Page 30 of Only in Moonlight (The Moonlit Court #1)

Emmeline

V alen’s hand settled at my waist, warm and firm through the fabric of my gown.

I placed my fingers on his shoulder, maintaining the formal distance required by the Danse de Lune while a voice inside me screamed that any distance was too little—or perhaps too much.

His amber eyes, looking almost golden in the glittering light, searched mine as the orchestra struck the first haunting notes.

And so we began our dance across the mirrored floor, our reflections executing identical steps below us, like shadow selves in some parallel world. Each turn brought us closer to Princess Regula and the jewel that was our target. Each step carried the weight of Aurea’s warning.

Valen guided me through a complex turn, his movements precise and assured. Of course they were—he was an expert at this, at blending in and deceiving. Just as I was. We were creatures of false faces, he and I. Our entire relationship was built on a lie.

“So that was Aurea,” I said.

The subtle tightening of his fingers on my waist betrayed his calm expression. “Yes.”

“You never told me why you broke off your betrothal.”

Something flickered in his eyes—pain or anger, I couldn’t tell. “Not now, Emmeline.”

I fought down a snarky reply. He was right. We had an audience, and an argument would bring the exact attention we wanted to avoid.

“What did the two of you talk about?” he asked.

“Cheese,” I said flatly.

We moved in silence through the next phase of the dance, his body guiding mine effortlessly, our physical harmony a cruel mockery of the discord beneath.

“I’m not a good person,” he said, voice almost too low to hear over the music. “Aurea finally realized that.”

Was that supposed to explain things? He was so damned vague sometimes.

“So what?” I asked. “Hardly anyone’s a good person. I’m not.”

His eyes crinkled as a warm smile touched his lips. “You did what you needed to survive, to keep your mother alive. You’re one of the best people I know.”

I nearly ducked my head, embarrassed and pleased by the compliment, but remembered our audience. If we could have this conversation literally anywhere but at a ball on the night of the heist…

“Aurea told me you were dangerous,” I confessed in a whisper. “Warned me to be careful.”

His face turned into an emotionless mask. “That was kindhearted of her.”

Was it? I felt dizzy, and it wasn’t because of all the spins in the dance. Had Aurea honestly meant what she’d said? Had Valen? I’d thought I could trust him, at least to a certain extent, but…

He guided me into a spin that momentarily separated us.

When he pulled me back, the formal distance vanished.

He pulled me close to him, clutching me like he feared I’d run off and disappear.

His clean scent enveloped me, and my body buzzed with energy at his touch.

Neither of us missed a step; we’d practiced too much for that.

But it felt less like a dance and more like a last embrace.

“What is it?” I hissed. “Is Drudon watching?”

“No.”

His voice was rough, his face inches away, and for a second, I thought he would kiss me. But then the dance reached its end.

As the final notes echoed through the vast chamber, he bowed, and I curtsied, a perfect performance for our audience. Then he offered his arm to escort me from the dance floor. His face betrayed nothing, but everything felt faintly wrong, as if the entire ballroom had tilted an inch to one side.

I wanted to talk to him—to interrogate him, honestly—but we were stuck socializing for ages.

Honestly, the ball was boring as hell. Fine, fine, I might have enjoyed it under other circumstances.

I didn’t mind dancing now that I knew how.

The ridiculous fashions were fun to look at, and the food surpassed anything I’d ever eaten.

But my fingers itched to rip the jewel from Regula’s neck.

“Did you notice the man in that weird helmet?” I whispered when Valen and I had a moment to ourselves.

The man had been flirting with Princess Regula for the past several minutes, and she’d graced him with a coy smile.

“Don’t worry,” Valen murmured. “The night is young. She won’t decide on a conquest until much later.”

The princess danced twice with a man in a matching feathery outfit, presumably her husband, but took several spins with different pretty young blond men—Valen was right about that, at least. She danced elegantly, if a little stiffly, and it was funny watching her dance with a lurching, drunk Aristoph.

