“Yes, you said that already. Excuse me, will you?” Alec brushed past his brother, searching the crowded ballroom for any sign of Poppy. He’d already given Rhys more attention than he deserved.
Leaning on his cane, Alec started around the perimeter, his eyes trained on the couples dancing in the middle of room. No, she wasn’t there. What if she—
Laurel!
Across the room with—
Good God. Was that really Viscount Halwell? At a ball for the magically enabled? That was more surprising than—
“What sort of encounter did you have with Mother?” Rhys whispered from behind him.
Alec glanced back over his shoulder to scowl at his brother. “Honestly, Iamlooking for someone, Rhys. No need to follow me.”
“If she’s done something, you need to tell me.”
If Alec still had the ability to conjure a fireball from nothing, he’d have happily tossed it directly at his brother’s thick head. “What Ineedis to have nothing to do with either of you.”
Rhys met his scowl with one of his own. “You’re still the same belligerent prick you always were.”
“Yes, well, I’m glad we sorted that out.” Alec returned his attention to Laurel Elstone, across the room. What a relief she was here. After all, if Laurel was here, Poppy had to be there too, didn’t she?
Laurel spotted him. Her eyes rounded in surprise when she met his gaze. A welcoming smile spread across her lips.
“I had thought we could move past—”
Alec turned on his heel to fully face his brother. “No, you thought to avail yourself to what I’ve created for myself, you thought to pay your debts with my hard-earned—”
“Hard-earned?” Rhys scoffed. “I’d hardly call gaming winningshard-earned, and I’d think that after—”
“You can call it whatever you’d wish. I’d sooner see my entire fortune burned to ash before I’d ever give you so much as a farthing.”
“Captain Galbraith.” Laurel Elstone’s voice came from behind him, a note of question in her voice.
Alec cast one more glare in his brother’s direction before turning to greet the young witch. Halwell was at her side which heightened Alec’s overall unease. He forced a smile to his face. “Miss Laurel, what a pleasure to see you again.”
“And you,” Halwell said, his brow lifted in apparent surprise. “I did not think you frequented such gatherings. On your own path, didn’t you say?”
Alec agreed with a nod. “Indeed, this is a rarity for me, I assure you.” After all, there’d been no magical balls or soirees at Eton before he bought his commission and fled for the continent all those years ago. “I must admit, I am surprised to seeyouhere, Halwell.”
Beside him, Rhys cleared his throat.
Alec inwardly groaned. Was Rhys really angling for an introduction? Well, he could go hang before—
“Ravensdale, isn’t it?” Halwell asked.
Well, there was no way around it now. Alec stifled a sigh. “Viscount Halwell, my brother the Marquess of Ravensdale.”
“Pleasure,” Rhys said in a tone that sounded warm and inviting, the deceitful blackguard.
“My daughter, Laurel,” Halwell said.
“A pleasure, indeed.” Rhys smiled in Laurel’s direction. He would have made a decent serpent in the Garden with Eve, all things considered.
“Am I to hope,” Alec said began before Rhys managed to ingratiate himself more with the pair, “that Miss Elstone is here this evening?” After all, Poppy was the reason Alec had even come to this dratted place.
“Poppy is here,” Laurel said, glancing around the ballroom. “Or rather, shewashere, just a bit ago.”
“Shewashere?” Alec scanned the throng again, himself.
