments lightly."

"But-"

"Empty blackmail. He had no choice but to find you. I told him I wouldn't join the guests unless you came. He knew my dad would pitch a fit when I refused to come out. You know..." He dipped me, then lifted me up. "I spend a lot of time in our library and I've learned all kinds of things. Did you know that they can't bring you up on charges unless I make a statement? Dunston knows I'd never testify against you."

"May I cut in?" Speak of the sneaky vampire.

Remy bowed and backed off the dance floor.

I stiffened in Dunston's arms.

"I'd like to apologize," he said.

"For what?" I kept my focus on not tripping over his feet. Somehow Remy had sensed my dancing skills needed honing and had skillfully avoided my toes. But Dunston didn't seem to realize girls in the States didn't ballroom dance every day.

"For the way I treated you. I'd meant to intimidate you, hoping you'd abandon any desires you might be harboring for reconciling with Remy. I didn't want you in his life. You must understand that I never had children. Remy is the closest thing I've had to a son. My first priority will always be to protect him."

Since I'd nearly killed Remy, how could I blame Dunston? "Then why make me go to the ball at all? You could've just not mentioned me and no one would've known."

He exhaled. "I made a promise."

"Well, no worries. Everything turned out okay." Even though he'd seriously freaked me out.

"Still, I regret causing you unnecessary stress," he said, guiding me backwards.

"Your wording implies stress is sometimes necessary." I suppressed a giggle.

He chuckled.

Dunston didn't seem scary at all and I wondered now how I'd been so afraid of him. "You came to my house, got me a wicked cool dress and took me to the ball. That makes you my fairy G.o.dmother, doesn't it?"

Dunston's nostrils flared. "Look who's back. Your betrothed," he drawled, then smirked and dropped his arms.

I didn't need to look behind me to see who Dunston had spoken to. Remy's scent told me he was nearby. I watched Dunston's back as he melted into the crowd.

Betrothed? Oh, right. The whole purpose of the ball had been to find the prince a wife. I loved Remy, now more than ever. But marriage? I didn't hate the thought of marrying him... one day. But in six months? No way.

I spun and stepped into Remy's waiting arms. "Does this mean your father's going to force us to get married? That was the whole purpose of the ball."

Remy laughed softly, guiding me into a dance. "My dad was annoyed, because I refused to leave the island and go to college without you. And we've been receiving threats from terrorists. So my dad found a use for me. Any family I married into would automatically be our country's ally, which would make us stronger against our enemies. But with the werewolves neutralized, we're out of danger. And now, I want to go to college. I have a lot to learn before I'm king. Maybe we can find a college we both like for next year."

So Remy didn't want to marry me? A tinge of disappointment dulled my enthusiasm for being reunited with him.

"So you and your family are staying the weekend?" Remy asked. The song ended and another one began. He smoothly transitioned us into a waltz.

A whole weekend with him? Would he try to sneak into my bedroom late at night? I hoped so. Heat crept into my face at the thought. "Do you want me to?"

"All I've thought about for the last three years is seeing you again. And now, I don't want to let you go. Ever. But if you're staying here, I don't have to."

That was it - the moment I knew everything would be okay. The moment I let hope reign. "I'd love to stay."

"You'll be my girlfriend?" he asked.

b.u.t.terflies were throwing a party in my stomach. "If that's what you want."

"I want." Remy grinned.

"Okay." I blushed for what seemed like the hundredth time as the palm of his hand brushed the nape of my neck. He leaned forward until his mouth touched mine. It ended all too soon and Remy resumed our waltz.

"Remy?"

"What?" We swerved to the side when another couple nearly danced into us.

"There's something I wanted to tell you that summer."

Remy abruptly stopped, right in the middle of the dancing couples. "Do you want to go somewhere to talk?"

"No, I can't wait."

His brows furrowed. "What is it?"

"Remember that last day in the woods when you kissed me?"

"Are you kidding me? That kiss is what kept me going all this time while I waited for you."

Yeah, I could tell him this. He wouldn't run like crazy, would he? "I... I was going to tell you..."

"What, Cyd?" He looked seriously worried.

Oh, h.e.l.l, I'd come this far. I took a deep breath and went for it. "That day in the woods, I was going to tell you that... I love you."

He exhaled with obvious relief, then half laughed. "I love you too, Cinderella." Picking me up, he spun us around.

Everyone in the palace room had turned to watch us. When we stopped twirling, he kissed me again. Our kiss was full of hope and everything we'd waited so long for. We grinned at each other a moment, then resumed dancing and the crowd applauded in approval at the prince's choice.