Page 28 of Only in Moonlight (The Moonlit Court #1)

Emmeline

H ands resting behind my head, I lay back and gazed at the starry sky.

The ball was only hours away now, but the day had dragged on at the pace of a dying snail.

My foot twitched with pent-up energy. Part of me wanted to break into the palace, find the princess, and steal the damn jewel before the ball started, never mind how Valen said it was impossible.

Not that we’d just sat around all day waiting.

He’d brought me to the Undarvue estate that morning, where, after he’d coached me, I’d shapeshifted into a fey woman and approached a servant on her way to the kitchens.

Playing a jilted lover, I’d paid her handsomely to slip a small potion into Drudon’s meal that would make him violently sick all night.

It was a brilliant way to stop Drudon from screwing up our plans, and I never would’ve thought of it. Having a partner in crime was surprisingly nice.

“Emmeline?”

Valen’s voice came from below, sharp with concern.

“Out here!” I called.

I peered over the roof’s edge just as Valen stuck his head out of the window.

He looked up. “Ah.”

Had he worried I’d run off? It was only in the last few days that he’d stopped acting like we were stuck together with tar. He hadn’t even shackled me to the bed last night.

He climbed nimbly out of the window and joined me on the roof. For a moment, he took in the view.

“Never been on your own roof before?” I asked.

“I can’t say that I have.” His mouth curved upward. “Do you spend a lot of time on roofs?”

“They’re good for getting away when you need to think.”

His brow wrinkled. “If I’m intruding—”

“You’re not.” I narrowed my eyes. “Unless you want to go over the plan again.”

I hadn’t believed him last night when he’d said he felt nervous, but when he’d wanted to review the plan for the fourth time in a single hour this afternoon, I’d realized his nerves just looked different from mine.

“No, I…” His knee bounced. “I wanted to see where we stood after last night.”

“You made me come harder than I ever have in my life, Valen. We’re good.”

His chuckle was low and rich. “Good. We’ll have another month together after tonight.

Start thinking about what you’d like to do.

We could travel through the kingdom, or stay here and do pegasus riding or something else more interesting than the social season.

I could even teach you how to read if you’d like. ”

“That all sounds wonderful.”

We sat in silence for a time, the fact that I’d be leaving at the end of that month looming over us like a hungry dragon.

I’d wanted to go back to Earth ever since I’d gotten here.

My need to see my mother felt like a physical pain.

Yet the thought of leaving hurt, too. I wouldn’t miss the snooty courtiers and their anti-human prejudice, but I would miss Valen.

“You could come to Earth after,” I said. “As long as we’re talking about traveling.”

He hadn’t been moving, but somehow he held even stiller.

“I’m going to buy Maman a cottage with my payout from the heist,” I said. “Somewhere in the countryside where people won’t bother us. You could visit.”

His eyes shone. “I’d like that.”

I’d never had so many things to look forward to.

Could I really give Maman the life she deserved?

Was a future where Valen and I pursued this strange new relationship possible?

It all seemed too wonderful to be true, like a conman’s promises before he stole everything.

My life had never offered me so much happiness before.

“Emmeline?” Nin called from inside.

I grinned at Valen and then climbed back in through the window.

My appearance didn’t startle Nin in the slightest, and she bustled me into preparations for the ball.

I was bathed, perfumed, my face painted, and my hair dried and styled.

Then she helped me into my ballgown, slipped on my shoes, and adorned me with an array of jeweled accessories.

It took almost two hours. Did noblewomen who couldn’t shapeshift go through this before every party?

It was a wonder they didn’t all shun society and start new lives as hermits.

Nin took a step back to better survey me.

“Done?” I asked hopefully.

She pursed her lips and reached for a ring on her hand. Hesitating for a moment, she pulled it off and slipped it onto my right ring finger.

“Take this, too,” she said in a low voice.

I held up my hand, the fiery orange gemstone sparkling in the light. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”

“The gem is wildfire agate. Have you ever used a magical gemstone before?”

I shook my head.

Nin sighed. “This is a terrible one to start you on, then. It’s incredibly difficult to control. People try using it to light a fire in their hearth and end up burning their entire houses down.”

Comprehension dawned. No wonder Nin had set my dress on fire when I’d first arrived. If I owned a ring like that, I’d burn everything that displeased me.

“If you need it—and I hope you don’t,” Nin said quickly, “Hold it out and think of fire. Then run, because you won’t be able to stop what you started. And promise me you won’t use it near Sir Valen or anyone else you care about.”

“I won’t,” I promised quickly, the thought of accidentally burning Valen making me feel physically ill. “But Nin…”

I studied her with fresh eyes. Valen had made it seem like none of his servants knew about his criminal double life. That was why we had to act like a loving couple even inside his chateau.

“Why do you think I’ll need something like this at a royal ball?” I asked.

Nin sniffed. “I’m sure I have no idea what you and Sir Valen are up to. It’s probably nothing important, and tonight won’t be dangerous at all. But just in case.” She clasped her hands around mine, holding me—and the ring—tightly. “I expect you both back here safe and sound by morning.”

The bottom dropped out of my stomach, and I struggled to respond. Nin worried that we wouldn’t come back, and it made all the fears that I’d been trying to repress rush back.

“Of course,” I said, smiling weakly.

She gave my hands one last squeeze before letting go.

A successful heist, a magnificent payout, and a future where Maman, Valen, and I could all be happy…. Maybe it was too good to be true. I tried to shake the horrible feeling that I wouldn’t make it out of the palace tonight, much less ever return home.