Igniting Cinder (The Lost Girls, #3)

by Holly Roberds

“Won't she get dreadfully jealous of all your other. . .dalliances? Humans are so emotional about such things, or so I'm told.” The question snaps me out of my thoughts, and I glance up to see Charming clear his throat. Several pairs of eyes bounce between us, searching for some kind of reaction. Some weak point they can needle into and then later wag their tongues. Another rush of dizziness sways me slightly to the left. My gaze latches on the moving lips of the jerk speaking, but my vision swirls. Cotton might as well be stuffed in my head and ears, making it impossible to focus. Heaviness weighs my limbs down, but I stand my ground, refusing to fall. “Now that I am an engaged prince, Cinder will not need to worry about me straying,” he says, his hand finally coming to rest on the small of my back. I stiffen at the contact. Not because I dislike it, but because I hadn’t been prepared for it. As quickly as it's there, his touch is gone, leaving me strangely bereft. The couple in front of us shares a knowing look, doubt and amusement plain on their faces. “Come now, Your Highness. We all know your reputation. The playboy prince, always chasing the next thrill. This little experiment with a human bride is amusing, but let's not pretend it's anything more than another passing fancy, hm? You couldn’t commit to a woman any more than you could to anything else.” I bristle at their words, the dismissive way they talk about me like I'm not even here. But before I can open my mout...