Liane walked over to stand toe to toe with him. A head shorter than him, she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. She’d draw a dagger on him; he was sure of it. And a part of him wanted to stand back and let her. But he couldn’t risk a spectacle. To search for the sword, he needed the court to be calm.
“Shocking, Princess Liane is an exceptional beauty,” Erich said, ignoring the war brewing between the two of them.
She spun to face him, a pink blush coloring her cheeks. She looked from Heinrich to Erich and seemed to reconsider their fight.
“You’re too generous with your praise. If your majesty would like, perhaps you could join us in our box this evening.”
He couldn’t join her because he intended to spend the night searching for the sword, but he couldn’t refuse either or risk suspicion.
“Liane, you shock me. Mother will be delighted when she hears about this,” Prince Mathias said, then turning to Erich, continued, “though I feel obligated to warn you, she’s a lot to handle.” Mathias winked.
“I think I’m up to the challenge,” Erich replied, offering his bent arm to Liane. Better to play the part of a suitor for now and wait for a chance to sneak away.
She took his proffered arm, and her proximity awakened all his senses. Her scent, her heat, even the casual brush of her hips against his as they walked. His dragon wanted her. For days it’d been too close to the surface: restless and unwieldy. But now, it was intent on Liane. Just another reason to leave as soon as possible, a dragon’s obsession was a danger to them both.
Courtiers passing by cast curious glances at them. Their buzzing whispers followed them all the way up the stairs to the second floor leading to the opera boxes. If Artria’s court was anything like Sundland, by tomorrow, everyone would be gossiping about a potential royal engagement.
The others went into the box before them, and Liane held him back so they could talk alone in the hall. After the curtain fell behind her siblings, she turned to Erich.
“Thanks for your help back there. I didn’t mean for you to get caught up in a family squabble…” Her skin was flushed red, and her fists clenched at her sides. Heinrich’s comments, however seemingly mild, had affected her deeply.
“Don’t apologize; he deserves worse. Can I tell you a secret?”
She nodded her head warily.
Erich leaned in to whisper in her ear and inhaled the scent of her lavender soap. “The first time we met, I sucker punched him.”
Gasping, she pulled back and covered her mouth, but her eyes danced with mirth.“You didn’t.”
Erich nodded. “I did. Perhaps I’ll tell you the story sometime.”
“I’d like that.”She smiled.
Guards parted the curtains to allow them entry onto the balcony, and then they took their seats. Down on the first floor, the audience shuffled into place, murmuring. When everyone was settled, the house lights were doused, and the spotlights lit to illuminate the red velvet curtains on the stage. They rolled back to reveal a blond opera singer wearing a shimmering golden gown, sewn with some other reflective material that caught the light and cast small beams of light around the stage. When she sang in a mournful soprano, Liane gasped.
From the corner of his eye, he watched her as she leaned forward, eyes transfixed upon the stage. Though he should be plotting his exit, he found himself enraptured by her. Looking at the opera through Liane’s eyes, he could see the way the prima donna wove magic with her words, spinning out a tale of love and loss, a struggle between light and dark. But while he tried to focus on the music, she continually drew his gaze. Her every movement entranced him, the way her hands brushed stray hairs behind her ears, or how her brow crinkled when she was concentrating. During sad scenes, her lips parted slightly, as if she wished to sing along. Then, without realizing it, the first half finished, and the curtain closed for intermission.
Liane turned then, catching him staring, and he cleared his throat.
“You enjoy the opera?” he asked.
“Mmm. Very much. Isabella’s talent is well renowned, and I’ve always wanted to hear her sing, but she’s never come to Artria before, and I’ve never left it…” she trailed off.
“You look as if you wanted to say more; why did you stop?
She shook her head. “It’s silly.”
“Your passion is infectious; I find myself interested in opera for the first time in my life.”
She laughed, and the dragon preened at her attentions. This was his doing, distracting him from more important matters. With the arrival of intermission, Erich had a reasonable excuse to step out. He stood up.
“I’m going to step out for some fresh air,” Erich said, jabbing a thumb toward the door.
“Don’t be too long, or you’ll miss the second act,” she said.
With a nod, he slipped out the door past the bored guards, then down the stairs and out into the twilight garden before heading straight for the Midnight Tower. There wasn’t time to waste. While he’d tried to convince himself otherwise, instinct told him that’s where it would be. Now the problem was getting inside.
The tower rose against the starry sky like a pale monolith. Smooth white limestone without windows meant climbing in was impossible. That was ignoring the two guards standing at the tower’s only entrance. If he unleashed the dragon, he could fight his way past them at the risk of exposure, and that was without knowing how many guards were inside. He imagined the inside like an ant hill, thousands of guards swarming, tearing him apart for daring to enter their nest. Alternatively, he could wait until the changing of guards, corner one of them alone and put on their uniform and attempt to sneak in that way. It was still risky, but less so than charging in. A nearby garden provided cover to hide out and wait for his opportunity, and it was there he took shelter.
