“I’ll be right behind you.” I sigh, rolling my shoulders and taking a few more breaths of thecool air.
“The night is young,” he assures me, leaving only after a kiss on the hand—ever the gentlemen.
He’s right.
Tonight is just about enjoying a night of fun after a week of hard work and preparation.
The ball has just begun, and there will be plenty of time for overthinking and deep conversationtomorrow.
I breathe in the thick night air, leaning off the balcony to watch the gold fireflies swarm; it’s like they’re having a ball of their own.
Moth loves me, and I love him. As long as that’s true, we can get through anything. Besides, beingstuckas royalty wouldn’t be so bad, especially if he’s the one my throne isnext to.
“He’s right, you know,” a voice calls from the shadows. I jump, whirling aroundto face…
Holly?
What is she doingout here?
“Relax.” Holly puts her hands in the air as if to show me that she means no harm. Her cat-like smile has another story to tell. “It’sjust me.”
I study her—she looks stunning as always. Her gown is white and blue brocade sweeping all the way down to her feet, and there’s a crown of baby’s breath pinned to her short hair.
“Sorry. Last time someone snuck up on me from out of nowhere, I kind of got kidnapped.” I laugh, nerves bubbling up from my chest. “Also, I almost diedsooo…”
“Yes, Mother mentioned your harrowing past,” she hums, sounding uncannily like Queen Plume. “My brother saved your life, gave you powers, brought you to this world where you could rule beside him,and yet…”
“And yet?” I echo, waiting for her to makeher point.
“You are clearlyunhappy.”
“I’m not…” I cross my arms, biting my bottom lip. “I’m not,nothappy.”
“But he was right. You could be so very good at this.” She circles around me. “You have charmed a lot of people in that ballroom. That isn’t a simple task.”
“Are you kidding? I thought I was going to get into a duel with the Bumble Court,” I say, glad that they thought my awkward rambling was funny enough to excuse the matter.
“What is a party without a little duel?” She glances back toward the crowded ballroom. “Your smile and biting words may be sharper than my sword. You could be an excellent addition to the Court. You could do well here,” she repeats. I understand why she wants to convince me to stay—she misses her brother—but I cannot do this again.
“Moth and I are going home tomorrow after the ball.”
“Tomorrow?” She laughs “Balls in Eclipsica last days. Even if you were going home, it would not be for at leastanother—”
“Days?”
“Clearly, you have never been to a Faerie ball.” She shrugs. “There will be rests, costume changes, small events—but the dancefloor will remain full ’til the moon beginsto wane.”
“No! No, that is not what we talked about. You said we could leave inone week.”
“This again?” Holly slides behind me, turning my shoulders so that I’m looking at the center of the ballroom. Mothis …wow.
“Of course, he wantsto stay.”
Moth gleams like onyx in a sea of pastel gemstones. He is art. Even here, he towers above the crowd. When his red eyes set on mine, he smiles, fangs on full display as he tips his head back. He beckons for me as the music swells, and another dance begins to spin around him. He politely declines when someone else tries to takehis arm.
He reallydoeslook happy here…
“You would take that smile off of his face to go back to a crowded cabin in the middle of nowhere? Force him to hide for the rest of his life?” Holly’s whispers are becoming more frantic, the aggressive tone taking hold and driving tension into my shoulders.
