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“You look stunning,” Marisse gushed as she adjusted the folds of my gown. “Whoever designed this dress outdid themselves.”
“They really did,” I agreed, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I’d woken up to find myself in my bedroom, alone, with this gown hanging on the back of my door. It was a deep indigo—not quite blue, not quite purple—velvet that hugged my figure like a second skin, with gold beading stitched into the fabric to form a spider-web pattern that flowed down the bodice and over the wide, a-line skirt.
A note had been pinned to the gown’s skirt, and I’d read it, memorizing the words before tossing it into the fireplace.We have much to talk about, but no time today,Maximillian had written in a bold scrawl.I had this dress made for your big night, and it has a few surprises in it. Check them when you are alone, and stick to the plan. I’ll be counting down the hours until I can see you in this.
I had no idea how a simple note could make my heart flutter and my stomach fill with dread at the same, but somehow, the insufferable vampire had managed it. ‘We have much to talk about’ could refer to either the incredibly sexy moment we’d shared last night, or the events in the arena a few hours before. ‘Your big night’ was an obvious reference to the assassination. And the extra surprises…
“Marisse,” I said after the thrall arranged my hair in an artful fishtail braid that draped over my right shoulder, “Would you mind giving me a moment before we head down?”
She frowned. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. It’s just… this is my last night as a human. I’m feeling a little nervous about it.”
Marisse’s expression softened, and she patted my shoulder. “Of course. I’ll be right outside. Just don’t take too long, all right? You have a strange habit of disappearing on me.”
I was pretty sure it was Marisse who liked to disappear on me, but I bit my tongue and waited for her to leave the room. As soon as she shut the door behind her, I dragged my trunk out of the closet and threw open the lid to dig out the stakes and armored corset hidden inside. Quickly, I slipped my stakes into hidden pockets cleverly sewn into the wide skirt—six total—then conjured a few shadow tendrils to undo the back of my gown so I could slide my armored corset on underneath. Maximillian had thought of everything—he'd had the dress designed to leave just enough room for me to wear it underneath, and the neckline and back were high enough that the metal wouldn’t peek through. He’d also added a slit in the skirt to allow ease of movement, so that I wouldn't tangle myself up in it if I had to run.
Finished, I used my shadows to lace everything back up, then dissolved them. Taking one more moment to brace myself, I crossed to the window and looked up at the full moon. Hecate’s face peaked out from between two of the spires, and I could have sworn I saw the ghost of a smile pass across her silvery surface.
That, or it was just a cloud.
Either way, I was as ready as I was ever going to be. Armed and armored, with a full tank of magic humming in my veins. As long as I stuck to the plan, Vladimir would be dead by the end of the night, and Valentaera would be free.
As Marisse and I headed to the ballroom, I tried not to let my nerves rise to the surface. I had prepared for this moment as best I could, and there was nothing left to do except execute the plan.
But what would the rest of my life look like after this? There was no question that I still wanted my revenge against Sebastian, but what else did I want? Killing the emperor wouldn’t rid Heliaris of the vampires who had taken over. Did I want to join forces with the rebels and help them retake their lands? It’s something I liked to think my mother would have done. And what of Maximillian? He said he would help me with Sebastian, but would he support my efforts to push the vampires out of Heliaris, or would he become my enemy once more?
The idea of having to fight Maximillian after all we’d shared caused my stomach to twist into knots. I didn’t know how I’d be able to kill him, after all the kindness he’d shown me. And there was also Lucius, Sparrow, and Nyra to consider. They’d all taught me so much—the last thing I wanted to do was repay that by driving a stake through their hearts.
One thing at a time, I told myself. I was getting myself all worked up over something that hadn’t even come to pass.
“Oh, it’s lovely,” Marisse breathed as we walked into the ballroom. It felt as though we had walked into the celestial heavens, everything decorated in shades of midnight blue, black, and silver to echo the starry night visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The ceiling was adorned with a magnificent mural, featuring constellations and celestial phenomena associated with Astellion and his pantheon. Crystal chandeliers, like stars captured in glass, bathed the room in a soft, otherworldly glow. Each table bore a centerpiece that featured the emblems of all four houses: the astral eye of Psychoros, the blood-red rose of Sanguis Noctis, the iron sword of Invictus, and the flaming orb of Stellaris, all intertwined with white flowers. The blend of house symbols amidst the starry theme was clearly meant to create an atmosphere of unity under the night sky, which was what the summit attempted to foster each year.
I had deliberately chosen to come late, so the ball was already in full swing. Vampires twirled atop a vast dance floor in the center of the ballroom, the glossy dark floors reflecting the chandelier lights beneath their heeled shoes. The women were dressed in dark jewel tones—deep garnet, sparkling amethyst, verdant emerald, and more, and the men were equally resplendent in their jackets and waistcoats. Bloodwine flowed freely and inhibitions were low, but everyone seemed to genuinely be having a good time. I even spotted Lazarus spinning Sarai from House Invictus across the floor, her skirts sparkling as they swirled about her feet, his white teeth flashing as he let out a genuine laugh.
They had no idea how drastically their lives were about to change.
Maximillian stood off to the side, in conversation with Stesha, but he broke free as he saw me enter the ballroom. My pulse quickened as he approached, his starfire eyes shining with approval as they swept over my figure in a way that made my toes curl. Before I could fully catch my breath, he was before me, scooping my hand up and brushing his lips across my knuckles.
“You are utterly bewitching,” he said, glancing at me through lowered lashes. My body warmed beneath the heat of his gaze, and I blushed as I glanced at our joined hands, remembering what they had done together last night.
“Thank you,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound too awkward. I wasn’t used to direct compliments about my looks. Compliments on my blade work or weapons? That was one thing. But telling me I looked beautiful? I had no clue how to handle that. “You… umm…” I took in his appearance, noting that he had dressed in all black, with a single jeweled gold and sapphire pin on his breast to signify his house and ranking. “You look really good.”
Maximillian chuckled as he led me onto the dance floor. “Are you ready?” he asked, sliding one hand against the small of my back and clasping my other one with his right hand. The touch reminded me of how he’d braced my back last night, right before he’d bitten me, and heat pooled in my veins as I remembered how out of control I’d been.
“I am,” I told him as we began to dance, hoping that I wasn’t blushing too hard. I definitely hadn’t been in my right mind when I’d all but begged Maximillian to fuck me last night, but even though I was a little embarrassed about my brazenbehavior, I didn’t regret anything that happened. “Thank you for the dress, by the way. It fits everything I need.”
“Good.” He lifted our hands overhead, spinning me out and then pulling me in so that my back was against his chest. He dipped his head so that his mouth brushed my ear, then whispered, “I can still taste you on my tongue, you know.”
His voice was low and wicked and full of dark promise, and the space between my thighs turned molten. “Are you trying to distract me from my nerves?” I said, my voice coming out more breathless than I intended.
“Perhaps,” he said, turning me to face him again. “Is it working?”
A crooked smile played on his lips, and I wondered how he would react if I leaned in and caught his lower lip with my teeth. Then wondered how in all the hells I’d tumbled down this rabbit hole of lust, and whether I would ever surface again.
“It’s working,” I confirmed. “So well, in fact, I’m tempted to forget this entire plan and drag you to some dark alcove to see what other tricks you can perform.”
