Page 87 of Jewel of the Assassin

But tonight, I don’t regret it. She belongs here. She belongs among masks and monsters. Among power and performance. She doesn’t merely fit into this world—sheelevatesit.

She rules it.

Her gown spills like blood over her body, spun from deep red velvet that drinks the candlelight like wine. The cunning slit climbs one thigh, taunting, dangerous. She moves like royalty. Like myth. The gold filigree mask—dusted with rubies—turns her into something untouchable.

I turn to the crowd gathering beneath us and raise a black gloved hand.

The orchestra stills. Every masked face turns upward, waiting.

“My honored guests,” I say, my voice low, gilded, carrying over the hush. “Tonight… you are graced by my queen.”

Gasps ripple like a breeze through fire.

“I present to you:Lady V… for Vengeance.”

A hush falls like ash.

I feel Valentina shift beside me. She turns to me, locking eyes. She’s trembling—but not from fear. No. She feels it too. Theweight of every eye. The heat of every secret. The power rising between us is like dark magic.

For vengeance is mine. Even if my brother and father are not here to witness it, I have repaid it tenfold.

Arm in arm, we descend the staircase, slow and ceremonial. All watch.

At the base of the stairs, the musicians raise their bows. The first haunting notes ofTotal Eclipse of the Heartswell into the air—Exit Eden’s version, sharp and aching, my personal request.

Valentina seems to approve.

We step from the last stair onto the theater floor. All anticipate our impending dance. All eyes turn to us—Lady V and her king.

Her hand stays curled around mine. She doesn’t hesitate. She belongs here amongst Seattle’s elite—criminals, power brokers, collectors of secrets.

I draw her into me, and the dance begins.

Valentina was always skilled at dancing. One of few things her father insisted upon her learning. She mastered it. And while her mind may not remember, her being certainly does.

Her body answers mine like she’s been waiting her whole life for this choreography, forme. She mirrors every step I lead—fluid, graceful, devastating. My hand spreads across her lower back, the velvet hot beneath my palm, the filigree catching the light with every turn. The scent of her perfume rises, sweet and feral. Like something that would ruin a man.

Around us, the crowd fades into shadows. The stage lights flicker as we turn, and her skirts whisper against the marble floor. Her slit parts with each swirl, teasing a wicked glimpse of her thigh.

The song builds to the crescendo, strings bleeding into vocals as sharp as daggers. And still, she follows my every cue. I command her, pivoting her into a spin, slow and hypnotic, only to draw her back in until our bodies are flush again. Her chest rises against mine, her breath hot beneath the edge of my jaw.

We don’t speak. We don’t need to.

The weight of her gaze through the mask is enough. She is no longer just Valentina. She is Lady V—for Vengeance. My queen.

Every step, every sway, she claims this place. I claim her in return. With every pass of my fingers along her waist, every tight turn that makes her gasp, I brand her in full view of the audience. A performance, yes—but also a warning. No one touches what’s mine. No one sees beneath the mask. Not unless I allow it.

I could unmask her to the world. Announce her name. But I won’t risk it. Not yet. Not when danger still breathes in the corners of my world. Not when keeping her a secret might be the only way to protect her.

And I’ll never let her out of my sight. Not tonight. Notever.

After the end of the waltz, I lead Valentina toward the bar, glowing with fluorescent light. I order her a vodka on the rocks, one of the best brands. I don’t intend on stealing her away into a back room, unhidden from the world. Hiding in plain sight after all.

Someone from the crowd steps forward. I recognize him. The son of a former KGB officer, with wine-red gloves and too much confidence.

“May I have the next dance?” he asks, bowing toher.

Valentina stiffens beside me, and I smile without warmth. “She’s already danced tonight.”