“Not every land is lucky enough to have a monarch like our Queen Verena,” Valen said.
Ha. He sounded so sincere, but if he honestly respected the royals of the Moonlit Court, he wouldn’t be plotting to steal treasure from their princess.
Or maybe he was trying to draw attention away from my foul language.
Amatien lifted his wineglass. “Long may she reign.”
I joined in the toast. She wasn’t my queen, but she couldn’t be worse than King Albin.
Valen, sitting beside me, took my hand and planted a tender kiss atop it. “Thankfully, you’re safe under her rule. You never have to go back to Thallence again.”
I gave him a fake smile, trying to ignore how that chaste kiss made my stomach clench with yearning.
My stomach—and certain other body parts—had been betraying me like that more and more lately. Every night as I lay in bed, I told myself that Valen was using me to steal the jewel. And every night, I was achingly aware of his presence beside me, my mind filled with all sorts of dangerous, exhilarating ideas.
I wasn’t the type to fall for good looks alone, but what else could it be? He was an asshole.
An asshole who’s surprisingly sweet sometimes, whispered a treacherous voice in my mind.Who’s wonderfully intelligent and witty and leads a double-life that you can relate to.
Shut up, I replied.
“Whatever wereyoudoing there in the first place?” Amatien asked Valen. “They would have killed you if they’d discovered what you are.”
“What’s the fun of traveling to Earth without a little danger?” Valen gestured grandly. “Besides, they don’t know the first thing about our kind. They never would have recognized me.”
“I did,” I said.
Granted, he’d been barreling down on me in full armor astride a pegasus at the time.
He grinned, so charming and assured that I could almost forget he was acting. “Ah, but you’re exceptional, my darling.”
My stomach fluttered. I reminded myself (again) that he only found my shapeshifting abilities exceptional, and that was only because he could use them.
“So you’ve been here for a week?” Ishaq asked me. “Have you gotten desensitized to the wonders of the moon yet?”
He made a vague wave at the dining room: plush purple chairs, shimmering crystals embedded in the walls, and a domed ceiling of stained glass that cast everything in a kaleidoscope of vivid colors.
“It still amazes me,” I said. “Though it’s not as overwhelming as it was at first.”
“It took a while for Ishaq to get used to it, too,” Amatien said. “I imagine you’re as homesick as he was at first.”
“I… do miss my mother,” I admitted.
Amatien nodded and kindly changed the subject.
Wonder of wonders, I made it through the rest of the meal without slipping up. Or at least I thought so. Valen would probably point out my mistakes once we got back to his chateau. I looked forward to sinking into his gigantic bed despite the manacles and his vexing presence. The meal had exhausted me. I was used to doing quick impersonations, not long performances like this. I kept heists as short as possible. The longer I lingered, the greater the chance of something going wrong.
Our hosts walked us outside to where our carriage waited, and Ishaq pulled Valen away to talk about something to do with the pegasi. I found myself alone with Amatien and frantically reviewed Valen’s lessons on courtly conversation.
“Thank you for a lovely dinner,” I said.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Amatien replied. “I’m… Ah. How should I put this? I’m about to give you a friendly threat.”
“That’s new.” I blinked. “The friendly part, not the threat. I’ve gotten plenty of those.”
Amatien wasn’t very intimidating. Maybe it was the luxurious hair or the soft face or the dainty floral embroidery on his sleeves. But looks could be deceiving. As a shapeshifter, I knew that better than anyone.
“I can see why Valen likes you. So don’t toy with him, or I’ll have to…” He frowned. “Hm. I’m not so good with threats, am I?”