The moment she stepped off the dance floor, someone would be waiting to talk to her.

It reminded me of the people hovering around Prince Cael last night.

Interestingly, the prince and his aunt didn’t speak once.

They kept a distance that had to be purposeful, remaining on opposite sides of the ballroom.

Because I was watching her, I noticed the instant she headed toward me.

Panic set in. Valen had said we wouldn’t have to talk to her before the heist, that he ran in a different social circle and it wouldn’t seem strange if he didn’t approach her.

But Valen wasn’t with me. I was talking to Florina and Felina while he conversed with another group.

We’d planned that, yes. It would look suspicious if we were joined at the hip for the entire ball until I vanished to steal the jewel. But now it left me vulnerable.

“Your Highness!” Felina gasped, and we all dropped into curtsies.

Did she know I planned to steal the jewel? Had Drudon told her we were up to something?

“Lovely to see you, dears,” said Regula. “I missed you last night at my little soirée.”

The sisters froze like deer that sensed a hunter.

“Such a busy night for parties.” Florina laughed nervously. “Mother says choosing between all the invitations is an impossible task.”

“I do hope we can come next year,” Felina piped up.

“We shall see,” Regula said in a tone that implied they might not receive an invitation next year.

Petty of her.

“But I don’t believe I’ve met your companion.”

Florina pounced on the subject change. “This is Emmeline Le Brun, Your Highness. She’s accompanying Sir Valen. Emmeline, may I present Her Highness Princess Regula Ithelion, Keeper of the Selenian Jewel.”

I curtsied yet again, my heart hammering in my chest. Something about the way her gaze sharpened made me think she’d come here specifically for me.

“And how is Sir Valen?” Regula asked.

I opened my mouth, but she kept talking without waiting for an answer.

“I notice he hasn’t spoken to my dear nephew all night. Did they have a falling out?”

She’d come here looking for dirt. Or she hoped to manipulate an argument between Valen and the prince to her advantage. Should I make something up? No, one plot was enough for the evening.

“No, Your Highness,” I said. “They saw each other yesterday. I think Valen is waiting for the crowd to thin before trying to talk to him.”

Regula’s mouth thinned. “I see. Well, you ladies—” Her lip curled. “—have a nice evening.”

And she swept away.

Felina sagged. “Oh, she’s such a—”

“Watch yourself,” Florina hissed.

Felina nodded unhappily and left her sentence unfinished. Now I was dying to know what she would’ve said. Did Felina know any good insults?

“That’s the first princess I’ve ever met,” I said.

“What a fortuitous day for you,” Florina said dryly. “Let’s get some more wine.”

Valen met us at the refreshment table. “I saw you met the princess.”

He truly was good. Not a trace of concern reached his tone.

“She was asking about you,” I said. “Wondered if you were arguing with the prince since you haven’t spoken yet.”

“I’m touched by her concern.”

He stuck by me after that, and the queen arrived soon after.

The music paused as the herald announced her and her wife, the queen-consort, and everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to bow and curtsy.

Queen Verena stepped onto a dais that proceeded to float five feet into the air so everyone could see her. Then she made a speech.

My mind wandered. I’d never paid attention to speeches, mostly because the only ones I’d ever heard were by priests in the town square lecturing about the evils of magic and loose women.

The queen’s speech sounded less like an angry rant.

She mentioned Queen Diamanda’s sacrifice and asked everyone to think about what they could sacrifice for the kingdom’s people—or something like that.

Valen stood straight and attentive, listening like she was sharing the secrets of the universe, so he could tell me if I missed anything important.

When the queen stepped down from the dais after the speech, the attendees flocked to her. Armored guards organized them into a neat line that soon stretched around the ballroom as they waited to speak with her. I risked a glance at Regula and found her expression even more pinched than before.

And so the night wore on. Valen and I danced three more times, talked to countless more people I didn’t care about, and ate more food. Then finally— finally —Valen gave me an almost imperceptible nod.

My face remained blank, but inside, I was grinning.

It was time.