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There was nothing stopping him from getting closer, and he took another step, revealing himself fully in the path.
But Phillipa didn’t notice. She was too enraptured by the orc who she danced with. The song ended, and while the other couples danced, he took her hand in his much larger green one and brought it to his lips, caressing her knuckles with a kiss.
An envious growl rumbled through Wesley’s body.
“Thank you for all the tips, Oliver,” she said. It was easy to hear her while the music was stopped.
Wesley could be patient and wait for her to step away from the orc. Perhaps he shouldn’t have ripped off all his clothing, but it didn’t matter. He had nothing to hide.
“Of course, a strong soldier like you would offer such sage advice,” she added. “My best friend gave me this silver dagger. All I’ll have to do is get close enough to the dreadful wolven to drive it into his heart!”
Everything Martin had said was true. She was indeed on a mission to kill a wolven.
“If I get close enough, I shall bring him to you myself,” the orc said. “How despicable that a beast would call himself king and prey on creatures so much smaller than himself.”
Correction—she wasn’t on a mission to kill any wolven. She desired to drive silver through the heart of the Wolven King, and she sought retribution for his treatment of the woodland fae.
“Oh, you shall do no such thing. For I should never be able to repay that sort of kindness.” Phillipa beamed at the orc. “Plus it will be so much more satisfying if I can take him down myself.”
How could she let herself get so close to another monster? She was a married woman! But deep down in his heart, he knew he was being unfair to her. She’d never given him a reason to think she had been disloyal to him. He had mistaken her solitude for mourning.
Never once did he consider she could be plotting revenge.
“Don’t even think about repaying me, my lady. It would be my pleasure to offer your woodlands some peace.”
“Well, I shall consider your offer if I’m not successful in apprehending the wolven myself. But the thrill of the chase is quite exciting.”
“You excite me, too, my lady.” The orc squeezed her hand. “I shall look forward to hearing how your chase concludes.”
He followed Phillipa into the building and Wesley growled. He would guarantee, for a wager of all the money that was on the line in the gentlemen’s gaming room, that the orc would indeed not like how the chase would conclude.
Because the Wolven King planned to win.
The High Tea
Dearest Reader,
Just when I thought I’d seen it all at the Monsters Ball, the bête monde never fails to surprise me.
A wolven by the name of Wesley, rumored to be Lord Andrew Wesley, the Duke of Chelmsford, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances, was seen running through the gardens on night one of the Ball without his clothing. Yes, all who saw it were completely scandalized by his indiscretion.
There had been reports that Countess Stalbridge and Master Bow thought he might be too feral to attend this fine affair, and perhaps they should not have given him the benefit of the doubt.
Even more shocking was what he overheard Lady Phillipa, the woman he allegedly abandoned on their wedding night, ask how to kill a wolven.
Oh, things are getting juicy, and it’s still only the first night of the Ball.
Sip slowly, my friends, and get some rest. There’s no telling what day two may bring.
Lady Grey
ChapterTen
Phillipa
The door to Phillipa’s room wouldn’t budge. She pushed against it, hoping she was in the right place. This was indeed the third floor, but she’d been so nervous when she’d left her room for the ball, she hadn’t properly taken in her surroundings. The sun had risen about an hour before, and she was exhausted, a little tipsy on sweet wine, and elated. She must have danced with every beast at this Ball.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. In theton, the seasons had felt like a duty. Something that had to be done to secure a husband. Without that possibility, she enjoyed getting to know all of her suitors, and asking them for their expertise.
