‘I thoughtIwas the only one capable of looking so fine in both blackandwhite,’ said a voice behind her. ‘And yet … here you are.’
And Ezer spun to find herself face to face with Kinlear. He wore a white mask in the shape of a wolf’s snout, his suit a lovely pale velvet with gold eagle wings stitched into the front pocket.
Simple, for him, despite his telltale golden chain and elegant white cane.
She smiled.
He was made for days such as this.
‘You clean up well enough, Prince Laroux,’ Ezer said. His familiar face was a relief. She smiled and leaned in as if to sniff the air around him. ‘Though … there’s a lingering scent of something strange upon you.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘Is that … war bear?’
Kinlear’s eyes sparkled as he caught on to her game.
‘Oh, it’s something far worse,’ he said with a wink, and held out his arm for her to take. She obliged, and he led her about the space, his cane clacking almost in time with the music. His voice dropped as he leaned down towards her as if sharing a secret. ‘I heard a rumor there’s a strange and deadly beast hiding in this very castle.’ His lips nearly grazed her ear as he whispered, ‘Araphon.’
‘No,’Ezer gasped, and feigned surprise. ‘Surely there must be someone to Mind it?’
‘Oh, there is, My Lady,’ Kinlear said. ‘A fine Raphonminder. The best there ever was?—’
‘Theonly,’ Ezer corrected him, but he lifted a finger and continued.
‘She is strong and brave and a little bit feisty, as Raphonmindersshould be. But rest assured. She’s brought down to earth by thebrutallyhandsome assassin she’s rumored to train it with.’
‘Brutally handsome?’ Ezer asked and lifted a brow beneath her mask. ‘Are you certain?’
‘Certain as death,’ Kinlear said. ‘They say he’s so handsome one can hardly look upon him without drooling into their winterwine.’
At that, she laughed. And found herself warm and comfortable, as she held on to his arm.
She no longer feared him.
She could not fathom a world in which this prince, charming as he was, would dare lift a blade to her chest.
He stiffened, suddenly, his eyes narrowing through his mask.
‘And there is his nemesis,’ Kinlear said with a sigh. ‘We could run.’
‘We will do no such thing,’ Ezer said, and squeezed his arm.
She’d turned to find Arawn walking towards them through the crowd. His hair was braided back as usual, but instead of white, he worered.It was the first time she’d ever seen him in color.
Warmth spread through her as he walked closer.
His mask was in the shape of flames and made with such a brilliant mixture of yellows and oranges, it trulycouldhave been fire from Vivorr.
He came straight towards them. A solid presence to part the sea of Sacred.
Kinlear tensed beside her, where her hand still rested in the crook of his arm.
She had the sudden urge to pull it away, but then Arawn was before her.
And she was betweenthem,the twin princes who stared at each other like they were on two different sides of a silent war.
‘Kinlear,’ Arawn said as he stopped an arm’s length away. ‘You look … well.’
Kinlear lifted his chin and placed his free hand atop Ezer’s. She did not miss the way Arawn’s eyes slid to their hands. How they narrowed beneath the mask for a breath of a second before he lookedindifferent once more. ‘I think it’s all the time spent in the outside, with our dear Raphonminder,’ Kinlear said. ‘She has been quite healing for me, in more ways than one.’
Ezer swallowed the lump in her throat.
