Page 54 of Sanctifier

As the sunbegan to set over Mirith, Pearl arrived with a gown. It had been sent by Lord D’Luc, with a note that read: “For Taryel’s Sweet Little Thing.”

Ru tossed the note into the fire.

Despite its origins, the dress was unlike anything Ru had ever seen. At first, it had appeared oddly plain, a garment of cream tulle and chiffon. But as she bent closer, she saw that the fabric of the bodice was intricately folded, fanning out like an opening cloud. The sleeves were elegant puffs of chiffon, cinched tight at the wrist above a few inches of skin-tight lace.

Laid out on the bed, next to the gown, was a golden sash embroidered with intricate swirls, and a golden sunburst crown.

“I’m not wearing that,” Ru said, indicating the crown.

Pearl made a loud noise of impatience. “Miss,please,” she said, holding up the dress. “You’re going to be late.”

So Ru, with both annoyance and a gnawing dread at what the crown implied, allowed Pearl to dress her. The gown fit Ru as if made for her, of course. And once it was arranged on her body, she saw that the sleeves fell off her shoulder, leaving her collarbone and shoulders exposed to the cold.

Pearl coiled her hair in lovely swirls, pinning it to the back of her head. She painted Ru’s eyelids gold and brushed a warm rouge on her cheeks. When Ru looked at herself in the full-length mirror, she was amazed at the transformation. Pearl truly did work wonders. The gown was ethereal and soft, so different from the dresses Ru usually wore. It was the costume of a goddess, not a scholar.

“I feel silly,” Ru said.

“It’s a masque,” Pearl replied, holding up a white and gold mask to cover the eyes, painted with golden swirls and framed with gold feathered wings on each side. “If you won’t wear the crown, at least wear this.”

Ru sighed, relenting, as Pearl tied the mask securely. At last, her look was complete. A stranger gazed back at her from the mirror, a dark-eyed woman dressed like an angel.

A knock sounded at the door, and Pearl went to open it.

And there in the doorway, not bothering to hide his gaze as it raked slowly over Ru, was Taryel.

CHAPTER 19

Desire, encouraged by the artifact, blazed hotly in Ru’s chest. Even before the door had opened, she had known it was him. Taryel was dressed all in black, with dramatic gold embroidery spreading downward from his shoulders.

She was a goddess of light, and he was the god of death.

He held out a hand. “The evening awaits, Miss Delara.”

Ru caught a spark of amusement in his eye, and she relaxed — just slightly. Could she allow herself to embrace the moment, to actually enjoy herself that evening?

Taking his hand, she found herself unable to look away from him. She hardly noticed Pearl’s goodbye, the door closing behind her, her own feet carrying her through the corridors.

Courtiers, clearly on their way to the ball, made way for Ru and Taryel with small gasps and bright stares through their masks, whispering behind fans and gloved hands. Here came their god, his consort at his side. To Ru, rationally, everything about this waswrong— Taryel guiding her through the palace corridors, the bowing and scraping of the courtiers, their dainty clapping hands and cries tokiss her!

And yet, with her hand securely in the crook of Taryel’s arm, she felt safe.

Ru was afraid to look up at him, afraid that if she did, he would say something and ruin the moment. She wanted to relax into the dream of him as the artifact glowed like a star in her breast.

When they came at last to the ballroom, Taryel paused. She felt his body shift before he turned to her. “Are you ready?” he asked so only she could hear. “It’s going to be chaos in there. Worse than Count Leon’s wine fountain party.”

She bit back a laugh. “Of course I’m not ready. I was born for books, not balls.”

“You were born to be Ru,” he said, smiling. “That’s all they want from you. Be yourself. Have fun. And if we learn something on the way…”

“Everyone keeps telling me to have fun,” she muttered. “I’m not sure you people understand what that means.”

Taryel grinned. “Come,” he said, steering her with his hand on her back into the shimmering swirl of the masquerade.

Ru had been to balls, but she had never seen anything like this. Couples in rich, otherworldly gowns and costumes spun across the room; crystal chandeliers and the flicker of candelabra glinted like miniature stars in their jeweled hair, the rings on their fingers, their painted masks. Feathers burst out from hair that was styled sky-high, and bubbling wine flowed freely. A string ensemble played a lively gavotte.

She wanted to be swept away by the music, to dance with Taryel until they were in another world, one where her name did not spell doom for these people. Where she could just be a woman with the man she…

“Ru!”

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