Page 77 of Ruby & Onyx

This maze of people is impossible to break through! A heavily intoxicated man stumbles in front of me and puts his hand on my waist. I can smell the whiskey on his breath as I slap him across the face. Be it for getting in my way or for touching me inappropriately, I couldn’t contain myself. He stares back at me like he can’t believe that a woman would be capable of hitting him. I would love to stick around to see his face as the realization of who he just assaulted kicks in, but instead, I shove past him without another thought.

Only steps away from the entrance, I realize that I’m running. But the faster I move, the harder I breathe. With the unforgiving corset constricting every inhale, I worry that I might pass out before I make it outside. I slow my pace and attempt to steady my breathing, clutching at my chest all the while.

I use the opportunity to search for the invisibles, noting their locations. They appear to be distracted by Eleanor and Vani, who are attempting to meet with the crowd at the steps of the dais.

Now or never.

I burst out into the garden before anybody can stop me and frantically search for any sign of Guylita, but all I see is a group of inebriated guests taking a break from the dancing.

How could she have left without a trace? I was right on her tail, but there’s not even a cloud of dirt to suggest that she left by carriage. No horses galloping away. It’s almost like I imagined her.

Any chance of finally getting answers melts away, burning like acid as dread spreads through my bones. The air feels too warm, too thin, too hard to breathe. Tears claw their way from my eyes before I can stop them. I yank the mask off and toss it into a bush before collapsing on the stone steps.

This was my shot, and I blew it.

Chapter 33

Someone sits down next to me, but I’m too embarrassed to look their way. Gods know what a mess I am, having spent a solid ten minutes crying. Even though there are no tears left to shed, I hide my face in the crook of my arm. It’s like all of the liquid escaped from my body, leaving behind only an empty well of sadness. I fear that if I reach too far down, it might just swallow me whole.

“Tough night?” The man whispers, and my whole body stiffens. That voice, all warmth and charm, wraps around me like a blanket, warming me from the inside out. I look over and see that he’s still wearing the silver mask from earlier.

“You could say that.” I swipe my finger across my lower lashes to remove any smeared charcoal. It’s a futile effort, but I do it again and again.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asks, and for a moment I consider letting it all out, unburdening all of my worries, grief, and mistakes on this stranger. Though I only just met him, I know in my heart that he would listen and never tell a soul.

“No, thank you.” The last thing I want to do is to speak to anyone else tonight - anyone but Guylita - but for some reason, I don’t mind him being here. Somehow, the mere proximity to him puts me at ease. Gods, who is this man?

We sit in silence for a couple of minutes until I work up the courage to ask, “Why did you storm out of the room?”

“You noticed?” A note of humored surprise strikes in his question.

I nod.

The admission wracks through me. I did notice. But why?

“Well, Radya.” He pauses. “Would you like the truth?”

I nod again.

“When Queen Eleanor announced that you plan to marry Prince Allwyn, I couldn’t stand it.” He’s staring at me through the tiny slits in the mask, and I wish more than anything that he would remove it. I want to see his face. I want to know why this stranger seems to care so much when everyone else cares so little.

Sure, people have been clamoring to speak to me, but they don’t care. Not about me, at least. This feels different. More real. Like a pulsing connection exists between us that lights up when he’s nearby.

“Why would that bother you?” I ask as he glances at my hands.

“Don’t ask questions that you’re not ready to hear the answer to.” He reaches his hand out and places it on mine, and I freeze.

If anyone saw me out here, cozying up to a man who is very clearly not their prince, then I would have hell to pay. Gods, if the invisibles were to catch me here…

I know that I should pull away, but I want to hold on for another second. Another minute. Hell, I could touch his hands for the rest of my life if it continued to make me feel like this. His leather gloves shift as he squeezes my hand. “Don’t go through with it, please. Give me more time.”

“What do you mean?” I look into his eyes, searching for an answer. They’re a deep shade of blue. Looking into them, hidden as they may be, feels like drowning in a blissful sea.

“Don’t marry him.” His words come out as both a command and a plea.

“Who are you?” I know that his name is Bas, but that is all I know. How could a stranger expect me to abandon Olly and this arrangement after just a few minutes together?

He inches closer, so close that I see the ocean swelling in his eyes, calling me deeper. “Come with me.”

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