Rhystan opened his mouth, but Sarani forestalled him with one hand. She did not make a reply to the vice admiral but instead scanned the ballroom. Almost everyone was staring at her, expressions varying from curiosity to contempt. None of it signified, but she wanted to take in each and every face.

She did not control anyone else’s actions, only her own.

Her cold gaze returned to Markham, the man who had taken so much from her, stripped her of her very dignity as if it’d been his right to do so. “I am not a girl. I am a princess of Joor, and you will address me as Your Highness.”

She exhaled and surveyed the guests. “My father was an Indian prince, and my mother was a countess of English and Scottish birth.” She held her chin high. “My parents met and fell in love. I never knew anything but love from them. However, what I received from most of the outside world was just the opposite and much like what I see here: scorn, derision, and fear. I am not ashamed of who I am.”

She turned to Rhystan with a soft smile and then caught the duchess’s gaze and finally touched on Ravenna. “I thank the Duke of Embry and his family for taking me in when I had no one to turn to. They offered me safety when I needed it most.” She took in a clipped breath, knowing the next part would be the hardest. “However, I am no longer engaged to the duke. The purpose of our engagement was to keep me safe from the man who murdered my father.” Amid the loud gasps and whispers, she felt Rhystan tense at her side. “But now that the assassin is in the hands of the police, I think it’s best to release the duke from our betrothal.”

She narrowed her eyes at Markham for so long that he shifted in his scuffed boots, his face turning puce. “The truth, sir, is that you are the disgrace, not the duke. Not just for maligning me or for taking it upon yourself to punish someone for being different but for being so small-minded that you cannot see past your own ignorance. I pity you. The world is a big, big place, and you are but one measly, inconsequential prick.” Sarani smiled. “I mean speck.”

“How dare you insult me?” he fumed.

“I dare because I have a brain in my head and a tongue capable of articulating my thoughts. I am not afraid of you, Markham.” She smiled a shark’s smile. “However, if you want me to make it truly simple for your tiny little brain to comprehend, I dare because I outrank you.”