Chapter 2
Chapter Two
EMORY
M averick didn’t stay long. I suspected he came only to do my husband a favor. Lord Growley regularly donated to the academy where Maverick was a professor—his other coveted position—so he’d likely been forced to make an appearance and keep one of their wealthy donors happy.
I’d frequented the same parties and dinners and balls as him over the years, had thought about formally introducing myself, but in the end, what was there to say? If I was going to speak with Maverick Von Lucas, I wanted to be able to show him who I was, who I wanted to be. I wanted to speak with him about history and his groundbreaking discoveries—my own discoveries.
But I wouldn’t be able to do any of that tonight. Not without revealing far too much about myself and my secrets. So instead, I spent the night lurking close enough that I could hear his stories but far enough that I wouldn’t catch his attention.
Then he left, and so did my chance of speaking with him.
It was for the best .
Meanwhile, the party droned on. Three exhausting hours of nodding along to inane chatter, smiling as others complimented my red silk dress, the pearls around my neck, laughing at my husband’s jokes, most of which were made at my expense.
He stood next to me now, arm wound around my back, fingers digging into my skin. “You’d think for someone who attended the Academy of Ladies, Emory would be a little better at planning these events, but my Emory’s mind is so often somewhere else, I’m surprised she even remembered to show up.”
Everyone standing around us laughed, though I heard the edge to my husband’s words. I’d done something wrong. I wasn’t sure what, but I’d no doubt hear about it later. He’d never physically hurt me, probably because he suspected if he dared hit me, I’d fight back. But he didn’t need to. His harsh words, his constant displeasure, was enough of a punishment, enough to keep me in line.
Well, mostly. He thought he kept me in line, which was all that really mattered.
He wasn’t incorrect about my mind often being somewhere else. Right now, my hand itched to take the ring I’d stolen out of my pocket and study it. To add it to my collection of artifacts and stay up late into the night trying to piece together its history.
“Lord Growley, have you had a chance to speak with the frost queen after that disaster at the conclave?” a woman next to my husband said. I believed she was a council member for the frost court.
My husband glowered, running a hand over his bald head. “Not yet. I have a lot of damage control to do.”
He hadn’t told me about this. To be fair, he didn’t tell me about anything, but this seemed big. The new king of the water court, King Maledonan, had called a conclave. The first conclave in sixty years. He’d claimed he had dire news and all the leaders of the courts must convene to discuss it. Everyone was abuzz about it.
A mysterious power was rising in the shadow court: a shadow king who wanted revenge on all the other courts for banishing the shadow elementals to their little island sixty years ago. This shadow king was wreaking havoc, kidnapping boys, taking their shadows, and the water court wanted to do something about it, wanted all the courts involved to fight this emerging threat before it became something we couldn’t handle.
“What happened with the frost queen?” I asked, giving the woman a polite smile while my husband’s lip curled.
She flipped her long red hair over her shoulder. “Did you not tell your wife, Lord Growley?” She tsked. “The frost queen stormed out of the conclave. We don’t know why yet, just that she left early and refused to listen to anything the other rulers had to say.”
What a fool. This shadow king could be a serious threat, and if there was anything I’d learned from studying history, it was that war was inevitable, and those who were in denial were usually on the losing side. We needed to be prepared. I turned to say something, but one of our guests began playing the white piano situated in the corner of the room, and everyone dispersed, gathering around and listening to the melody.
I made to move, but my husband’s arm curled tightly around my back, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “You didn’t tell me you invited an ambassador from the earth court, nor the sky princess’s new captain of the guard.”
My brows shot up at that. So that’s why he’d made the jab. He was angry I’d invited someone he hadn’t approved of. Except... I didn’t. I didn’t even know any ambassadors from the earth court, not well enough to invite them here. And the princess of the sky court... I’d only had a few interactions with her.
“You’ve embarrassed me, wife.” His voice cut through me, and I winced. “I didn’t even know their names when they arrived. They had to introduce themselves. Driscoll Bayliss and Leoni Andora?”
