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Stop. The word froze Saoirse in place. She hadn’t expected the female to actually say it. Not when her body screamed for the exact opposite. Zylah’s breath was ragged, but Saoirse did as she commanded. She met Zylah’s gaze and watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Her heart beat wildly, but Saoirse inclined her head and let her arms fall away. Zylah looked at her for another heartbeat, then she was gone, leaving Saoirse on the balcony with nothing but a cold breeze for company.

Chapter Forty

Arianna

Arianna peeked through the crack in the door and felt heat rise to her cheeks when she glimpsed the crowd waiting below the stairs. She’d never visited the ballroom and hadn’t realized how massive it would be or how many people waited to greet her.

Her heart thundered and she wrung her gloved hands together. Talon stood beside her, leaning against the wall with a faint smile on his lips.

“What?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t think you’d be so nervous about a ball.”

“And I didn’t think there’d be so many people.”

Gods, it looked like they’d invited the entire city, which seemed plausible considering she was to be their queen. But she thought they’d wait for the coronation ceremony. She thought she had more time to prepare.

“You’ll do fine.” She shot him a glare, then studied his figure.

He wore Móirín’s colors. A dark blue overcoat, matching slacks, and a silver button-up shirt. He’d pulled his hair back in a loose tie that left her friend looking equal parts wild and refined.

It suited him, but also pulled at the haunting memories from the last time they’d dressed up for a celebration. A festival. An event quickly put together to honor a set of warriors for their bravery.

She’d walked with Talon hand in hand, her heart skipping with every step they took away from the dancing Fae.

She remembered how the stars seemed to greet them, their twinkling lights magical and bright. She recalled his tentative kiss and the way he’d run his fingers down her neck before chaos ripped them apart.

What if it all went wrong again? What if someone hurt him in here? What if they hurt Ellie or Rion or—

“You are the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen.” Arianna spun at the sound of Rion’s rich voice and her throat went dry. His unruly auburn hair was shorter, the strands hanging around his ears and above his eyes in a way that drew attention to his chiseled face.

He wore a black silk shirt with matte black buttons and a midnight coat embroidered with gold. His boots were new, clothes without wrinkle or blemish, and gods he looked like a dream.

Rion’s gaze roamed up and over her body, lingering on the way her dress dipped at the front. She struggled to keep her arms still. Ellie had picked it out and matched them both. Arianna didn’t know how her sister had carved out enough time for herself, but she had insisted she be the one to dress them. Arianna just thanked the gods she’d managed to slip into the corset before Ellie could see her scars. Ellie had chided her, claiming it must have been a nightmare, but she’d shooed her off.

Her dress was the same midnight black as Rion’s coat with gold embroidery trailing down her arms in elegant circular patterns. She was secretly glad it covered her wrists, if only to avoid the stares from the crowd. They would be whispering enough as it was.

Arianna refocused, trying to tear her eyes away from Rion’s body. She wasn’t successful. “Where have you been?” she hissed, closing the space between them. Her heels clicked against the smooth floor.

“Getting a pep talk from your sister.”

Arianna tilted her head. “Is she the one who cut your hair?”

He grimaced. “Only after threatening to shave it all off.”

Arianna giggled. Ellie had cut his hair. He’d allowed someone close with something that could easily be wielded as a weapon. She wanted Rion to trust others, those worthy anyway. He still possessed too many enemies, but Arianna knew her sister wasn’t one of those people. Neither was Kirian.

Talon cleared his throat and bowed. “I’ll meet you down there.” Then he was gone, disappearing down the hall toward a side entrance. The only people who would be walking through the doors in front of her were Rion and herself.

“What did she say to you?”

Rion shrugged. “She told me to watch.”

Arianna tilted her head. “Watch what?”

Rion stepped closer and cupped her cheek with his warm palm. A blush rose to her cheeks at his proximity and the way he looked into her eyes as if he could memorize the rings of color within. Emotion swam in his eyes and she felt her breath hitch when he leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You.”

Her chest tightened when he tenderly kissed her, then pulled back and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. She thought she might catch fire right there in the hall. She couldn’t wrap her mind around his meaning, nor steady herself enough to remember whatever else she’d been about to ask him.