Gauri laughed when he stumbled through the movements of the dance. “You are a discredit to your title, Vikram. Fox Prince, indeed,” she said. “I’ve never seen a clumsier fox.” “What I lack in skill, I make up for in enthusiasm.”“Do you even know how to dance?” “Not at all,” he said, spinning her in a circle. “I can tell. Were you lulled by the music?” “The company.” “Now you’re just trying to be sly and charming.” “I am a credit to my title, after all.

I am not interested in recollections of the past," said Vikram, holding my gaze. "I have a future now. There's nothing sweeter than that.

He turned to me, mischief glinting in his eyes. “Howdo they celebrate good fortune in Bharata? In Ujijain, we kiss.”“Look elsewhere.”“Are you sure? You spend an awful amount of time looking at mylips.”“That’s only because I’m horrified at the sheer idiocy of the wordsleaping out of them.

Stop admiring the view,” he said.“Critiquing it.”“What do you find lacking? ”“Honor.”“Alas. I must have misplaced it.

He stared at me. “Are you done? ”“Yes.”“May I get up? ”“No.”“I see you like your men with their egos gutted.”“Only when I’m feeling generous.

How do you feel? ”“Like I will die if I don’t eat this apple.”He considered this. “Then why don’t you bite it? See what happens.”“Are you mad? ”“I prefer curious.

He reached once more for his book. Instead of his shirt.“Did you run out of clothes? ”“No?” He looked down, as if just noticing that he was partially exposed.“I had to bandage some of the cuts I got after running back here.”“But you have your bandages on now.”“Astute as ever, Princess. Am I offending your maidenly senses again? Can I not luxuriate in a single evening without the threat of bodily injury?

In that moment, he looked like mischief and midnight,like a temptation that always slipped away too fast and left you at once relieved and disappointed.

It felt silly to say that he couldn’t bear to lose her. He never had her. She was not a thing to be possessed. But her entrance in his life had conjured light. And losing the light of her would plunge him into a darkness he’d never find his way out of.