The Demon’s Captive (Twelve Dancing Princesses #2)

Chapter 1

DAHLIA

“Idon’t care how much you whine, I am leaving this palace. Tonight.” I throw my horse’s saddle over her flank and reach below her belly to tighten the straps.

Angel whinnies, twisting her cream-coloured head to blink at me.

“Blink at me all you want.” I adjust her bridle. “I’ve been planning this for weeks and I’d like to see you, or Eden, or Blossom,” my face screws up at the mention of my least favourite sister, “try and stop me.”

Tugging on Angel’s reins, I guide her towards the stable’s exit. Her hooves clop noisily against the hay-covered floor.

If I were younger than my twenty-three years, I would’ve sworn she rolled her eyes at me as we passed under the old archway.

But she didn’t. Obviously. Horses don’t roll their eyes any more than princesses don’t run away from their palaces in the middle of the night.

But, like I said, I dare anyone to try to stop me.

With one final check of Angel’s saddlebags, I push myself up into her saddle and take up the reins. My fingers turn white from how tightly I grip them.

To my right stands Father’s palace, its golden towers stretching high into the night sky. To my left is the woods, a dark wall of trees marking the edge of the palace grounds – the one line I’ve never dared to cross.

A swallow lodges in my throat.

Two months ago, my eldest sister, Amaryllis, made this exact journey through the woods. She ran from the palace with a handsome dark-haired assassin, and they now live together in a beautiful townhouse a few miles beyond these trees.

It’s where I’m going tonight.

If I can just bring my stupid legs to kick my horse into motion.

“It’s just trees.” My voice quivers. “How scary can they be?”

Angel huffs beneath me, stamping her hooves into the grass.

“Quiet, you,” I grunt. My gaze searches the treeline.

I should probably check it’s safe first. Yes. I’ll take a few moments to watch for guards or nobles on late-night walks, or… wolves.

My throat constricts. As I stare at the trees, the misty gaps between them appear to grow larger. Deeper. And I swear the mist creeps closer. Its long arms weave through the grass like snakes, drawing nearer and nearer, almost brushing Angel’s hooves.

“I can do this,” I mutter, my heartbeat quickening. “This isn’t so bad. It’s only a forest.” I twist the reins between my fingers. “Only a forest…” My muscles tense. “Only a forest—”

A twig snaps behind me, and I scream. Angel rears.

“Dahlia?”

The second Angel’s hooves slam against the grass, I whip around to see my blonde-haired younger sister. “Are you trying to get me killed?” I yell at her.

Eden, fifth eldest, blinks back at me with huge blue eyes. “Sorry! It’s just everyone’s looking for you, and I… I thought I might find you here. Father’s really worried.” She buries her hands in the skirts of her golden gown.

It’s a new dress, exactly like the one I’m supposed to be wearing right now. A low-cut bodice with puff sleeves sits above a wide honey-coloured skirt. Little pink flowers decorate the hem and sleeves, mimicking cherry blossoms.

Father had eleven of them made for Blossom’s birthday ball tonight. One for each of us.

Such a shame I won’t be attending…

“Go back to the party, Eden. I’m busy.” I turn back to the woods.

The tall trees look just as unwelcoming as before. Dread curls in my stomach.

“You’re busy?” Eden’s voice cuts through my fear. “But it’s so late. You can’t be going for a ride now. It’s past sundown.”

“I’m not going for a ride.”

Eden may be my favourite sister, but that doesn’t mean I can’t think she’s a complete airhead sometimes.

“But if you’re not going for a ride, then why are you…” Her voice trails off. I turn back just in time to see her gaze pause on my saddlebags, then my red travelling gown. Her eyes widen as she finally gets it. “Wait. Dahlia, are you leaving?” she gasps.

“No.” The word flies out of me. “Well… yes. Or at least I was. Until you came along and scared Angel.”

Angel huffs and shakes her head, but I barely notice her as two small hands grab my leg.

“Don’t you dare leave us!” Eden yanks on my leg, trying to haul me from the saddle. “I won’t let you leave. You can’t! It’s not safe.”

“Get off me!” I snarl.

“You can’t just run away!”

Hands and feet fly everywhere. At one point, the world turns upside down until Angel bucks me off, and both Eden and I tumble to the grass.

