Chapter 10
10
After stripping off what used to be my favorite little black dress, I flung it into a dark corner of my closet where it could sit and think about what it had done. Yanking a random not-grounded dress off a hanger, I pulled it on, turned around, and slammed my palm into my door sensor so hard I left a dent.
With each step back toward the ballroom, a cold emptiness enveloped me. But at least the panic trying to burn me up from the inside out when I’d been in that hallway with him, with his eyes staring into mine, his arms bracketing my body, his heart in his hands while I callously swatted it away, had faded.
Turning the final corner, I took a breath, shook out my shoulders, and fluffed my hair. It hurt, a deep, piercing ache. But there was also some relief, knowing I’d saved him from?—
Where are you?
Good gods, Elanie, I hissed, trying not to have a heart attack for the third time tonight. You have got to stop yelling at me when you comm. I swear, I’m going to change your permissions to invite-only.
Where are you? she repeated, ignoring the threat. Where have you been?
I had to change.
You had to… Why?
Don’t ask. I’m almost back. Did you need something?
Yes. Two things. One, Raphael has arrived. And two, so has your Argosian.
Garran? My life might be in ragged, perpetual shambles, but at least I had my work. How is he?
I don’t know, Elanie replied flatly. Huge? Purple?
Be serious. Walking into the ballroom, I had to zag to avoid stepping on a passed out Vorpol’s foot. Apparently, the party was already in full swing.
He’s, well, he’s smiling. A lot. He won’t stop. It’s fairly terrifying, if I’m being honest.
Yikes. I’m on my way. Before clicking off the comm, I asked, How does Raphael look?
Handsome, I suppose. He’s been waiting for you. Freddie told him you were dealing with a wardrobe malfunction.
My eyes flared. Freddie spoke to Raphael? That couldn’t have gone over well.
Yes. Why? Was he not allowed?
With a deep sigh, I commed, As always, Elanie, you are a bright light shining into the darkness of my weary soul.
I am detecting sarcasm in your tone.
Well done, darling. It was pretty thick.
I clicked off the comm, and the lights began to dim. Showtime . As the bass thumped and the crowd grew quiet, I scanned the room, searching for Garran. He stood near the bar, holding what looked like a gigantic fishbowl full of some flaming blue drink. He was still smiling from ear to ear, looking like a toothy, deranged psychopath. Elanie was right; it was fairly terrifying.
“Hello, Sunastara,” Garran said when I reached him, his smile still pasted into place, the stretch of his cheeks looking painful.
“Garran,” I said calmly. “Remember when I told you that females like a male who smiles?” I’d given him this advice in the ballroom on deck five. Evidently, I should have been more specific.
His smile blossomed wider as a bartender drone zoomed around the counter behind him. “It is good, right?”
Materializing from a cloud of artificial smoke, Freddie stepped up beside me, and every single hair along my neck shot for the ceiling.
He placed a hand on Garran’s shoulder. “Everything in moderation, my friend.”
Garran’s smile faltered. “Is it too much?”
Freddie laughed. It was a small laugh, but it seemed genuine. In fact, he seemed fine. Perfectly fine. And that was good. That was great . Why shouldn’t he be fine? Why shouldn’t everyone be just completely fine? I was fine. The weird pressure in my chest was probably indigestion.
“That is good. My face hurts.” After massaging his fingertips into his cheeks, Garran took a massive sip of his bowl-drink.
“Which one is Kasa?” I asked, repositioning the strap of the red dress I’d thrown on because it was at the front of my closet, even though it had never fit right.
Garran pointed out a petite— for an Argosian —female at the same table of Argosians Freddie had been visiting with earlier. She was striking. And Garran wasn’t wrong; her violet hair did resemble twilight .
“She’s here on holiday with her mother,” Freddie said, nodding toward a much larger female to Kasa’s left, who sat with her arms crossed and a surly expression stamped on her face.
“Her mother hates me,” Garran grumbled.
Trying my hardest to ignore Perfectly Fine Freddie beside me, I reached up to take a hold of Garran’s arms. “All right. Here is what you’re going to do tonight. You are going to be polite. You are going to be clearheaded. You will not get drunk?—”
“What?” His frown was almost as ridiculous as his smile had been, his lower lip sticking out a full inch. “Really?”
“Really.”
“But Sunny”—he held up his bowl—“have you ever tried one of these? They are delicious.”
“I’m certain they are,” I said. “And after the ball, you can drink them to your heart’s content. I’ll even have some sent to your suite. But as long as you’re in the same room as Kasa, you will remain sober. Eye on the prize, big guy.”
“Fine,” he agreed glumly.
“You will be polite and kind,” I continued. “But you’ll keep your distance. You will not ask Kasa to dance tonight. Instead, after the magic show, you’ll ask me to dance with you.”
“I will?” His big, bushy brows crashed into each other.
“Yes.” I gave him a tight, decisive nod. “Kasa needs to see what she’s missing. So you and I will put on our own show for her, and for her mother. And then, before the night descends into complete chaos, you will bid them good night, leave the ball, and get as inebriated as you desire alone in your suite.”
A corner of Freddie’s mouth tipped up, and I pretended that it didn’t send shivers racing down my arms. “Devious plan,” he said. “I like it.”
“It sounds wrong,” Garran insisted. “Would it not be better if I showed them how much fun I can be? I can be very fun.”
“ No ,” Freddie and I said at the same time.
“Garran, you want to be with Kasa, right?” I asked. “Not only for tonight, but forever?”
With his eyes glazing over while he stared at Kasa from across the room, he put a hand on his chest and said, “With all my hearts.”
“Then you need to trust me. I know what I’m doing. If she doesn’t come looking for you tomorrow, I’ll eat my hat.”
With a ground-shaking grumble, Garran set his fishbowl back on the bar and said, “I will trust you. But why would you eat your hat? I did not think beings from Tranquis ate clothing.”
“It’s only an expression,” I replied, giving his arm a little pat.
The matter sorted—at least for the time being—I turned toward the stage. As the curtains drew back and spotlights flared on the Delphinian wizards readying to stun us with their tricks, I spotted Raphael sitting alone by the front of the stage, sipping a martini, as handsome as ever.