Page 31 of A Hunter for Luna

What had he traded for it? Suspicion, my constant companion, reared its head.

The lively melody playing made even my feet itch to dance. Laughter echoed from every corner as costumed guests in elaborate masks twirled across the polished marble floor. The air inside was even thicker with mingled scents of perfumed silks, spiced wine, and naked ambition.

I’d bribed one of the servants to find out where he kept his collection and found to my surprise, he simply put them in the library, even his newest acquisition.

I scanned the room, marking the exits. Where might be a good path to slip out and find my way to the second floor and the library. Where might be a method for a quick exit if I had to kill someone in this room.

It paid to plan your escape route before you needed it.

I turned an instant before a hand gripped my arm. A familiar face, half-hidden behind a mask of burnished gold, was attached to the hand, saving him from my usual response.

"Benedetto, old friend!" Dario's grin was wide, but his eyes held a warning. "Enjoying the festivities?"

I forced a smile. "As much as one can."

Dario leaned in close, his voice low. "Careful, Bene. The emperor's eyes are everywhere tonight. You know how it is,being third in line and all that. A murder last night doesn't do much for anyone's sense of security."

“What murder?” I asked.

He leaned in closer. “You just moved up to fifth in line, Aurelius d’Orazio drowned last night during a pleasure outing when the ship sank in a sudden storm. Everyone is saying the storm wasn’t natural.”

"I wasn’t aware," I said, my tone clipped.

Dario continued, undeterred by my tone. "And people started talking about your wife's sister yesterday. Word is her governess is one of Soulrider’s apprentices. Which is strange, since she’s old and fat, not gorgeous like the others I’ve seen. Keep an eye out, friend. Make sure you know exactly who’s in your bed, and hers." He punctuated his words with a wink.

I clapped him on the shoulder, my grip perhaps a bit too tight. "Thank you for the warning, Dario. I'll keep it in mind."

I made my excuses and slipped back into the crowd, my mind racing. Luna's sister, being taught by one of Soulrider’s apprentices? It meant she had a real talent and could one day be a dangerous player in the game. Had my mother known about the talent before the wedding?

Of course not. The girl would not have been born yet when Luna and I had married, Luna had been but a babe. I’d found out from my mother later that she hadn’t known until she was delivered to our home.

I had been aware, since I was ten, though it had never been important to me. The dessert afterward was more memorable than the ceremony.

My wife’s relative was a problem for another time. Tonight, I had to focus on the task at hand. I scanned the room, my eyes searching for familiar faces, for any sign of weakness or opportunity.

In a world like this, information was power. And I intended to seize as much of it as I could before I exited here with the book.

The musical set ended, dancers retreating to their clumps of friends and relations. With a portion of the floor cleared, my attention snagged on a figure standing near a gilded mirror—a striking red-haired woman in emerald silk. The fabric shimmered as she shifted her weight, catching the light and throwing it back in brilliant flashes. Her mask was a delicate creation of silver filigree, accentuating her bright, piercing eyes.

There was something about her—her posture, the tilt of her head—that struck a chord of familiarity.

Curiosity burned in my veins. Who was she?

I approached her, cutting off another man with the same idea. Close enough to speak, her perfume was something floral and intoxicating. I bowed slightly, the gesture both respectful and intimate.

"You seem out of place," I said softly, my voice low enough that it barely carried beyond her. "Like a jewel among pebbles. A vixen among chickens."

She regarded me, tilting her head, the movement fluid and deliberate. "Is that so?" Her tone was light, but there was a sharpness to it, a challenge hidden just underneath the words. "And what does that make you, I wonder?"

I let a smile curve my lips. "A man who knows value when he sees it."

"Value?" She laughed, the sound sweet as silver bells. "You speak as if I'm a horse or a dog."

I took a step closer, drawn to that flash of fire. "Forgive me. I meant no offense. You’re very unlike the majority of women I’ve spoken with at these events."

She tilted her head, studying me through the filigree of her mask. "I believe you’re the fourth man who’s told me that this evening."

"Ah, but I mean it," I replied, amused.

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