Page 90 of House of Demons and Bones

My heart stumbled. Except for that one lethal secret burning in my chest—the kind that would break his heart and leave him feeling betrayed beyond repair. If I could spare him the pain, I would. But I had to push forward, offer myself as sacrifice, so everyone else would live. So he’d live. So Sy would have a chance at life.

Power rippled across the courtyard as the music flowed like rushing water.

Killian and I moved in perfect sync. He spun me against his chest, and I swirled down, deliberately grinding against his hardness. His growl made me chuckle, low and husky. I was discovering a sultry side I rather liked.

Sy watched, transfixed. Seemed she could learn a thing or two from me after all.

“Where did you learn to dance like that?” Killian asked.

I smirked. “I’m a woman of many talents.”

While on the run, Sy and I hadn’t just hidden. We’d seized every chance to improve ourselves, and we were both a quick study. What might take others a decade to master, we could absorb in days. We devoured knowledge and learned skills as quickly as we siphoned magic and colors.

“Mm.” He dipped his head lower, his lips hovering over my earlobe and making me shiver with need. “I’ll enjoy your talents in my bed for hours tonight.”

My skin flushed hot, my breath catching, even as danger prickled between my shoulder blades. I turned just as Queen Lilith’s piercing gaze locked onto us.

Killian didn’t spare her a glance. His eyes were only for me as he spun me, putting on a show.

The crowd sensed the shift, their attention drawn to us like moths to flame. Some might have guessed my partner was the chaos prince, as his power and presence were unmistakable. But besides the heirs, no one would connect this mysterious woman in her bold crimson dress and blue diamond necklace to me. And once they did? No one would dare call me Ugly Barbie again.

My only regret was my fish-head mask. Talk about killing the mood. Maybe Sy was right—I did need help with my fashion choices.

I can help you,Sy offered, smug as ever.I won’t even charge you.

But who had time for style when I was constantly being hunted.

Being hunted never stopped me from looking fabulous,Sy said.

At least Killian wasn’t put off by my fish mask. He knew exactly who was behind it.

Our bodies rode the music’s pulse, separating only to press back together. His hand traced up my spine as my hips matched his rhythm. When the tempo shifted, he bent me back, my legcoiling around his waist. Then he spun me again, gripped my hips, and tossed me skyward, catching me as if I weighed no more than starlight.

I slid down his hard chest, savoring every inch of the delicious contact.

Everyone watched us, their eyes hungry and dark. I didn’t care. The night belonged to my mate and me.

Louis approached, trying to cut in. “May I have this dance, milady?”

Killian growled. “Fuck off.”

The other heirs abandoned their posts, all except Cade, who kept dancing with Lilith. The rest of the heirs surrounded us, drawn to our display, unable to resist the pull of my magic.

“I’ll dance with Sy before the night is over,” Rowan reminded us for about the hundredth time now.

Killian’s dragon responded with a threatening snarl.

“You need to dial it back, Killian,” Silas muttered beside us. “Unless you want the queen connecting the dots.”

“That’s the idea,” Killian said ruthlessly.

The music hit its crescendo, our bodies moving as one.

“I hate being a liar,” he said, yanking off his dragon mask and tossing it into the crowd. Someone yelped in pain. “Tonight, I’m done with secrets. No more hiding what we are to each other. No more pretending you’re not mine.”

He lifted my fish mask away, sending it sailing over the nearest rooftop. I blinked, caught between vulnerability and freedom. Killian tilted my chin up, ignoring the shocked silence that rippled across the crowd.

Then the heir of House Chaos kissed me in front of everyone.

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