I stilled. Wait. I did know them. I’d hosted them in our home in the sky court without my husband’s knowledge. I’d helped them on a mission that, if my husband found out about, would be the end of me. But that had been months ago.
Now they were here. In my home in the frost court. Blood and frost. I needed to speak with them before they did something stupid, before they said too much, revealed too much, to my husband.
I unwound his arm from my waist. “Apologies, my lord. I met them both in the sky court and invited them here last minute. It slipped my mind to mention it, but I thought you’d be pleased to have an ambassador here from the earth court so you can make a connection with Queen Liliath.” I bit my lip. “And the princess of the sky court suggested Leoni come and get acquainted with you. The princess must already have her eye on you as one of her valued ambassadors.”
He peered at me with his beady eyes, and my heart hammered. I hoped he’d buy that explanation, that it would soften his temper.
He patted his round belly, then gave a stiff nod and gestured to Leoni and Driscoll, who both stood near the entryway. “Well, go speak to your guests, then. And make sure to apologize for your blunder. I want to make a good impression on Queen Liliath and Princess Poppy, as you well know.”
Of course he did. That was all he cared about: his reputation.
I bit back a retort and plastered a smile on my face. “Yes, my lord.”
He spun on his heel and strode toward the piano, joining the rest of the party.
I hurried toward Driscoll and Leoni. Driscoll ran a hand over his coiled black hair, snowflakes melting on his desert-hued skin. Leoni barely reached his chest, her pale skin flushed pink, her red-gold hair in the same tight bun it had been the last time I saw her.
“Typically when you come to a party, it’s because you’ve been invited,” I said as I approached them, my smile wide and welcoming, the opposite of my words.
Leoni winced while Driscoll just smirked. “At least offer us a drink,” he said. “Spirits know I could use some alcohol.”
“I’m not offering you a drink,” I snapped. “Because you’re not staying.”
“But we have to talk.” Leoni grabbed my hands, and I shushed her, sending a glance behind me to my husband.
I never should’ve gotten involved with them, never should’ve helped them and the princess of the sky court on their little mission.
We’d met at the sky court castle a few months ago, I’d mistaken the princess as a commoner. I hadn’t told her my secret hobby, of course. But I had told her a lot about my passion for hunting and collecting historical objects. Then I’d gone and saved her life along with Leoni’s and Driscoll’s .
It had all been so stupid, put me on their radar, and now they were here. Jeopardizing everything.
I felt for the ring in my pocket again, wishing I’d had more self-control, but I never could help myself, not when it came to my obsession.
“Whatever you have to say, it can wait.” I sent a cursory glance around the room. “You can’t be here right now.”
Driscoll raised a finger and summoned one of the servants with a drink tray. He grabbed the drink and threw his head back, downing it in one gulp. “I happen to be an expert in parties.” He stretched his head to look behind him. “Honestly, this one’s looking a little dull. You might want me around to inject some life into it.”
I snatched the empty glass from his hand and set it on a small table against the wall.
“We can talk another time,” I gritted out. “Thank you for coming. Now you both need to leave.”
“The bone collector has the bolt,” Leoni rushed out.
I went completely still.
The bone collector. The bolt.
That was what she’d said.
I couldn’t form words. So it was real. The mythical bolt that belonged to one of the Seven Spirits. The one I’d been looking for. I’d been right. It existed.
My shoulders sank.
And now it was in the possession of the bone collector. My nemesis. A friendly nemesis, if I was being honest.
I couldn’t imagine how he found it. It stung that he’d gotten to it before I had. That he’d proven himself to be more clever, more adept, just more.
“My dear.” The jagged edges of my husband’s voice made me wince. “Is everything all right over here?”
“Yes.” I tried to keep my tone light. “Just welcoming our guests.”
Driscoll stepped forward. “Great party.” He winked. “And beautiful home, Lord Growley. Tell me, do you happen to have any more of those smoked eel kabobs?” Driscoll nudged his head toward a nearby man gnawing on one .
