Page 11 of Beneath the Cursed Veil

I pivoted, listening to the excited chatter circling through the air. Speculation was the name of the game.

“Do you think he’s going to announce something important?” one man asked his group, adjusting his simple oak-carved mask. “Would explain why he invited the kingdom.”

“Oh, do you think he’s going to marry?” a woman in a poofy yellow ballgown stuttered with excitement. “I bet that’s what it is.”

“It’s about time,” another answered. “I wonder who the lucky lady is.”

“Who says it’s a lady?” I piped up with a cocked eyebrow.

Three heads snapped in my direction; their lips parted in surprise.

The woman closest swallowed a rather large gulp of wine then nodded. “That’s fair. It’s not like the women of the court have had any luck getting the attention of our king these past years. Perhaps someone else has finally caught his eye.”

“Could be anyone.” I shrugged, moving on from the trio and letting them carry on with their gossip. I probably shouldn’t have spoken, but the assumption irked me.

The thread continued to shift, making me weave through a throng of people. Left. Right. Back. Forward. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the prince was trying to evade me. The thought snuck in, a sheen of cold sweat breaking out over my skin.

What if he knew?

What if Lou set me up?

No . . . I shook my head. He wouldn’t do that. He never has before. What would he have to gain from my arrest and execution? Nothing. Lou looked out for number one, and I was the best bounty hunter he knew. That meant he got paid.

My eyes trailed over the crowd, paranoia still eating away at my logical brain.

A stranger stopped, grabbing my hand, making my breath catch. I watched, too stunned to react as a man my height kissed the back of my wrist. He released me and bowed deeply. “My dear, would you honor me in a?—”

I didn’t hear the rest. The moment he looked down, I vanished into the crowd. Claws worked their way up my throat.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. In. Out.

Come on. I scolded myself.Get your shit under control. If the prince knew you were here to kidnap him, they’d have arrested you at the gates.

My chin dipped as I nodded to myself.

Pep talk successful.

Another man in a black mask with a long beak stepped up to me. His costume reminded me of a plague doctor. I braced myself for another attempt at flattery. Before he could speak, I raised my glass, downing it and then giving him an awkward thumbs-up. “Great wine,” I said quickly. “I need another drink. Here, hold this.” I shoved the empty glass into his hands, leaving him stunned as I walked away in search of another waiter. It seemed like this was a two-glass job, after all.

I stopped a woman with a tray, grabbing another flute of wine. As I sipped, a strange feeling crawled up my spine, tickling the hair on my neck, just adding to the discomfort I’d been feeling since my arrival. This was different compared to how my magic made me feel during a hunt.

I froze. The world around me continued to dance and laugh—but someone was watching me.

I forced myself to move, gripping my glass tighter. My gaze swept the room slowly, searching for the source. Theballroom was simple yet luxurious. A large dance floor took up the center, lined with towering pillars supporting a second-floor balcony. The back wall featured stained-glass windows, a mural depicting Faerie’s history. Each new king carved out his own section of the story.

And in front of that sat a throne of . . . glass? That couldn’t be right. The substance twisted and turned at the base, transitioning to deadly spikes at the top. It wasn’t clear, but it wasn’t opaque either. Maybe it was a crystal of some sort.

My musings trailed off as I took in the imposing figure sitting front and center. The source of my unease.

King Vareck.

Regal and commanding, he sat at the edge of his chair, hands gripping the armrests tight enough to make his knuckles whiten. His full mouth was parted as he stared at me with an unreadable expression. Piercing icy blue eyes held mine prisoner, his long chestnut brown hair wild beneath his crown. Handsome was an understatement. High fae were often beautiful, but this was something else. Vareck was a god amongst men, which made it all the more terrifying that he noticed me. In a room full of hundreds of fae, his attention was not what I expected. Nor was it welcome. Yet, I couldn’t seem to make myself move.

The king’s gaze heated to a searing temperature. The intensity of it did things to my body I hadn’t prepared myself for. A flush crawled across my skin, rising to my neck. He took my breath away, something that had never once happened in real life—and that alarmed me.

Beside him stood a tall, beautiful woman with umber, brown skin and black braids pulled into a high ponytail. Her royal blue uniform fit her like a second skin, but the golden emblem she wore just about her breast marked heras more than a simple “guard.” She touched his shoulder with familiarity as she leaned in close, speaking to him. The king’s broad shoulders tensed before a noble walked up the steps, breaking our eye contact.

As though a spell had been broken, I sucked in air, my heart thundering in my chest. I slipped out the door behind me, desperate to get away from whatever had just taken place.

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