I paused, but the shadow soon revealed itself to be a cat—a gorgeous cat with black fur that seemed to sparkle, eyes so vibrant purple they nearly glowed. It bounded up to Valen and rubbed itself against his legs, purring.
Wow, the cat was a terrible judge of character. It would have better luck cozying up to literally anyone—
“Hello to you, too.”
Valen pulled something from a pouch on his belt and offered it to the cat. Fish, I realized a second later as the cat chomped down on it. He’d brought a piece of leftover fish from lunch.
Did he bring it specifically for the cat? Of course he had. He didn’t walk around with pieces of random fish for no reason. But… That was sweet. And Valen wasn’t sweet.
He continued up the steps as if he hadn’t just smashed my perception of him to little pieces.
“Are you coming?” he asked, stopping about five steps up.
“Is that your cat?”
“She’s no one’s. Lives in the neighborhood and mooches off whomever she can.”
“Reminds me of the alley cat who lived behind the brothel where I grew up. I never had extra food to give him, but I’d setout a bowl of water.” I bent down and scratched the cat under the chin. “Of course, he was the ugliest little goblin I’d ever seen, nothing like this gorgeous lady.”
Valen’s brow furrowed, but he smoothed out his expression a moment later. “Shall we?”
I left the cat to her feast, and we climbed the rest of the stairs. I snuck glances at Valen when he wasn’t looking, wondering if another shapeshifter might be impersonating him.Just because he’s nice to cats doesn’t mean he’s not an asshole, I told myself. They said King Albin of Thallence spoiled his dog rotten, andhewas a murderous tyrant.
The music grew louder, and we followed it to a small square. A towering statue of a woman in a crown stood in its center, carved from pearlescent stone that radiated a soft white glow. The musicians played at its base, their heads barely brushing the woman’s ankles.
Dancers glided around them, feet prancing across smooth stone the color of amethyst. Their movement was hypnotic, each person stepping in sync with not only their partner but every other couple around them. Most of the women—and a few of the men—wore elegant, flowing dresses. Other women wore trousers, and most men wore fancy tunics or loose shirts that revealed their chests.
Food vendors had set up tents on the edge of the square, but Valen found an open spot between them where we could sit on a low stone wall and watch the dancing. I studied their movements, though it was hard because they kept changing dances. Valen named each one: the Blue Rose, Danse De Lune, the Pavane. Some were so simple they bored me, while others looked much trickier.
Occasionally, a dancer would miss a step or turn the wrong way. But they’d just laugh and keep going. I found it reassuring,not just because I wouldn’t stand out if I made a mistake, but because it showed the fey weren’t perfect.
The couples chatted and smiled at each other as they twirled around, and I felt a stab of jealousy. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to dance with on a night like this? Better yet, someone to go home with after, to curl up in bed with, pleasantly exhausted. I’d always tried to stop myself from longing for a partner. I’d lived on the fringes of society, a pariah, hardly marriage material. For a brief time, I’d thought maybe I’d found something with Philippe, but that little adventure had ended like a shipwreck.
Then came my mother’s illness. I’d stolen Tullus’s fortune, bought her a cure, and we’d left our old lives behind, moving across the kingdom and finding work on a farm. Nobody there knew about our past. Maman had started pointing out unwed farmhands, encouraging me to find romance.
But how could I trust someone with the secret of my shapeshifting magic? Maman had trusted a man once, and look at how that had turned out.
“Are you ready to try?” Valen asked.
I’d been staring at the dancers without really seeing them for the past minute, so the question almost made me jump.WasI ready? The musicians started playing one of the slower, easier songs.
I nodded, and Valen stood, offering me his hand. I stared at it, the skin on my arms prickling. We’d held hands all morning when I was stepping on his feet, but this time, his hand seemed to offer the promise of something more.
What a stupid thought.
I took his hand, and we joined the other dancers.
Chapter 12
Emmeline
The music drifted like moonlight over water, elegant and entrancing. Each note tugged at my limbs as I found the rhythm of the dance. The courtyard spun with laughter and lantern light, and soon I moved as if the melody had threaded itself through my veins. Valen’s presence felt steady and grounding, but the moment our eyes met, the rhythm faltered inside me. I stumbled, feeling as if the world had shifted around his smile.
The dance was just practice for our cover story. I needed to listen to the music and remember the steps, not notice the feeling of his warm, calloused hand in mine.
Shit, I was noticing the feeling of his warm, calloused hand in mine.
Heat rose in my face, and I kept a tight hold on my shapeshifted form, making sure no red showed in my cheeks. I forgot to turn, and Valen tugged me to the right. I wanted to smack myself. Frantically avoiding looking at him, I focused on my feet and the music.