A small smile quirked my husband’s lips at the compliment.
At least Driscoll was charming. I couldn’t say the same for Leoni, who shifted from foot to foot, looking as uncomfortable as I felt. I prayed to the Seven Spirits that my husband hadn’t heard any of our conversation about the bolt. About the bone collector, who was well known among the frost queen and her circle. A conversation about him would raise far too many questions with my husband.
“Unfortunately, our guests were just leaving,” I said.
“But you just arrived.” My husband’s brows furrowed. “I hope my wife didn’t say something to upset you.”
“No,” Leoni burst out, and I rolled my eyes at the panic in her voice.
She was going to blow my entire life to pieces if she didn’t get it together.
“Are you okay?” My husband peered down at her. “You look rather pale.”
Driscoll waved his hand. “Oh, she’s lost that golden sheen after spending months away from Apolis. No, we were leaving because we’re very tired. We’ve heard such great things about the parties you throw and decided to come last minute, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.”
My husband’s chest puffed out while relief spread across my own tight chest.
“But we just arrived in the frost court and are in need of some sleep. Hopefully next time we can come a little earlier.” He nudged my husband. “Get some of those eel kabobs before they run out.”
Leoni nodded, eyes shifting to me, and I sent her a glare that hopefully conveyed that she needed to keep her cool... or find it. Keeping it would imply she had it, which she most definitely did not.
“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you both. Emory will see you out.” My husband nodded to me and walked away.
I blew out a breath at the same time as Leoni sank against the wall.
“What is wrong with you?” I hissed. “Are you two trying to get me in trouble? Coming here and talking about the”—I lowered my voice to a whisper—“the bone collector? Spirit Sky’s bolt?”
“Oh, we have other things to talk about as well,” Driscoll said, studying his nails like he was bored. “Like the white rabbit. ”
The name sent sparks of panic shooting through me. That wasn’t a name that could ever be uttered in this household. Not a name that could be connected to me in any way. Not when that was the name I was known by for stealing sacred and historical relics and artifacts, much like the bone collector.
I grabbed both their arms. “Out.” I shoved them toward the door, glancing over to see my husband distracted by the piano player.
I swung the door open as an icy blast ripped into our home, flakes floating through the air and melting onto the wooden floor.
“Wait,” Driscoll said. “I’m sorry, okay? We need your help.”
“No.” I grabbed their cloaks from hooks along the wall and pushed them into their arms. “I can’t help you. I’m not who you think I am.”
Driscoll’s brows furrowed, and he shivered as another wave of icy wind rippled past him and Leoni.
“But all those things you revealed about yourself to Princess Poppy...” Leoni started.
“Was a mistake,” I said, thinking back to just a month ago when I’d lost my mind and told Princess Poppy far too much about myself, my interests. This was what I got for meddling. For daring to hope that I could be more than just Lord Growley’s wife.
It hit me in that moment, staring at Driscoll and Leoni as snow whisked around them: the truth. I couldn’t be more. That was painstakingly obvious now. I had no idea how they thought I could help them with the bone collector, with the bolt, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even talk to them about it without risking losing my freedom.
I thought about the ring in my pocket. How stupid I’d been to take it.
“Meet us at the Haverford Inn tomorrow,” Leoni whispered quietly. “It’s where we’re staying. We’ll tell you everything.” She leaned in. “Where he found the bolt. How he got it.”
“Enough,” I said, tone resolute. “And good night to you both.”
I slammed the door on their crestfallen faces and marched back toward the party, where the fire elemental had summoned a sword of fire that he shoved down his throat to everyone’s delight and horror.
I sank against the wall, legs weak after that encounter. They knew my name. My secret name. The ring in my pocket weighed heavier than ever. I hadn’t been nearly as careful as I’d thought. If my identity got out, it wouldn’t just be my reputation at risk. It would be my life.
I swallowed back the tears gathering and tried to ignore the growing pit in my stomach. It was clear what I had to do, even if it meant giving up the one thing I loved.