“There’s a woman that I need to free,” I hissed. “His sister.” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “She’s in the queens’ jail for treason. I’m going to try and reach her before they return and enact their penance, but if you could protect her for me, I’d owe you.”
“You already owe me, my dear, and there’s only one thing I want from you.” She ran her fingertip up my bare arm. “Besides, you’re already bound to a deal. I wouldn’t want to overburden you.” She hooked her fingertip under my chin, tugging me closer. “Kiss me and I’ll think about it.”
My back spasmed as I clamped down all my muscles. I leaned forward and kissed her with my breath held, not allowing the seductive lily odor to swirl into my mouth and nose.
She flashed me a grin, heading toward the swirling bodies on the dance floor. Before she slid onto the red marble, she turned back. “Oh, one last thing. As we’re so close to the deadline and this evening promises to be so very fun, I have invited some close friends of yours a little early.” My breath snagged in my throat. “It really is about time you caught up. Don’t you think?”
I continued glaring at her retreating presence long after she was swallowed by the twirling fabric and glitter of jewelry. My mind whirred. I wasn’t ready to face them. I didn’t want to know what they would do. Would they apologize? Maybe dive straight into practiced excuses? Perhaps they wouldn’t even mention it, proud of transforming all our lives.
Or, if I failed, I’d get to relive their deaths all over again. Moving myself one step closer to Hell in return.
I needed a drink. Or to gorge myself on pastries.
My stomach growled and Clement edged closer, his mouth tipped up into a grin. Goddessdamn him, he was so distracting. As soon as he neared, I didn’t even care about the food. All I wanted was to back him into the wall, disappear into the shadows and lose myself to him.
“Do you think you’ll be able to spare me a dance before midnight?” His fingers stroked the back of my hand, the magic throbbing at his touch.
Midnight! The moon had fully risen, flashes of silvery light strobed the courtyard outside as dense clouds sped past and panic welled in my throat.
Clement nudged me.
“I don’t dance,” I snapped.
“Oh, I’m sure you do,” the prince drawled. He released Lilyanna’s hand, stranding her next to the seated queens. “This may be our last chance of a moment's peace, Tamara. Just you and me. Before our games begin again.”
Clement pressed against me, his heart thudding against my shoulder. Icy tendrils crept between us. They bulged, forcing him away, burning my skin.
“Chop, chop, Tam.” The prince backed toward the dance floor with his hand extended, every eye absorbed in tracking his progress.
“Don’t,” Clement pleaded. He swatted at the air, hissing in pain as his skin crackled. Black raced up his arm, the scent of charred flesh wafting from him.
“It’ll be okay.” I took a step toward the prince, my soul stretching as it tried to cling to Clement. “Do you trust me?”
“I don’t trust anyone.” He gritted his teeth and lunged through the dark barricade. “But I love you.” He barely managed to kiss my cheek before he was flung backward and pinned against the wall by the spirits.
“That’ll have to do then,” I whispered.
My golden slippers made no sound as I stepped onto the dance floor. Clement’s gaze was on my back, pricking the hairs on my neck. It was all I could do not to turn and run to him, burying myself in his arms.
Whispers swarmed through the crowd as they pressed closer to the edges, jostling for a better view. “His maid?” someone asked. “His whore,” another answered.
The magic raged within me. My head swam, body wavering. Sweat laced my palms. I didn’t want to touch him again, to feel his power seed within me.
The string quartet in the corner wafted a few tentative notes across the room. Couples paired up, none coming within feet of us.
The prince bent at the waist in a shallow bow, his gray eyes never leaving mine. His hand remained outstretched. He was going to make me take it, but he wouldn’t break me.
I closed my hand around the prince’s as acid burned in my throat. I needed to see Clement, for him to calm me, remind me, hold me.
The prince’s arm coiled around my waist, dragging me close. He kept my back to Clement and winked over my shoulder, his grin widening before resuming focus on me. I didn’t need to turn to know Clement’s hand would be on his saber, his jaw tight, body poised to charge.
The music swelled. A perfect expanse of red-veined marble hollowed out around us as he forced me forward. I leaned back, my neck outstretched, my mouth tilted away from his rose-scented breath. Up close, even the perfume couldn’t mask the aroma underneath. Rotten.
His arm ratcheted tighter.
I called to my magic, forcing myself to remain confident, to not think about every time it had cowered around him. It bounded through my bloodstream, gathering pressure with a pounding in my temples. I focused on my hands, channeling it through my body. It raced through me, tingling my arms and prickling the nerves of my wrist, but it shied away at the last second.
The prince’s hold on me tightened, numbness spreading through me like a contagion. My foot slipped, my body weakening as my head swam.
