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“Ah, ah, ah,” he said. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He grinned at me, and I shivered.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked, trying to twist out of his grip.
“To the party, of course. You heard Lord Edric. You’re to be an honored guest at this evening’s festivities.” He wrapped my hand around his arm and started up the stairs, dragging me along behind him. “And, just because I like you, I’ll give you a hint. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop acting so human. He’ll keep you around longer if he keeps thinking you’re somehow connected to the Fae.”
“He thinks I’m connected to the Fae?” The last word squeaked out and echoed off the walls of the stone stairwell.
Nigel smirked. “Ridiculous, isn’t it. And a bit insulting, if you ask me. But he appears to have caught a whiff of something between you and Liam. And what he wants is to find his wife. Help him do that and he’ll never trouble you again.”
We reached the top of the stairs and stepped out into the large room with the pillars. In the short time I’d been in the cells below, the room had been transformed. Delicate lights were suspended from the ceiling, though I couldn’t tell how. There didn’t appear to be any wires holding them up. Garlands of holly and pine had been wrapped around the pillars and draped along the walls. Crystal stars sparkled near the ceiling, and music filled the air, even though I couldn’t see any speakers or musicians. Only a few people, or spirits, roamed about the room. If this was supposed to be a party, it appeared we’d arrived early.
“You’re quite lucky, you know,” Nigel said. “Lord Edric’s solstice party is really the best party in town. Much better than the bonfires and dancing in the town square.”
I searched the room for any sign of Liam, but he hadn’t arrived yet.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be along shortly,” Nigel said, as though he’d read my mind. “Though I have a feeling his escort will be keeping him occupied this evening. Don’t be upset if he doesn’t ask you to dance. Or even remember you exist.” He laughed.
Fear gnawed at my belly, and I tried to pull away from him again.
“I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for the evening. I do think that should be preferable to returning to the cells, which is your other option.”
I stopped pulling and stood rooted in place. More guests had arrived. The chamber started to buzz with chatter and the music played louder.
“Better,” he said. “But I don’t intend to just stand here all night and miss out on the fun.” He extended his hand toward the center of the room. “Shall we dance?”
He didn’t wait for a response, he just started walking toward the middle of the room, pulling me along as he steered us between clumps of people. I stared at everyone we passed. They all looked solid and human, except a few who I noticed had horns like Nigel.
“It’s not polite to stare,” he whispered in my ear. He’d caught me swiveling my neck to study a man with a shiny bald head, bare except for a pair of curved golden horns. “Lesson number one if you want to survive: try not to stare at the horns. Dead giveaway that you’re human.”
We slipped around a group of men and out into an open space where the music was impossible to ignore, and couples danced surrounded by a ring of onlookers. Nigel took my hand in one of his and wrapped his other around my waist. I followed his lead, only tripping and stumbling a few times before I grasped the basic steps. He moved us gracefully around the floor while I continued to stare, wide-eyed, at the other guests.
I kept searching for Liam in the crowd. I’d almost given up when I spotted a stunning woman with thick dark hair, swept up in a mass of curls on top of her head. She’d dressed in a low-cut, strapless ruby-red dress that left her bronze shoulders and arms bare, save for a golden band that snaked around her left bicep. When she turned, I spotted the blood-red horns nestled in her dark curls. I was so enchanted by her that I almost didn’t notice Liam at her side.
Nigel followed my gaze and chuckled. “See, I told you he’d be along.”
Liam’s eyes never left the demon woman. She greeted others and chatted with people, but he barely noticed anyone but her. My heart twisted, even as my brain insisted that she must have cast some sort of spell over him. I turned back to Nigel to ask him if demons could cast spells and found him smirking at me.
“Seems like lover boy has found himself a new lady,” he said.
I scowled. What right did I have to be jealous when I’d been so angry with Liam for chasing off Nigel in a display of what I’d thought was some territorial nonsense. Only, Liam had said he wasn’t jealous. He’d told me it had nothing to do with me, that I’d managed to find the most dangerous guy in town. I froze and tripped over Nigel’s feet. He righted me, and I fell back into step, but my mind was elsewhere. Liam had known. Liam had known that Nigel was half demon, and that’s why he’d chased him off. But how had Liam known what Nigel was if Liam was just a human, like me? How did he know so much about demons and spirits?
Then I remembered what Nigel had said in the corridor. I looked up at him. “You said I would be the only human at the party. What about Liam?” I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like the answer.
“I wondered how long it would take you to ask,” he said.
“Is he one of you? A what did you call it? Half-demon thing?”
Nigel raised his eyebrows. “Cambion, love. And no. No horns on that one. He’s all Fae. And Fae royalty, at that.” The corner of his mouth quirked. “Surprised he never told you. But I suppose if he told you, he’d have to kill you. Those Fae are more strict about their secrets than MI6.”
I stopped dancing and walked toward the ring of onlookers. Nigel followed me, grabbing hold of my wrist when he caught up with me.
“I thought we had an agreement. No running off.”
“I don’t feel like dancing anymore.” I needed to find a way to get rid of him so I could talk to Liam. “I’d like something to drink.”
“I suppose that can be arranged. Spirits don’t drink, but demons do, so there must be some refreshments around here somewhere.” While he looked around the room, I checked that Liam was still where I’d last seen him. The demon lady was chatting with a group of men as he stood by, hanging on her every word and smiling like a dope.
“I think I saw something over here,” I said. I grabbed Nigel’s hand and pointed toward a wall that would bring us close to where Liam stood.
