Chapter 112: Strong arms

Trace cringed when the new suitor pulled Anaisa far too closely as he whirled her away. The way the young man pawed at the fake princess was unseemly! She bore it calmly at first, but as the song wore on she looked as if she were about to panic, and bolt. Or worse, let her temper loose on the man, which would not only provoke him further, but might bring on the king's ire for making the princess seem unmannerly.

The couple danced further away from him, and Trace struggled to get through the press of people who were noticing and whispering.

"Excuse me, please. Pardon me, if you will…" He tried to maintain the appearance of politeness as he wound through them, but it was not to be.

There were too many people in his way, and the room let out a collective gasp of horror when the young upstart and the princess tumbled toward the floor. They pressed in tightly enough to block Trace's view, and his heart raced with anxiety.

"She shoved him!"