“I ran into Aurea earlier,” I admitted. “I had to introduce her and Emmeline.”
Cael winced, and the rest of the group offered sympathy. My broken betrothal had been hot gossip, so no one needed any further explanation.
“Introducing the new lover to the ex…” Some noble’s heir whose name I’d forgotten pretended to shudder. “That’s anyone’s worst nightmare.”
“No,” said another man. “Meeting the ex’s new lover when you’re still single is worse.”
“True! At least Sir Valen has that pretty little human to show off.”
I let their offensive conversation wash over me as I scanned the ballroom. My relationship angst faded into the background, overtaken by a more pressing worry.
Emmeline should have come back by now.
Chapter 34
Emmeline
Itook a deep breath to calm myself. My chest expanded, filling my lungs with air and easing the tightness I’d felt in my shoulders and neck. A slow exhale released the tension, loosening the knot in my stomach. But that awful magic kept buzzing through my body, rattling inside my skull. It felt as if a hundred needles were jabbing my hand holding the necklace. The jewel, beautiful and blue, glimmered innocently in the dim light.
I dropped the stupid thing. The necklace hit the stone floor with a metallic clang, and the buzzing instantly stopped. I sighed and ran my hands over my arms and torso, trying to rub away the prickling echoes of the magic. I’d never felt anything like that, and I’d rather get another kiss from Regula than touch thejewel again. Then an awful fear clutched my throat. What if I couldn’t shapeshift again?
I changed into the form of the fey man so fast that I stumbled. Then I let out a huge breath, pressing a hand to my forehead in grateful relief. The jewel’s effect wasn’t permanent. It only stopped my shapeshifting abilities when I was touching it.
So how the hell was I supposed to sneak it out of the palace?
On the floor, Regula kept snoozing, so at least one thing was going right. My foot tapped rapidly as I tried to think, aware that every moment I lingered here risked someone stepping out onto the balcony and discovering me.
The original plan was to hide the jewel in my dress, rejoin Valen in the ballroom, and leave together. That wouldn’t work now. I couldn’t carry the jewel anywhere that another person might see me. Valen would have to transport it. He didn’t have any shapeshifting abilities for its magic to disrupt. If I waited out here long enough, he would probably come and find me…
No. Too risky. I couldn’t waste so much time. I could leave the jewel here, find him in the ballroom, and bring him back to pick it up himself… But again, that would take too long, and one of those guards along the corridor might get suspicious.
I couldn’t leave the jewel here with the unconscious princess. If I could stash it somewhere else without anyone seeing me… The corridor? No, there was too high a chance that I’d run into another guest. But where else…?
I ran to the edge of the balcony and looked over the railing. The garden below was dark except for bushes of glowing flowers. More importantly, I didn’t see a single person strolling through it.
This is a terrible idea.
Gritting my teeth in anticipation of the buzzing magic, I picked up the necklace again. Even though I kept my fingers on the metal band rather than the jewel itself, the magic still hit me. Iswore it nearly vibrated my bones. My assumed shape left me, and my head throbbed.
I chucked the priceless magical artifact over the balcony and watched it vanish beneath the trees with a rustle of leaves.
I felt lighter after that. Maybe I’d made a terrible decision, but it was done now, and hopefully I’d never have to touch the damn thing again.
I shapeshifted back into the fey man’s form, stepped around the princess, and walked back inside. Retracing my steps down the corridor, I added a blush to my cheeks as I walked past the guards, smoothing down my hair as if a passionate encounter had ruffled it. They made no move to stop me as I entered the ballroom.
Time was my enemy. I had to leave the ballroom again through a different door and find an unseen place to change into Sir Valen’s beautiful, red-headed lover. Then I tracked down Valen, finding him conversing with Prince Cael and a few other men. Valen gave me a bland smile when he spotted me, but I caught the relief shining in his eyes.
I curtsied to the prince, stumbling slightly as if drunk. Then I draped myself over Valen and slurred, “It’s hot and noisy in here. Can we go somewhere private?”
Valen politely excused us, and we drew knowing chuckles from the other men. As we crossed the ballroom, Valen pretended to support my tipsy wobbling.
“We need to get to the gardens under the east balcony,” I whispered.
His mouth tightened, but he didn’t question me in the middle of the ballroom. He led me through a magnificent maze of gilded corridors and glossy staircases. We left behind the ball guests in their opulent fashions, passing only a few hurrying servants and the ever-present armored guards.
“Sir?” one guard questioned when Valen reached for a door.
“Just looking for a little privacy.” Valen put an arm around my waist and gave the guard a rakish grin.
