Page 81 of Vale of Dreams

He’s hooked. I can see it in his eyes.

I lean back in my chair. “I think the problem with the old courtship dances was a lack of mystery. They were just private dances with complex outfits, right? Now, picture this. It’s nighttime. Full moon. Prince Talan goes to the lake outside the castle walls, where he’s supposed to meet me. He sees no one there. But then, what’s this? Something rising from the cold water. It’s me, dressed as a siren. I dance for him, in the water…”

“Yes,” Jasper mutters, snapping his fingers vigorously. “Yes! With siren music in the background. The mist settles on the water like a thin, translucent blanket. Droplets of water trickle down your skin. The prince is enchanted by the artistry.”

“In the winter, though?” Aisling blurts.

Jasper blinks at her. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“It’s Aisling.”

He nods. “Right. Shut the fuck up, Aisling.”

I clear my throat. “It’s warmer during the day, and the mist is coiling off the lake. But I’ll freeze if I swim in the lake in the middle of the night.”

“For a masterpiece, I’m willing to pay the price of you freezing.”

“If my teeth are chattering,” I say, “it might ruin the ambiance.”

He sighs dramatically, then rubs his forehead. “Fine. Fine! We’ll create an outfit that will keep you warm. And of course, you’ll need some way to stay underwater until the prince arrives. We can’t have you bobbing up for breath every few seconds like a cursed selkie.”

“Yeah, I was thinking, maybe some kind of helmet for my head?—”

“A helmet?” He looks horrified. “What is this? A courtship dance or a children’s theater? No. I’ll come up with a different solution. And the light…yes…”

“Light?” I frown.

“In the forest, the moonlight won’t get through so well. You’ll need a source of light so the prince can see you. Yes, I have a few ideas. I’ll get my assistants working on it right away.”

“Hang on. This will only work if it’s kept a secret,” I say. “If you bring your assistants in on this, they’ll tell someone, and soon enough, everyone in the palace will know. That would completely ruin the impact. Of course, once we’re done, they should tell everyone.”

“I see what you mean. My assistants are not always discreet.”

He grimaces, and I know the real issue. He’s dying to tell everyone about this right now. Still, he knows I’m right. Only keeping this a surprise would have the true effect, without the time for everyone to second-guess if it’s going to be tacky.

“But how will I do this without the assistants? There will be so many little tasks to get this right.”

Gods forbid he does menial jobs himself. “Aisling can help you,” I say. “She’s very capable. Right, Aisling?”

She shrugs. “I suppose so. For you.”

He frowns at her, forehead wrinkling. “This one? Okay. All right. Is she really capable of…you know what? Let’s try it.”

“And as for the price…” I say carefully.

He waves it off. “Don’t worry about that. Once the prince sees my work, he won’t hesitate. It’ll be the most memorable night of his life, and I will be a part of it.”

“How soon can you have everything ready?” I ask.

“A couple of days, maybe three.”

“The faster, the better. I’m just so excited about this, you know? Now, I need to start practicing my courtship dance.”

CHAPTER 29

Talan left the palace for a few days on a diplomatic mission in the far north of Brocéliande. It’s day two of his absence, and I’m seizing my chance. I’m slipping out before dawn to find out what he has planned with the Blue Dragon Project.

I’m dressed warmly, with a leather bag slung over my shoulder and a dagger strapped to my waist. Most importantly, I have my new suit from Jasper tucked into my bag.

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