Page 21 of Between These Broken Hearts (Cursed Stars #2)

I feel Misha’s presence before I see him come onto the terrace. Maybe it’s that connection in our minds growing stronger the

more we’re around each other. Or maybe I’m just that aware of him.

“Let’s go,” Misha says. “Ezra’s growing impatient.”

I push back from the table, glad to be done waiting. If they find Jasalyn tonight, they need that stone. “Well, hello, Misha.

My evening’s been fine, thank you for asking.”

He arches a brow. “I imagine it’s been better than mine. Trust me, I would’ve much rather been watching the stars out here

than mingling in there.” He scans me as I stand. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” I blow out a breath. “Let’s go get what we need.”

“You need more than a strand of hair. You need enough of his attention that he’ll accept your invitation.”

“Right,” I mutter, smoothing out the wrinkles in my gown. “Simple.”

“He’s been standing in the same place all night, constantly scanning the room for you. Go to the window near where he’s speaking with his father. Make it look like you’re using the view as an excuse to get close to him. Sneak looks but—”

I roll my eyes. “I can manage to act coy for a few minutes, but I appreciate the instruction.”

He grunts. “How quickly I forget.”

I squeeze my eyes shut for a beat, then sigh and look at him again. “I am sorry, Misha. I didn’t like lying to you.”

He shoves his hands into his pockets and surveys the distant, moonlit horizon. “Spare me the apologies. I know why you were

doing it, and as insulting as it is that you thought you could seduce the location of my Hall of Doors out of me, I understand

why you tried.”

I stare at his profile for a long time. The full lips and thick brows, the faint glow of the silver webbing on his forehead,

the sadness in his eyes. He’s so close I can smell him. The pine and rosewood. The clean male scent that intoxicates me. “I

needed the information,” I say, “but I didn’t intend to seduce you for it. Seduction was my brother’s ridiculous plan. I hoped

to figure it out on my own.”

He cuts his eyes to me, like he can’t help it. “Then why? Why... everything else?”

I open my mouth and then close it again. Why indeed. Because you’re irresistible? Because the way you looked at me made me feel wanted for the first time in my life? Because I

was weak? I swallow the lump in my throat.

“I didn’t expect it to happen. Males don’t fall for me.

But I wasn’t taking into account that I’d be Jasalyn to you.

I mean, obviously I knew you’d think I was her, as that was the only reason I was there at all, but I forget that males have such a weakness for females who look like”—I breathe through the embarrassment heating my cheeks.

I wave a hand to indicate Jasalyn’s form—“like this.”

He scoffs, then strides away. “I’ve never had a weakness for Jasalyn,” he calls without turning back. I don’t know what that

is supposed to mean, so I make myself bite my bottom lip before I can embarrass myself by asking.

Even though I gave Misha a hard time about instructing me on how to get the attention of the lord’s son, I follow his instructions

to a T: going to the window as if drawn by the view and then sneaking a glance toward Ezra.

His eyes are already on me, and I duck my head bashfully.

He’s nodding at something his father is saying, but I can feel his attention like a heavy coat in the summer.

The second time I glance his way, Ezra excuses himself from his father and comes to stand by my side at the window.

“Hello,” I say. If only I could will myself to blush.

“How has your evening been, Your Highness?” His eyes look me up and down over and over again. Greedy. Like he wants to gobble

up the princess and doesn’t know where to start. Being an Echo gives me the empathic gift of detecting the relationship between

people and how they feel about each other. Even if Brie hadn’t told me, I’d know now that though Ezra and Jas have no history,

Ezra is desperate for her—but not in any romantic or affectionate way. He wants control of her.

“Long,” I say, trying to emulate a personality that’s the necessary mix of Princess Jasalyn and the flirtatious girl she’s

never been. “I don’t much care for crowds. It’s hard to have a good conversation with so many people around.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” He stops a waiter and takes two glasses of wine from his tray before handing one to me. “The wine helps,” he says with a wink.

His eyes never leave mine as he drains half the glass in two swallows. When he nods to my glass, I take the world’s smallest

sip. I need to stay alert. “Thank you.”

His face falls. “You don’t like it. Can I get you something else? Anything?” He’s nervous. I see it in the way he keeps wiping

his palms on his trousers, in the way he pulls his bottom lip between his teeth. “Perhaps some tea or refreshments? I can

call for your servants.”

I clasp my hands at my waist, trying to look as nervous as he seems. Not that it’s difficult. I don’t like being here. Don’t

like the slimy feel of Lord Pandian’s eyes on me every time he looks this way. “I’m fine. I don’t need a thing.”

“I hope you’ll forgive me for saying so, but you look tired. Though no less beautiful than when you’re rested.”

I bow my head enough to look up at him through my lashes. “You don’t have to say that. I know I’m rather... plain.” Jasalyn, please forgive me for putting such a gross self-loathing sentiment in your mouth.

His eyes go wide, and I know it was worth it. “Not at all, Princess. To say you are plain is like saying that the sun is irrelevant

or the raging sea is idle.”

“I am humbled by your praise,” I murmur.

“I’ve never been particularly interested in the lessons our tutors gave in literature, but your beauty could inspire me to write poetry.

” His doughy white cheeks flame red, and now he’s the one ducking his head and looking embarrassed.

“But I needn’t go on. I’m sure many males have told you as much. ”

You only need a hair and a rendezvous, not a marriage proposal , Misha says into my mind. He seems... irritated?

