“Exactly.”
I eyed Nox as we began our walk down the hall. He looked like sin and mystery wrapped in one with his all-black ensemble, downto the glittering rings on his fingers. He wore a sleek black button down beneath his velvet jacket, the top buttons undone and showing a glimpse of his chest. Tied around his head was a black and white fox mask with ears that came up above his forehead.
I couldn’t hold back my smile. Rissa would approve.
As we descended a floor and approached the second-floor entrance to the ballroom, the sounds of tapping heels and ringing laughter grew louder. Sweet scents of wine and pastries mixed with fresh flowers and perfume caressed us as the hired musicians played a beautiful melody that echoed through the halls.
“Now,” Nox started, clearing his throat. “We’re all in agreement that after tonight, we go back to being enemies?”
“Obviously,” Arowyn said. “How else am I going to beat the two of you in the third trial?”
I turned to straighten Nox’s lapel. “Of course. I can’t stand you anyway.”
He scowled and gripped both my hand and Arowyn’s, forcing us into twirls in front of him. “At least the pair of you keep me humble.”
“I don’t think that word’s in your vocabulary. Come on,” Arowyn said, leading him to the entrance. “I’m thirsty.”
“When are younot,” he grumbled.
“I’ll catch up with you,” I called after them. “I need to get my mask on.”
Their steps blended into the rest of the noise as they entered the ballroom. I fumbled at my head with the thin strand of ribbon on my gold, serpentine mask.
“Allow me,” a deep, familiar voice said at my back, before warm hands covered mine. My heart jolted.
“Leo,” I breathed out as he tied the mask in place. “What are you doing here?”
He ran his fingers along the exposed skin at the back of my neck, then replaced them with his lips. “I wanted to surprise you.”
I twirled to face him and found myself staring into dark eyessurrounded by a simple but elegant black mask, complementing his black jacket and white dress shirt. “What if you're caught?”
“It’s a masquerade,” he said with a smirk, motioning to his mask. “And Horace said he would hold an illusion over me. That’s the only way I could convince Rissa it was safe to come. Nobody will know who I am.”
I licked my lips hesitantly, still worried someone may recognize him, but my happiness at seeing him won out.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I confessed.
“How could I miss seeing you in this?” he said, his eyes roving hungrily over my gown and tights. His hand fell to my wrist, then trailed up the fabric until moving to my waist. “How could I miss being able to dance with you in front of all these people?” Drawing me closer and lowering his head, his nose skimmed against mine as the edges of our masks touched. “I love our nights tucked away together, but I want justonewhere we don’t have to keep it a secret. You’re not meant to be hidden in the dark, little wolf, but adored in the light.”
My breath caught in my throat. His dark eyes glittered with the depth of his feelings for me. It was a look I wished I could freeze on his features for eternity.
“Then what are you waiting for?” I reached to place a kiss on his lips, then backed away with a wink. “Come adore me.”
60
Leo
The capital spared no expense for their precious ball. Lush, deep emerald and gold drapes hung from the ceiling of the three-story grand ballroom, cascading in waves down the six marble columns that lined the perimeter. A myriad of gilded lanterns, some as tall as my waist, bordered the entire room. Greenery dotted with red roses filled the space in between, making it feel as if we were stepping onto a bed of flowers.
Circular tables dotted the floor. Some held glasses of sparkling wine while others contained platters of pastries with gold frosting, savory meats, and fine cheeses. The vibrant colors, loud laughter, and mingled scents of florals, sugary spices, and smoked delicacies overwhelmed my senses, forcing me to cut off my Shifter half completely in order to dull the onslaught.
As Rose slipped away to where the challengers were supposed to meet and I faded into the shadows, I watched the masked couples dressed in their finest gowns and suits gliding across the dance floor to the music coming from the back of the hall, their inhibitions lowered under the mystery of the night.
Lark strode across the ballroom and onto the raised platform in her black gown and mask made of antlers. She held out an arm and shadows formed at her fingertips, swirling around the lit sconcesand chandeliers until the lighting dimmed. A hush swept over the crowd.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the thirty-second Decemvirate ball.” Applause rang out in the hall. “I hope you enjoy this night of revelry and indulgence on all the empire has to offer as we honor the challengers of our great provinces. They have competed well in their trials, and now only one more remains. One more to determine their strength and courage, their power and fortitude.”
I glimpsed several reporters near the stage. Their pencils moved quickly across paper, soaking in the display. No doubt painting a perfect picture of intrigue and magic and beauty to release to the public the following day, romanticizing this tournament and what it stood for. I couldn’t help but think of that Lightbender family we’d helped a week ago and all the other victims my path had crossed over the years. They didn’t want a fancy ball with decadent meats and glasses dripping in gold.
