Magnus shook his head slowly, and then without a word to anyone, turned and followed Willow out of the ballroom.
"Dorian!" Carina's delighted voice broke through his horrified realization of what he had just done. She was tugging at his arm, her face radiant with happiness.
"Oh, Dorian, I knew you felt the same! This is perfect! We should make the announcement right now while everyone is watching. My father will be so pleased, and—"
"Let go of me." His voice was deadly quiet, but something in it made Carina step back immediately.
"Dorian? What's wrong? You just kissed me in front of everyone. This is what we wanted, isn't it? To show everyone we're together?"
The rage that had driven him to such cruelty suddenly turned on the woman in front of him.
"We are not together," He snarled, his voice carrying across the now-silent ballroom. "We will never be together."
Carina's face went white. "But... but you just..."
