“Is there a problem?” Seven’s luck barges into the room, the dragon energy spreading its wings. Everyone within a ten-foot radius feels it. Behind us, Eva grins as the landing grows increasingly quiet.
“No, sir.” The man taps his earpiece and whispers Seven’s instructions into it, then repeats himself… twice.
“Very well, sir. Please proceed forward. The MC will announce you, and then you may descend to the main floor.” The man’s gaze drifts down his nose at me and Arden, and then he moves on to Eva behind us.
Fingers thread with mine, and I glance down to see Arden taking my hand. For the first time, she looks truly nervous. Her chest rises and falls abnormally fast.
“It’s okay,” I whisper. “We’re together. It’s okay.”
“Edmund said he’d support me.” She glances down at the crowd below. “Do you think he will?”
“If he doesn’t, he’s an idiot.”
Seven takes a step forward as they announce the couple in front of us. Arden releases my hand to take Seven’s arm again. I do the same, and we step to the center of a brilliant gold staircase with a plush red runner down the center.
All eyes turn up at us, the masks on the crowd below making them appear less seelie and more monster under the candelabra. A hush falls over the gala.
“Seven Delaney with guest Sophia Larkspur and, for the first time ever, introducing their daughter, Arden Delaney.”
Gasps rise from the crowd and we begin our descent, step by painfully slow step. Behind the masks, some of the faces show signs of disgust. Others fascination. And still others are unreadable, as if they are calculating how this strange turn of events might benefit or challenge them and are keeping their options open.
My gaze falls on Edmund, who’s dressed as one of the three musketeers. I have to hand it to him—he’s the only one smiling, and he’s watching Arden as if she’s the only source of light in a dark room. He approaches as we reach the landing.
“You do know how to make an entrance,” he says, his gaze flicking over the three of us. “Arden, would you care to dance?”
Arden looks at me and then at Seven, who also looks at me.Fuck. I’m not entirely comfortable with her being out of my sight in this mob, most of whom seem increasingly angry.Come on, Sophia, think.I put myself at the poker table. My heart slows. I look at the choices in front of me, and then I trust my gut.
“Seven and I will go with you. I’m always up for some dancing.” I slip my hand into Seven’s.
Edmund leads Arden through the ballroom to where a satyr orchestra plays, with us right behind them.
When we reach the dance floor, Seven pulls me into his arms. “Smart move. I didn’t think she’d take it well if we said no.”
“Absolutely not, especially considering he was the only one with a smile for us when we entered the room.” We turn three times and continue our waltz. Seven has to lift me to keep from tripping over my feet. “You’re very good at this.”
“I’ve done it every year since I was fifteen,” he says dryly. “But never with such an attractive partner.” His eyes flick to where Edmund is teaching Arden the steps. “I should have taught this dance to Arden.”
I look over my shoulder at her. “She seems to be enjoying herself. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“How?”
“How what?”
“How do you not constantly worry? All I’ve done is worry about her since the moment I found out she was mine.”
I meet his eyes—deep, fathomless pools of green—through the holes of his mask. “The truth is, I do worry, or at least I start to. But then I remember that she’s my daughter and I’ve raised her to be savvy about life, to make good decisions but also to know when she’s made a mistake and own it.”
“You’ve done a phenomenal job with her. I should trust in that.”
I give him a soft smile. “It was you also. Many of the lessons I taught her were things I’d learned from you.”
His lips part, but he remains silent.
“Poker, of course. When to bet and when to fold. How to bluff. But also that friends and lovers can come into our lives from unexpected places. That sometimes society is wrong about what should or shouldn’t be. That sometimes people might hurt you but that the fight isn’t over if you can get back up again.”
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“I know, but the lesson is the same.” I glance back at Arden and watch as she spins across the floor in Edmund’s arms. “Your daughter is a survivor. Never underestimate her. She has too much of you in her to be taken advantage of.”
