Elena was there, pacing back and forth, wringing her hands—tension and stress pouring off her lithe frame. She was the first to spot us, running over. Elena threw her arms around me, holding me tightly to her. “Oh, thank the Goddess you’re alright.” She released me and punched me in the arm. Hard. “What the hell happened?” She wheeled on Ciaran, hugging and punching him too. “I saw you get shot!”
“Ow!” Ciaran winced. “Good to know you’re safe as well.”
Rory and Fionn had been sitting when we entered the room, but they leapt up to greet us.
“Thank the Goddess that you’re all safe.” Ciaran exchanged relieved looks with the twins. It had been a harrowing night. And we were extremely lucky that we made it out intact.
“Yes, we made it back to the mirror. Unlike you. You were shot, Ciaran,” Rory reminded him.
“Right. Yes. I was shot. But I’m alright,” Ciaran reassured his friends. “Seraphina helped me get the bullet out, and I was able to heal the wound before I bled out.”
The blood drained from my face. I knew the situation had been dire, but to hear Ciaran phrase it like that? It hadn’t dawned on me—how close to death he had been.
“What happened?” Fionn began. “I was in the upper mezzanine levels when I saw you jump off the balcony. Then suddenly you were beating the shit out of some guy. And then he pulled out a gun and shot you. I set the smoke bombs off then to distract everyone and it worked. Thank fucking Ishtar. I lost track of you and you were just gone. We thought you had made it back, but you weren’t here either. Where did you go? What happened?”
Ciaran glanced at me. I shifted my weight side to side, trying to will the flush to stop creeping into my cheeks. It was no use, though. Elena noticed and narrowed her eyes.
Fionnalsonoticed, and an evil grin spread across his face, replacing the concern that had coloured it a moment ago.
Ciaran remained stoic. “Seraphina was discovered at the masquerade. Her identity was revealed.” He went on to explain what had happened with Seff. When he revealed that it had been Seff who had shot Ciaran, all three of them growled, low and menacing.
“The gendarmes forced us to the other side of the river. My magic was all but spent after healing the gunshot wound. Wehad to find somewhere to lay low.” Ciaran’s tone was soft and serious, and it didn’t betray a hint of what had happened when we were running through the streets orlaying low.
My face, however, must have turned a raspberry hue. I tried to school my features into something that resembled shock and horror, and not a stupid grin. Because itwasshocking and horrible. But Ciaran had wiped that all away last night.
Elena knew; the expression on her face told me she knew that Ciaran and I had crossed that line between platonic friends and something more. Thankfully, she didn’t seem upset, just supremely smug.
“How were you discovered, Seraphina?” Rory asked.
I explained how Carlotta had followed me onto the stage. How she had accused me of murder and attempted murder. How she had called me a whore, giving me five minutes to get out before she alerted the viscount to our presence. I hadn’t told Ciaran this part of the story. He looked irate. I was sure he would have punched Carlotta in the face too if he’d had the chance.
“Then while I was trying to find all of you, Seff grabbed me and forced me to dance with him. He also recognized me. He tore my mask off and revealed who I was to the whole party. Oh, and he called me a whore too. Great night for being called a whore.” I chuckled darkly.
“And the Pentacle?” Rory asked.
I shook my head, eyes lowered in shame. I had failed them.
“We were lucky to escape that mob with our lives, Rory. We can get the Pentacle another time. Scion doesn’t know about it, as far as we know. We survived. That’s all that matters right now,” Ciaran said.
I was grateful to him for standing by the decision to go to the masquerade at all. It would have been very easy for him to turn on me, to demand why I had thought it would be a good idea. He’d been shot because ofmyhare-brained idea. Instead, hestood by me. He had my back—defended me. I couldn’t help the way it made my breath catch.
As we stood there rehashing the events of the masquerade, exhaustion hit me so completely that I swayed on the spot. My eyelids grew heavy as the rush of emotions from the chase and the high of my night spent with Ciaran wore off. I needed sleep.
“And now we’re going to go to bed.” Ciaran’s eyes filled with concern again as he watched me; he knew exactly what I was thinking, he read me so well. “Unless you would like to grill us some more?” He glared at Elena and Rory.
“Nah, we’re good. You go to bed.” Fionn smiled, mischief dancing in his eyes. “I’m sure you’re really tired after all that… running and laying low was it?” He winked at me. I tried to scowl, but I couldn’t help the smile that crept across my face.
But Iwasexhausted, and as much as I wanted to finish what Ciaran and I had started in the tavern, I did need to sleep first.
Back at theapartment I crashed hard. I barely had enough strength left to scramble out of my masquerade dress and into something more comfortable. I flopped onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep. At some point during the strange fitful rest, I thought I felt gentle lips graze my forehead—thought I smelled rosemary before sleep claimed me again.
Hours later I awoke, tucked under the warm flannel sheets, with Ciaran dozing beside me on top of the blankets. He woke as soon as I stirred.
“Sorry. I was just checking on you. I must have fallen asleep too.” He looked embarrassed, as if he hadn’t meant to be found beside me.
“This is your room anyway.” I shrugged, chewing on my lower lip. My mouth was so dry—I needed a bath and to freshen up.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Ciaran, normally so suave and confident, seemed nervous. “There’s something I need to show you.”
