Page 70 of Of Glass and of Gold

How was I supposed to answer that? The memory of it seemed like a daze. I would have thought it an illusion, something only to happen in dreams of wonderful things, had they not witnessed it for themselves. That man, that…prince. The way he held me, drove his gaze into mine. He’d made me forget the world, all from a few spins on a perfectly polished dance floor.

I caught myself glimpsing through the sheer blue curtain over the tiny window, watching that grandiose structure lose its closeness, leaving behind its inviting whispers. I combed through my memory of our time in the garden, a thought stirring to life that I’d overlooked. My spine turned ramrod straight.

“What is it?” Melody asked, her brow quirking up in confusion.

I took in the sight of my sisters, dressed in their finest wares, gushing over their time in luxury, commenting on the music. Such wonder in their eyes, such hope. An innocence. “Nothing.” I cleared my throat, adjusting back in my seat, pretending to slink back into a casual pose—with no illusion that I was failing at it.

I ignored Melody’s assessing stare, fixing my eyes on the rows of homes passing by us. Behind those walls were people with aspirations and dreams. Pivoting my strategy now would take further consideration. I had to know it would be for the better, and that it was for the right reasons.

I could feel the icy glare aimed at me through the floors that separated me from Eucinda downstairs. The house had been inundated with commentary about the afternoon at the ball, including how I had been the prince’s first dance.

When my summoning name floated up to my room, I could have peeled the thickening layer of their curiosity that coated my skin. Not being in the mood to divulge any of what happened, especially to that old shrew, I chose to ignore the call. She didn’t attempt to summon me again, and the muffled marveling carried on.

I paced my room, the same thoughts on an endless loop. I analyzed and contemplated, trying to recall any outlying details I may have missed that would confirm changing my approach wasn’t a viable option.

But I kept coming up blank.

Focusing my attention elsewhere, lest I drive myself mad with repeated reasoning and doubts, I peered toward my window to gauge the time. Tonight, unless Melody had changed her mind—which I hoped she wouldn’t—we were to attend another Magic Supporters meeting. It was my chance to scope it out, to ask some questions before…

Before meeting up with Chol.

My stomach twinged with something like guilt, and my cheeks reddened, as if anyone else could see them. I shook my head from side to side, my dark hair whipping and swaying. These thoughts were ridiculous. All the feelings I was not admitting to myself about the prince shouldn’t hold any weight when I thought about Chol.

Rounding my cheeks through a hard exhale, my hands clutched my stomach. I should be embarrassed for even having those thoughts. Chol was a stranger with his own motivations to take down the vermin that sullied our streets, while Nicholas was the man who could put a stop to it all, but chose not to.

But did he even hold the power to? That look in his eyes today as he stared at Highcrest’s fortress, nearly damning it through a sharp gaze alone, hinted otherwise. It seemed there was more he’d wanted to do, but other forces interceded. I’d started to believe him, hearing sincerity in his confession. I’d tried to strip away the ever present humanity that wanted to blind me, but then he’d held me during that dance…

Gods curse this land like Argora Vale!

I shook out my wrists and arms and wiggled the rest of my body. Snapping back into a strong, dignified pose, I repeated in my mind what I needed to focus on. Tonight, magic meeting, then Chol.

I didn’t have to consider the rest until Alejo contacted me again.

35

Nora

Melody had been just as eager to attend, nearly tugging me out the door. She encouraged me to hurry while I insisted on stopping at the closed bakery stand to leave a note. I explained it was a request for a certain type of bread Eucinda wanted to inquire about. Since Melody didn’t deal with the task of errands, she didn’t question it.

It wasn’t the only thing I had to keep her in the dark about.

Since Alaina had given me information about magic wielders being targets, I had to navigate tonight carefully so Melody wouldn’t overhear. She didn’t need to know, didn’t need to worry. No one outside of our household, aside from a few of her former flings, even knew she possessed the gift.

Melody had already tossed her hand up, waving and calling someone’s name across the room before padding off with delight in her steps.

If Alaina’s suspicions about the motive for the abductions were correct, I wondered how safe a meeting such as this would be. Kind of perfect to scope out your targets in a place they freely mingled. By stepping inside, I’d branded myself. Maybe that would be a good thing, if they’d marked my face. If someone in the kidnapping ring thought I possessed magic, and they orchestrated my abduction, I’d get to learn more about their operation from the inside.

I spotted Alaina, already seated at a booth in the corner, sipping a pint. Inviting myself to join, I slid onto the bench beside her. “I learned that your friend would have been cremated,” I spoke quietly, close enough that no wandering ears would overhear.

She set her mug down from the swig she’d been taking, the heavy glass thudding on the wooden tabletop. Without taking her eye off the mug, she swiped her thumb over the surface, leaving a clear line through the condensation glistening on the side.

“I’m sorry,” I said, though I knew it wouldn’t help. Alaina just stared at that mug, and I couldn’t be sure if her blue eyes guttered from the nearby candlelight, or from anger. Blue? Her eyes had been brown before? Maybe the tavern light was playing tricks on me.

Melody’s lighthearted laugh trumped the noise of conversation, stealing my attention. She chatted with a young woman close to her age. Not that Melody ever had issues making friends, but it warmed my heart to see her, knowing for the first time she didn’t have to carry any shame. Part of me wondered if I would ever have that chance, what it would feel like to be completely myself, and accepted for it.

Clearing my throat, I dismissed the nagging question that would only dampen my mood. I had enough things to balance and juggle from the many personas I’d created over the past weeks that I needed to concentrate all my focus on getting through my tasks. Chol and I were on the cusp of something big. I could feel it.

“Is everything else going alright?” I asked.

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