“Alright, let’s find you some fresh air.” He nodded.
I accepted his elbow and allowed him to guide me out of the great hall.
He led me through the endless hallways and corridors of the castle, keeping close to my side. When we reached the entrance hall, I was surprised to find that, instead of going through the oak doors that led to the grounds, we continued up one of the great stone staircases.
“Where are we going?” I asked, intrigued.
“You’ll see.”
We continued up the staircase until we arrived at the heavily guarded top floor. We were in the royal wing.
My breathing quickened, not just from reaching the summit of the stairs. Was he taking me to his quarters?
Ignoring the guards, we went right and continued walking.
“Almost there,” he said.
He was behaving so secretively that I couldn’t help but feel a thrill at sneaking around. Tarben most certainly was not supposed to leave the ball, and the fact that we were completely alone together? I was sure it would raise eyebrows amongst the mortals.
At last, we entered a cozy sitting room with double doors that led to an outdoor terrace.
He took my hand and led me through the glass doors.
The night air nipped at me as soon as we stepped outside. It was a shock to my senses but better than being in the stifling heat of the overcrowded hall.
Noticing my involuntary shiver, Tarben shrugged off his jacket and offered it to me.
“Thank you,” I said, savoring the warmth from where his body had been and inhaling the pine needle and leather scent that lingered.
“Where, exactly, are we?” I asked, my breath like puffs of smoke.
“This is my family’s private terrace garden,” he replied, gesturing toward the splashes of greenery beyond the white, wrought iron table and chairs. “It was my mother’s favorite place.”
There was a hint of sadness in his voice. “It’s lovely,” I said, meaning it. I took in the stretches of grass, the planter boxes filled with flowers, the potted herbs—rosemary and lavender—and the trellises festooned with climbing vines and late-blooming jasmine.
We discarded our masks on the wrought iron table then walked towards the marble fountain at the center of the garden. Water flowed peacefully into a small pond where yellow-green fish with black stripes swam between lily pads. I’d expected to take a seat on the bench beside the pond, but, instead, we continued walking.
“Where are we going now?” I asked.
“So many questions. Come on, you’ll see.”
Wrapping my arms around myself, I followed him to the parapet at the edge of the garden. He sat on the stone wall and proudly declared, “I present to you, the best view in the entire kingdom.”
Cautiously, I approached where he was perched, then sucked in a breath. The wall not only offered a spectacular view of the ocean but it also unveiled the entirety of Barvik in the distance. The landscape twinkled with lights, stretching endlessly into the surrounding bluffs. Even though it was late, the city seemed to pulsate with vitality.
In some ways, it reminded me of the view of Ardalia fromVellamere Palace at night. The way it made me feel—humbled. Like a small part of something bigger. A simple polyp amongst a sprawling coral reef.
He looked at me expectantly. “What do you think?”
“It’s breathtaking.”
Underneath us, the waxing moon was reflected in the depthless black ocean. Tonight, its call was like a lover’s purr. More than ever before, I wanted to surrender to my urges. To rip off my gown and sprint towards its embrace. Feel its touch upon my flesh. Allow my body to become entwined with the waves.
“Is this better?” Tarben asked, pulling me out of my fantasies.
“Much,” I said, tearing my eyes from the ocean and meeting his gaze. I was undeniably tempted by the call of the ocean. If I hadn’t been with him, I might have given in to its sweet murmuring.
He gestured to a spot next to him on the wall.
