Page 123 of This Dark Descent
Damien’s lips met hers, and she melted into the kiss. Her hand traveled up along his neck to curl in his hair, and he let out a quiet moan as she tugged gently on it, then harder. His own hands were hot against her skin, finding the places where the dress was thin. Each brush of his fingers was like discovering sensation again for the first time.
A deep, long-suffering sigh sounded from the other side of the room. They broke apart, breathing hard, to find Reid standing in his customary all-black suit, his hair a ruffled mess.
“Oh good, you’re done,” he said. “Can we go now? The earlier we get there, the earlier I can leave.”
Damien chuckled quietly, then slid his arm about her waist. She leaned into him, basking in that surety, that security.
Their strength.
Something jingled, the clatter of metal against stone. Widget darted after it, batting it once more with his paw.
Damien saw it at the same time Reid did. Reid snatched the glintingmetal up, but Damien seized his wrist. They stood there, frozen, Reid’s fingers curled into a tight fist, Damien’s forearm taut. Neither one looked away.
“Reid,” Damien said at last. “Show me.”
Reid swallowed hard. Then he opened his hand.
CHAPTER 47
MIKIRA
THE CLOSING BALLwas at the castle, and it put the showcase manors to shame. Nearly twice their size, it was built of pristine white stone and nestled in the hills of the northern city. Some of the stones were enchanted, changing color in unison from pale turquoise to brilliant orange to bright carmine. The ones in the center remained a vivid, shining white, forming the shape of the royal sigil.
Enchanted lights adorned the mazelike garden that framed the guest entrance, a gravel-lined path leading to the open ballroom doors. More festooned the shrubs and pastel green trees, and several small enchanted songbirds flitted from branch to branch, singing a harmonizing melody.
Some part of Mikira knew it was beautiful, but the larger part of her couldn’t focus on the magic. She didn’t care about the music or food or the magnificent dress that Damien had gifted her, made of black silk and embroidered in silver thread.
She had come for Rezek.
The problem was the bastard was nowhere to be found.
Had he not come? Between losing the rights to the Illinir and his father, she wouldn’t be surprised.
“Hey, aren’t you Mikira Rusel?” A tall, olive-skinned boy about her age with dark hair and deep brown eyes stood before her, a dark-skinnedperson with curly hair and an easy smile beside him. She tensed, waiting for their ridicule.
“My name’s Wyer. This is my partner, Ilos.” He took the other person’s hand. “We just wanted to say how fantastic you were. We saw the whole end of the race. You came out of nowhere!”
“Thank you,” she replied smoothly, grown used to this by now. Fortified by her response, they piled on, telling her how beautiful Atara was and how well she’d ridden and how much they’d loved watching her in the other races.
“I thought Lord Kelbra was going to lose it at the end!” Ilos exclaimed. Wyer chuckled, and Mikira did too. It felt surprisingly good to laugh with them.
They offered to get her a drink, and though the adoration in their faces pulled like a lure, she excused herself from their company. If she couldn’t find Rezek, then she’d deal with another unresolved matter. Still, she left with a burning sense of satisfaction that she clung to as she dove back into the crowd, trying to avoid aggravating her injuries.
Working her way through the throng took a while as other guests stopped her to congratulate her or remark on her impressive race. By the time she pulled out of the mass of slapping hands and exclamations, she had several invites to tea, requests for private riding lessons, and more than one buyer interested in a Rusel enchant. She felt like a buoy rising above a raging sea and drank the fresh air in gasps.
But she hadn’t seen Reid anywhere either.
“Well, aren’t you the celebrity.”
She spun, coming face-to-face with Talyana in her Anthir uniform.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mikira groaned. “I can’t deal with this right now.” She retreated, but Talyana grabbed her arm.
“Relax, I’m not here to pester you. I’m here to bring you to someone else who will pester you.”
Mikira frowned, and Talyana looked to where Princess Eshlin sat at atable beneath a covered corridor. Sighing, Mikira followed Talyana through the crowd to the waiting princess.
Mikira bowed perfunctorily as they arrived, and the princess gestured for them to sit.
