Page 28

Draevyn

T he grand ballroom had somehow grown even more crowded, with people of all kingdoms still finding their spaces about the room. The guests danced as the orchestra played, only taking brief breaks to guzzle down the wine provided by the king.

Draevyn lingered on the fringes of it all, one hand braced on the stone column behind him, the other swirling a glass of that same wine he’d barely touched. He refrained from rolling his eyes at all the encounters he continued to observe, all while counting down the minutes for the night to end.

He locked eyes with Atlas as he reentered the room from a side door.

His brother gave him a subtle nod, making Draevyn’s jaw lock in irritation at their father’s plan.

He recalled the malicious gleam in the king’s eyes as he explained what he planned to show the entire realm.

Atlas’s princely smile fell back into place before he wove his way back through the masses as if he never left.

Draevyn sighed, his gaze wandering aimlessly over the crowd, when suddenly, someone caught his eye.

Standing alone in the entryway of the ballroom was a woman unlike any he had seen.

Her onyx hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, and her scarlet gown shimmered with every subtle movement.

It hugged her in all the right places before spilling into an elegant train as her bright eyes pierced through the confines of the lace mask adorning her face.

But then his gaze fell to her skin as it glowed with the warmth of the room’s light. His heart nearly stopped in his chest at the red runes trailing up her wrists just below the hem of her sleeve.

He had seen those markings before—would never be able to forget them if he tried.

A tightness formed in Draevyn’s throat, shock rolling through him.

He thought he’d damned the woman aboard his ship to the depths.

She should’ve drowned, but there she was—standing before him across the room, clear as day.

He knew without a doubt it was Esmi, as if a force tugged at his soul directly toward her.

Draevyn watched her curiously as she glanced in all directions before forcing her way through the crowd. A shrill shiver raced down his spine at the way her gaze was locked on the king as he sat on his throne.

Something was off. How was she here? How had she escaped the sea? And how had she even entered the castle? Surely, a woman who stemmed from a brothel in Anchorage Cove had no way of gaining an invitation legally.

Blackwood . Had she somehow escaped with them when his ship sank? The last time he’d seen her was the night they were attacked, but he had since taken revenge on the crew of The Night Wraith , leaving no survivors.

Draevyn straightened, his jaw locking as he set his glass on a nearby table.

He pushed through the crowd, getting more aggressive with each step, knowing he needed to get to her before she reached the king.

He caught quick glimpses of her between the dancers as he navigated around them, shoving his way until he finally cut off her path, halting her.

As if commanded, the surrounding dancers gave them space as they stood in the center of them all.

“Esmi,” Draevyn greeted, his voice steady despite the way his heart raced. Her eyes widened, sharp and calculating under the lace mask.

Her lips parted as she looked him up and down.

But then a grin formed on her perfect face.

“Hello, Draevyn Rowe ,” she purred, her voice a velvet whisper against the music, gliding along his skin.

“I must admit, I’m surprised you remembered my name.

Or recognized me in a mask.” Her last few words had a bit of a bite to them.

She felt threatened. But why?

“Would be rather difficult to forget the name of a beautiful woman who I once promised refuge. Especially since I mourned her death when I thought she was lost to the sea by my own doing,” he challenged. “And even more difficult to forget those unusual markings of yours.”

Her eyes drifted to her wrist, and a snarl quickly worked its way across her lips. “Do my markings offend you, Captain? Or do they merely mimic what you desire to do most to those inferior to you?” she retorted viciously.

Draevyn’s eyes flared, rage surging within him. He was grateful that the synchronized flickering of the torches and candlelights went unnoticed by those in the room—aside from her. The hateful smirk twitching the corner of her lips gave her away.

A growl worked its way up his throat as she stared up at him, her eyes mimicking a fierce storm.

Before he could say anything, she spoke once more.

“Now, are the markings on my flesh the reason you halted me in the center of the room? If not, I will have to dismiss myself before your father’s eyes burn a hole through my own. ”

He blinked before glancing over his shoulder and back toward the dais, where, sure enough, the king was watching them through narrowed eyes.

Draevyn faced the woman he still found difficult to read, eager to solve the puzzle she had become in his head. He wasn’t about to let her slip through his fingers a second time.

His hand reached for hers. “Will you spare me the agonizing torment of a speech from the king later this evening and dance with me for the remainder of this song?” His voice wasn’t kind, nor was it gentle as he asked. It resembled more of a demand than a request.

Esmi lifted a brow as her eyes narrowed in on him before drifting over his shoulder to the dais. “And what do I get in exchange, little princeling?”

Her fire flooded Draevyn with amusement.

She was clearly unafraid of Lephyrin’s Phoenix.

“I’ve told you before, the princeling is my brother.

” He gestured with his chin to Atlas, who was several feet away in the crowd.

Draevyn leaned down and put his lips beside her ear, her scent of the fresh ocean breeze and aquatic florals washing over him.

It was intoxicating.

His calloused hand brushed over her flesh, and her eyes widened, followed by a slight curl of her lip. He was surprised to find that the scarlet markings weren’t raised or rough to the touch as true burns would be—they were just as soft as the rest of her skin.

Draevyn drank her in once more before reaching for her hand and pulling her into him. He couldn’t help but feel as though a woman whose flesh bore the mark of flames but was as wild as the sea stood before him for a reason.

“And, little wildfire , what you would receive in exchange would be a pardon from the gallows for breaking into Lephyrin’s castle.”

He expected her to balk at the threat—fight him, or maybe even a slight flare of her eyes to give away some sort of panic.

Instead, she gave him a feline smile—one that made every hair on the back of his neck stand on edge as their chests remained pressed against each other’s, her delicate hand in his. “Was that a threat, Captain?”

“It certainly was,” he answered as he took his first few steps into the dance, guiding her along with him.

She hummed in response, as if she didn’t have the time or patience to even bother with a reply.

“Just as last time, I stand before you, wondering if you’re merely trying to distract me from your true intentions.” He winked. “We must stop meeting like this.”

“Oh, I’m sure you have some cunning scheme of your own,” she said, tilting her head slightly. Her smile was a blade’s edge, sharp and enigmatic as she brought her lips to his ear. “But tell me, is your plan worth risking everything for?”

His brows furrowed, pulse quickening as he wondered if she somehow knew about Blackwood.

“Now, you’ll understand what it’s like to be helpless, and you’ll question how you thought you and your king could live so lavishly while giving so little to your people,” she finished.

Draevyn’s jaw locked, his heart slamming against his ribs.

The music ground to a halt and the king’s voice echoed through the grand ballroom. “Everyone! The time has come for us to bring out a gift to you all… Someone the Kingdom of Lephyrin has captured and plans to rid our world of before you all this evening.”

Draevyn ignored the beginning of his father’s speech as he focused on Esmi’s words. His eyes narrowed on the mysterious woman. Their gazes met and goosebumps trailed up his arms.

Something’s not right.

Draevyn tried to shove out of her grasp. But he was too late.

He was unable to blink—barely able to breathe. To him, the world now began and ended in her vicious smile.

The last thing he saw was Esmi’s eyes as they shifted.