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Caelyn could tell she didn't appreciate him so close. Every time he moved nearer, Elowynn leaned away. The Astrari male couldn't take a bloody damned hint! It made Caelyn seethe at the possessive way he disguised his politeness and cultivated smiles.

This whole room was filled with actors, but Caelyn knew predators when he saw them.

A servant passed him carrying silver trays lined with champagne flutes and Caelyn reached out, taking another glass.

“Bold strategy,” came a lilting feminine voice.

Caelyn nearly choked before glancing sideways. Lora stood beside him with obvious delight written across her face.

“Oh gods,” he muttered. Now his cover was blown. Caelyn knew who she was from how Elowynn had talked about her in her letters and how friendly and comfortable they had been in each other’s presence down below.

“You actually came.” Her grin widened. “This is significantly more entertaining than I expected.”

“How long have you known I was here?” he asked. “How do you even know who I am?”

“You are very tall and hiding in the shadows, staring after the one Astrari in this room with a longing I haven't seen… well, ever. And your hair. No one in the city wears their hair like that.”

His lips thinned and he grunted a noise. That was fair enough, he supposed.

Caelyn glanced back toward the ballroom and… wait. Where did she go?

Panic gripped him and he leaned closer to the railing, his eyes darting across the room and to the location he had last seen her.

“Lose something?” Lora asked, looking amused.

“She disappeared,” he muttered.

That made Lora laugh and Caelyn thrust his stolen glass of champagne toward her. She took it with brows lifted and before she could say anything more, he was already moving.

The ballroom had become denser over the last several bells with nobles moving between terraces. Even the resonance lanterns dimmed lower overhead as the night continued. The snow had stopped falling as well and the skies had cleared, revealing the stars overhead. He crossed through clusters of scholars and observatory officials with growing frustration squeezed beneath his ribs.

Too many people. Too much noise. Too much resonance.

Lanterns flickered with his rising emotions.

Something beneath the city felt wrong tonight, more so than it had when he had first arrived a few suns prior.

He didn't have long to think about it when suddenly—Korvel emerged through one of the terrace archways leading outside.

Alone.

The Astrari nearly collided directly into Caelyn before stopping short.

Their eyes met. Neither man moved.

Up close, Korvel looked terrible, his expression pallid. Caelyn had seen seriously injured men when they were in shock and Korvel was looking like he was close to it. Fury simmered beneath it too; he could see it in his gray gaze. Displeasure was spilling out from him like coalescing shadows.

Then Korvel looked at him properly and his angry gray eyes narrowed, his expression tightening almost imperceptibly. His gaze moved over his shoulder toward the direction he’d come from. For a brief moment, Korvel seemed like he was going to go back to the gardens behind him.

Alarm flashed through Caelyn, but he needn't have worried. Without another word, Korvel forced a heavy breath, then stepped around him and disappeared back inside to the ballroom, his steps echoing along the marble floors.

The moment he was out of sight, Caelyn turned and slipped onto the garden terrace. He had scarcely taken more than a dozen steps when a sweep of familiar midnight-blue skirts disappeared around a nearby corner.

Elowynn.

He followed without thought.

The deeper gardens were much quieter than the ballroom above. Snow blanketed the uncovered marble walkways and iron trellises while the winter roses climbed dark arches beneath the glow of the lanterns.