But he’d chosen me.
The women may be jealous as they see a seemingly undeserving human woman stroll through the ballroom on the arm of the handsome and powerful regent, but their envy was wasted on me. Two days ago, I wouldhave abandoned this fate in a heartbeat if it weren’t for my family being held hostage.
No. Better me than them. Any of them.
As if the thought conjured my family, Lydia’s face popped through the swaying crowd. My mirror image waved a fan beneath a flirtatious gaze. If I didn’t know better, I would have described the man taking her hand and placing a kiss atop her glove was young. But no one was young here. Not really.
I wondered if their placement on the perch next to the dais was a choice made by the regent on my arm or his cunning and clever steward.Where was Gorvin tonight?
“Ladies, I didn’t think the room could sparkle more. But here you are, two glittering jewels stealing away our hard-earned attention.”
Lydia swooned at Rhazien’s compliment and blushed immediately. Cova’s jaw tensed to match the rest of her rigid stance.
“You’re sure it’s the jewels and not our beating hearts your guests are most interested in?” Cova’s venom dripped from each syllable.
The regent’s eyes snapped to my sister’s awaiting gaze. She did not shy away or back down but simply arched a brow in the silent space between them.
“Oh, yes, Lady Cova. I don’t doubt for a moment that your—” his eyes lowered to her throat—where the glimmering family heirloom rested—before he lifted them again “—very healthy heartbeat is likely the most alluring thing about you.”
My sister’s retreat was a micro-movement, but she stiffened and swallowed at Rhazien's clear and present threat. I thought I would eventually grow out of the swell of joy when Cova was bested; it happened so infrequently, but apparently I still had some growing to do.
I placed my free hand on Rhazien’s chest in a silent request to back down. “Don’t scare her, my love,” I purred, leaning into my character of a doting and smitten prospect.
Rhazien’s green eyes fixed on me, on the gesture. His gaze brimmed with a hesitant hope that I wasn’t pretending. Deep down, we both knew better. We would live this lie tonight. We would perform our dutiful choreography, for the good of both of our realms. We would live side by side respectfully to prevent the violence and horror that would surely come should Eryx ascend instead of Rhazien. We would do this for the good of all, even if it meant giving up everything else.
“My apologies, Lady Cova. This night has been long awaited and I am a mess of feelings,” Rhazien said, regaining his composure.
“Everything is so lovely and grand!” Lydia chimed, beaming at a passing man holding a rare bird of prey.
“You’ll take care not to have too much fun tonight, right?” I winked at her while Rhazien handed me a goblet of red wine.
“Your favorite,” he whispered between my bound braids of hair.
“This isn’t the special blend, is it?” I arched a brow and murmured into the cup.
“No, my love,” he strained and my heart ached for him.
No. I would not feel bad for him. The circumstances he found himself in were his own doing. He set this into motion. He had brought this upon us. Well, most of it.
Lydia was focused on the decadence surrounding us. Meanwhile, Cova was focused on us. And Cova didn’t miss a thing.
“Where is Commander Thorne this evening?” she asked with an icy breath.
Rhazien’s arm flexed against mine. “I’m sure he’s somewhere in the vicinity.”
“He never strays far, I’m sure,” Cova retorted into her own cup as if she’d already pieced my betrayal together on her own.
A nearby performer blew fire into the air. Gasps and cheers erupted to my left at the flames. But Cova didn’t flinch. The warm firelight cast long shadows along her discerning, angular face.
“Dear, we best be going. So many guests. So little time,” I encouraged while trying not to seem like I wanted to flee the scene.
Rhazien tapped the hand hooked around his elbow. “You’re quite right. Ladies, if you need anything at all, send word, and I’ll see it done.”
Lydia looked at Rhazien like he was the sun and I envied the way she gravitated toward him. I wish I could so easily be pulled back into his orbit. But I knew too much. And the fissure between us was too deep.
We moved on, floating through the all too happy to see us crowd. Whether they meant it or not, everyone seemed to be wearing a mask.
“It’s nearly time,” Rhazien whispered in my ear as the hour approached midnight.