I’m not sure when he returned to the ballroom or where exactly he’s standing, but I don’t let myself look for him.

“May I tell you something in confidence?” I ask Ezra.

He snaps his gaze back up to meet mine. “Anything. I am, you should know, a male you can trust—with your secrets and with

your life.”

He lays it on a bit thick, doesn’t he? Misha grumbles in my mind .

I ignore him and give all my attention to Ezra. “My sister is a bit protective. So while you say you believe others have given

me compliments like yours, it’s not true. Abriella fears males will take advantage of me if they get too close, but in truth...”

I dart my eyes to either side of him, as if to make sure we won’t be overheard.

“In truth?” he asks, encouraging me to go on.

“In truth, I get lonely. I could use a friend. Someone who can speak to me openly and who makes me feel safe.” I duck my head

again. “Someone like you.”

Makes you feel safe ? Misha scoffs in my mind. You just met tonight. How—

“Not someone like me.” Ezra touches two fingers beneath my chin and tilts my face up to his. “Let that friend be me . ”

I school my expression, biting back my smirk. I know what I’m doing. “I like that idea,” I say softly. “You have...” I reach up to brush an imaginary piece of lint from his shoulder and tuck

a stray hair into my palm. I smile up at him. “There.”

His eyes warm. “May I call on you?” he asks. “Soon?”

“I don’t know if my sister would allow it.” I glance at the queen over my shoulder. “Sometimes it’s better to ask forgiveness

with her—rather than permission.”

He frowns. “Should I arrive unannounced? Or perhaps you’d like to visit my father’s manor?”

“I would rather...” I shake my head and give a half-hearted laugh. “Foolish to wish for things I cannot have.”

He cocks his head to the side. “Tell me what you wish for and allow me to make it so.”

I take a breath, as if gathering my courage. “I wish we could be alone tonight.”

I feel Misha’s tension through our connection. You’re pushing it.

Ezra’s eyes widen. “Tonight?”

I wave a hand. “I know. Impossible.”

He swallows. “Nothing’s impossible. But my father—” He glances over his shoulder at the male in question. “There’s a certain

way he believes things should be done, so I need to time this right.” He frowns. “That is, if you think you could get away

after the ball?”

I take a few rapid breaths. “I can. I know how to sneak out.”

“We’ll have our alone time then.” His gaze drops to my mouth, his eyes dancing with happiness. “I know just the place.”

“What. Was. That?” Misha looks downright angry when he finds me in Jasalyn’s chambers.

“Change of plan,” I say, pulling up my pants again. I slipped away shortly after Ezra and I made arrangements for our rendezvous, and Hale and Natan helped me track down clothes to wear in Ezra’s form. They keep slipping off Jasalyn’s small frame. “I’m going after the stone tonight.”

Misha fists his hands at his sides. “That wasn’t what we agreed on.”

Part of me knew he wouldn’t like this, and that’s exactly why I didn’t tell him before making plans with Ezra. “Why do you

care, Misha? Tonight, tomorrow? Either way, I take Ezra’s form and retrieve the stone.”

“I can have more eyes at the manor tomorrow. Eyes that can make sure nothing goes wrong. People who can step in and protect you if needed.”

“Yes, but Jas visited Hale tonight. She must’ve been bleeding because her blood was on him, and they want to use the blood

to track her while it’s still fresh.”

The anger falls off his face. “He’s sure it’s hers?”

“He won’t consider anything else.”

“That doesn’t mean this is safe.”

“I’ll be fine,” I say, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach. I want to do this. For Jasalyn. For my brother. I need to do this to convince myself I’m still committed to this cause, to convince myself that Konner’s manipulations haven’t swayed

my loyalty. “I don’t have much time to dream between now and the high moon hour he’ll be away, so if you would let me sleep,

I’d appreciate it.”

“I’m going with you.”

I cough out a laugh. “Are you kidding me? How will you do that? Are you secretly some sort of shifter?”

“If you go in there and they catch you trying to retrieve the stone, they’ll lock it down so tight we’ll never have a chance of retrieving it.

Without the stone, Jasalyn is as good as dead, and if she dies, Mordeus will take her body and destroy everything that’s worth saving in this court and then in this realm. ”

I fold my arms. “You think I don’t know all that?”

“I don’t need to go in with you. I just need to be close. I need to be in your head and know that everything isn’t going to

shit.”

“Can’t you do that from here?”

His jaw ticks. “As of late, not consistently, no.”

“Fine. You can come and wait outside if that’s what it takes to convince you I’m not going to screw this up.”

“Good.”

I settle onto the bed, and he doesn’t move. I wave to the door. “You can go?”

He glances at the clock and frowns. “I could help you fall asleep easily, if you’d like. It’s a gift of mine.”

My brows shoot up. “Wow. That’s a line I never expected from you, Your Majesty .”

He tries to scowl but his lips twitch. “Does your mind only visit the gutter in my presence, or does it have a full-time residence

there?”

“You bring it out in me,” I say, then regret how flirtatious the words sound.

Misha closes his eyes for a beat, and in the next the wind in the trees outside grows both louder and more comforting, the

leaves rustling in a way that’s almost their own song.

The tension in my muscles releases and my eyes float closed.

I part my lips to tell Misha how nice this is, how relaxed I feel, but I hate to interrupt the lovely melody that’s washing

all my cares away. I’ll tell him in a moment. Just one more moment.