Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Ezra clears his throat and blushes. “Neither. We, uh . . .” He glances at his father, then to me, then to his brother. “We’d heard that—”
“What matters is that you’re here and you’re well,” Lord Pandian says. “I hope you’ll take some time from your evening to get to know my sons. Perhaps you can start with a dance.” He gestures to the dance floor.
I brighten my expression, as if this is just what I want to hear. “I—”
“The princess isn’t dancing tonight,” Misha says. “Too many people to greet, you understand.” He’s already pulling me away.
What are you doing? I ask Misha as I shoot a disappointed glance in Ezra’s direction. They are ready to hand over just what we need.
We don’t want to be too eager, he says into my mind even as he greets another guest. We’ll get what we need in good time. Ezra wants to convince you to dance with him before his brother has the chance.
And this is a bad thing?
His father wants Leon with the princess. His jaw ticks. But Ezra thinks he can get you alone. Thinks he can seduce the princess, and he has some . . . well, he thinks rather highly of himself.
You’re in his mind?
His shields are little more than tissue paper—but I’m not sure if that’s because he’s too foolish to bother with them or because he’s magically weak.
Wouldn’t it be faster to let him follow through with his plans?
Misha’s brows shoot up. You want to be seduced by Ezra tonight? He thinks if the princess winds up pregnant she’ll have no choice but to marry him.
When I visibly shudder, Misha’s amusement shimmers through our connection. Charming. Am I not supposed to win them over, though? Let them believe I’m entirely charmed by them?
Ezra wants what he can’t have, so we need to work with that.
Misha leads me to an older couple with bright eyes, long braids, and ebony skin. “Lord and Lady Felhaus, please allow me to introduce you to Princess Jasalyn.” He steps back so I can take the lady’s offered hand. “The Felhaus family was living in the Unseelie settlement in my territory during Mordeus’s rule.”
My face falls. They were refugees. “I’m so sorry to hear you had to leave your home,” I say, squeezing the female’s hand.
“King Misha took good care of us,” she says, “but we are so happy to be back in the shadow court now. We just hope your sister knows she can count on our village to stand behind her should . . .” She looks to her husband, who gives a curt nod, but she lowers her voice before continuing. “Should the rumors of Mordeus’s return and his growing legions be true.”
Should I act like I know of these rumors? I ask Misha.
It would be impossible to miss them at this point. Acknowledge the offer but keep it optimistic.
I press a hand to my chest and give her a sad smile. “Let’s hope that’s not necessary.”
Soon, Misha’s ushered me away to a female who helped run the school at the settlement and her partner, who blushes fiercely when Misha reminds her how much he loves her paintings.
When he smiles down at me, the moment is so superficially similar to so many moments in the illusion that my heart stutters.
Suddenly I’m back in the Eloran Palace, back in Misha’s arms as he leads me in a dance I’ve been practicing since childhood.
The room spins as my mind is drawn taut between my reality and my memories—no. Not memories. The illusion Konner planted in my mind.
Someone calls Misha’s name, and he smiles and lifts a hand in greeting. You should go for a while. Jasalyn has never stayed through an entire ball. She avoided these things, so you should slip away just as she would.
He’s right, and if I were thinking straight, I would’ve thought of it first.
You’ll tell Abriella?
I already have. I’ll come find you later to sow the seeds we’ve planted.
I nod and retreat toward the servants’ entrance Abriella showed me before the ball—the easiest place to escape if the crowd becomes too much, she said.
If only she’d shown me how to escape my own thoughts.
I’m sitting on what feels like it must be the only quiet terrace in the whole palace when Remme finds me.
“Hey, you,” he says, taking the seat opposite mine. “How are you holding up?”
The sincerity in his voice tells me it’s not just a throwaway question, and suddenly I’m blinking back tears. Hale’s friends always tolerated me, but I never fully felt like they were mine as well. I’ve spent my entire life just outside every circle I longed to be a part of. Until that illusion. Until that alternate reality I lived and breathed for months.
“Not so great then, huh?” He pats my hand on the tabletop, then squeezes it.