A man older than both Jade and Theo—but not by much—stood from where he stooped over some papers on a large table. Major Clarke, another espionage agent from Ivanelli, with whom Jade had worked before. His role in this assignment was to oversee operations at the estate headquarters and to remain available for communication with base. Should there be a need to share urgent information, a request for further backup, or an evacuation of the base, Major Clarke would be responsible for getting that information to Commander Matherson.
“Welcome to Featherly, Captains,” Major Clarke greeted them, his low, resonant voice carrying through the room.
Theo glanced over at Jade, clearly waiting for her lead on the assignment.
“Thank you, sir,” Jade replied with a strong tone of authority in her voice. “I’d like us all to get on the same page before I prepare for the ball.”
Theo dipped his chin, his blue eyes bright.
She wondered if her eyes reflected the same excitement.
With logistics finalized and a plan in place, Jade followed Trooper Erreth up the carpeted staircase to the second floor, passing paintings in gilded frames as tall as her. In a furnished, renovated suite, Jade met with her identity team: three female troopers, including Erreth, who had once been ladies’ maids but had chosen to join the military.
Jade scrubbed herself clean in the sparkling marble bathroom before allowing the troopers to style her hair and do her makeup. Their knowledge of current fashions and skill in helping a lady get ready provided the finishing touches to the character Jade had created. Now, she wouldn’t only act like a young noble lady—she would look like one, too.
Once the sun had dipped below the horizon, Trooper Erreth accompanied Jade back down the stairs to the entrance hall, where a few electric lamps had been clicked on to cut through the dimness.
Jade, now transformed into Lady Elena Tavigne, glided through the room. The gold embroidery on her cream-colored gown caught the lamplight and shimmered as she walked. A coordinating mask made of gold filigree and inlaid with glittering stones covered her eyes, with sparkling jewelry to match.
Erreth stopped at the front door, hand on the knob, her eyes landing on something in the darkness to their left in the vestibule. Jade didn’t miss the twitch of Erreth’s lips before following her line of sight.
A tall figure approached, coming into the light. Half of Theo’s face was concealed in shadow, but the side illuminated by lamplight made Jade’s stomach leap.
He stood completely still with his arms at his sides, as though caught mid-step. His wide blue eyes sparkled in the light, and his lips were slightly parted. Jade’s gaze locked with his, and his expression softened, transforming from utter shock to something more familiar and more...tender. The beating of Jade’s heart grew more pronounced in her chest, and she sucked in a deep breath to quiet the thousands of butterfly wings rippling in her abdomen.
He’s not looking at me,Jade reminded herself, attempting to quell the storm.He sees Elena.
“What do you think?” Erreth’s voice sounded a million miles away from Jade. She cast the trooper a quick glance and caught Erreth’s knowing look before returning her gaze to Theo.
Theo closed his mouth and swallowed before he finally gave his reply in a low murmur. “She’s exquisite.”
Erreth didn’t hold back her smile this time as she directed her attention to Jade. “She looks like a proper aristocratic lady, wouldn’t you say?”
Half of Theo’s mouth lifted in a playful smirk. “A genuine princess.”
Jade cocked her head, and a small grin tugged at her lips. Theo knew full well what he was doing. “Princess” was always a comparison Theo refuted, swearing she could never be mistaken for a wise, composed, upstanding member of any royal family. Anytime a well-meaning individual had called Jade “princess” in his company, he had made sure to respond with something such as, “This one? Maybe only if you consider a wildcat a princess because her father is the king of the jungle.”
Clasping her hands in front of her, Jade only briefly raised her eyebrows in response and allowed an amused expression to settle over her face. Theo dipped his head, unable to completely wipe away the smirk.
“Let’s get going, then.”
He extended his arm toward the door, and Erreth opened it for the captains. Jade stepped through the door and found Theo instantly by her side, his arm still outstretched. She looped hers through the crook of his elbow and smiled at him as she gathered her skirts in her free hand and descended the steps with him. Her stomach swooped, but she tried to ignore it.After the masquerade. After the masquerade.
Theo opened the carriage door for Jade and took her hand to help her inside, pausing at the opening with their hands still joined. She faced him, his blue eyes glowing in the twilight.
“Stay safe, all right? Nothing too risky.” He squeezed her hand. “Do what you do best, Jimmy.”
Jade nodded slightly, a small grin on her face at the endearment. Theo retrieved a piece of paper from a pocket with his free hand and held it out to her.
“Your invitation for the evening.”
She took it with a nod, then Theo shut the door and took his place up front. With him gone, Jade worked to even her breathing. When had it become so shallow? She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as Theo shook the reins and the horses began to move.
The expression on Theo’s face moments ago in the vestibule came front and center in her mind’s eye. He’d looked at her that same way in the barracks on the day he arrived on base, when his eyes had held her with such intensity and longing and something in their dynamic had shifted.
Jade forced the image out of her mind and begged her fluttering heart to slow. This time was precious. She had to become Lady Elena Tavigne on this ride, get all the details of her story straight one last time. She had to leave Captain Jade Ni’ihm behind, still at the manor house and melting under the loveliest blue eyes she had ever seen.
Nine
