For a brief second, Gabriel's movement slowed.
The princess seemed to notice it immediately because a soft laugh escaped her lips beneath the veil. It was not loud, but it carried enough amusement to tell him she had seen his reaction.
"You took that seriously?" she asked.
Gabriel looked at her calmly. "You said it with a straight face."
"That is because I was bluffing," she replied, her tone now lighter. "If I truly had a talent that let me read through people so easily, this hall would be much less interesting."
Gabriel said nothing for a moment, then let out a quiet breath.
"So Your Highness chose me for another reason."
She nodded once, her hand remaining steady in his while they moved across the dance floor. The music stayed soft, and the warm light above them reflected faintly off the polished floor.
"I simply did not want to dance with any of the nobles," she said. "Especially the ones in this hall."