Eden lands with a thud on top of me. I escape the scratchy gold fabric of her skirt just in time to see Angel plodding back inside the stables, her tail twitching in annoyance.

“Now look what you’ve done,” I growl at my sister. “She’ll never let me ride her near the woods now. She’s as scared as a mouse!”

“You were shaking more than she was,” Eden snaps.

My eyes narrow. Maybe she’s not a complete airhead, then.

I growl at her anyway. “You’ve had too much wine. I’ll walk all the way to Night Alley if I have to.”

I push myself up. But, as if to prove her point, the second I spot the gloomy woods, my stomach drops, and I land beside Eden with a huff.

“Just stop.” She grasps my arm. “I’m not going to let you leave, even if you do get past me.

I’ll just run and tell Father, and then there’ll be more guards in that forest than trees.

” Her grip on my arm eases. “Wait a moment… You said you’re going to Night Alley.

” Her lips part. “You’re going to live with Ami, aren’t you?

That’s why you were trying to leave! For goodness’ sake, Dahlia!

Haven’t you read any of Ami’s letters? That place is dangerous!

And that’s if you make it there without being eaten. There are wolves in the forest!”

“Rather get eaten by a wolf than go to Blossom’s stupid party,” I grumble.

“You don’t mean that.” Eden glares at me. “I know you’re still upset about Ami leaving us, but going to the ball might help you. It’s only for a few hours, and it’d make Blossom so happy if you came along.”

“That’s a lie,” I snort.

“Fine,” she chuckles. “It’d make Father happy. Or at least he’d stop worrying about you. You know he’s been antsy ever since the funeral. He’s got half the palace out searching for you.”

My mood sours even more at the mention of Father. He’s the reason Amaryllis had to leave us, the reason she had to hire that handsome assassin in the first place.

After Amaryllis ran away, Blossom explained to the older girls that Father had tried to sell Amaryllis to a wealthy prince to cover his gambling debts, and once they were married, he was also going to claim her firstborn son as his own.

Her firstborn son!

He was that desperate for a son he was willing to let a prince impregnate his eldest daughter, whether she liked it or not. And Amaryllis certainly didn’t like it.

So I wasn’t surprised at all when she drove a knife through the prince’s heart and staged her own death with her assassin Kasimir’s help. Only we know that she’s still alive and enjoying her new life in Night Alley. Not that it makes it any easier to deal with living here without her.

It’s only a matter of time before Father gets over Ami’s ‘death’ and decides to start playing matchmaker again.

Amaryllis and Kasimir said they’d protect us if Father tried to force us into any more unwanted marriages, but I’d rather get out of here myself first.

“Fine, I’ll go to Blossom’s ball.” I scowl. “But I’m only going there to show my face, then I’ll go back to my bedchamber.” So I can plan a different way to get out of this palace.

I’m still getting out of here if it kills me. Just not tonight.

“You’re going to have so much fun.” Eden swoops in for a hug before I can shove her off me. “I’ll have the guards tell Father you were just taking your time to get ready, then we’ll get you into your gown. The gold will look so lovely against your skin, and the pink flowers will—”

“I’m not wearing that ugly thing,” I snarl.

Hurt flashes across Eden’s face.

“No offence.” I clear my throat. “I mean, it looks really good on you because you’ve got the body for it.

It wouldn’t look right on me.” I’m not lying.

Our matching dresses were designed with Blossom’s curves in mind.

While Eden has enough of a figure to fill out the fabric, my small chest wouldn’t stand a chance.

That’s not to mention those awful puff sleeves…

“Father had them made specially for tonight,” Eden reminds me.

“Then maybe Father should’ve asked us first what we wanted to wear.” Pushing up from the grass, I brush the dirt from my backside. “Besides, I’ve got another dress that would be perfect for Blossom’s birthday.” A grin touches my cheeks, which Eden seems to notice as her eyes narrow.

“What are you scheming?”

“You’ll see.” I smirk. “By the way, Angel needs her tack removing, and she’ll need to be groomed before she goes to sleep. Her brushes are kept in her stall.”

“What?” Eden blurts, but I’m already marching towards the palace. Stars glisten above the turrets, twinkling like the excitement in my chest. “Dahlia!”

“I’ll see you at the ball!” I sing over my shoulder. If Father wants me at Blossom’s party so badly, I’ll be there.

And I’ll make sure not a single gentleman misses me.