A Storm of Glass and Stars (The Oncoming Storm Book 4)

by Marion Blackwood

  “So, did you want something?” My mouth drew into another grin. “Or did you just come here to prove once again that you really can’t take me on your own?”

  “Yeah we’ll see about that,” Shade promised. “But no, I came here to tell you that I might’ve found a way out.”

  I stared at him. “What? Why didn’t you just say that from the beginning?”

  “Because someone decided to attack me before I’d even opened my mouth.”

  “Whatever.”

  Shade moved towards me so that we wouldn’t have to shout across the whole room. Crossing his arms, he leaned his shoulder against the closet door. “There’s some kind of chute built into the wall outside a small room filled with cleaning supplies. I’m thinking it’s been used to dump trash without having to lug around a stinking sack through these spotless halls.”

  “Can it fit a person?” I jerked my head towards the wall separating my room from Elaran’s. “An elf?”

  “Yeah, that’s not the problem. The problem is that we have no idea where it leads.”

  “Can’t we just slide down the chute to check?”

  “And if it leads to nailed-up metal plate?”

  I scrunched up my eyebrows. “Good point.”

  Shade peeled his shoulder off the white wood and approached me. His hand brushed against my ribs as he reached behind my back to grab a sheet of paper and a pen from the desk. An involuntary shiver coursed through me. While Shade put pen to paper, I shook my head to clear it of ridiculous thoughts.

  First he drew a map of the corridors, marking where the chute was, and then he started drawing something else. I frowned at it. Was that a flower?

  “There’s a symbol on it.” He pointed to the flower. “It looks like this. I’m guessing, or hoping rather, that the other side of the slide has that symbol on it too.”

  “So, we find where it ends and we might find our way down the stairs,” I summarized.

  “Yeah, so you’re going to have to get that Niadhir fellow to take you to the lower levels so you can see if you can find it. I’ve talked to Elaran and he’ll do the same with the princess.”

  Crossing my arms, I blew out a breath. “And you with Lady Nelyssae.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Alright.” I pushed off the desk I’d been leaning my hip again. “I’ll do a sweep of this floor tonight.”

  “I’ve already swept it. That’s how I found the chute.”

  “Good for you. I’m gonna sweep it too.”

  Shade’s mouth drew into a lopsided smile. “Of course you are.”

  After a long look at me, he turned and made for the door. Light from the flickering candle played in his dark hair. When he got to the door, he paused for a moment with his hand on the silver handle. He turned back to me with a smile.

  “Oh, and thanks for the lockpicks. How did you even get them?”

  I drew my eyebrows down. “Niadhir thought I might enjoy embroidery.”

  A surprised laugh bubbled from his throat. “Which is something you excel at, I’m sure.”

  “I’m good at stabbing things at least.”

  “There is that.” He gave me a quick rise and fall of his eyebrows. “And at swiping unattended needles, it seems.”

  “That too.”

  Shade gave me another lopsided smile. “See you tomorrow.”

  When the door had clicked shut behind the Master Assassin, I pulled out my own lockpicks. Since I had given up on finding any clothes in that infernal closet that were better suited for sneaking, I had to settle for the ones I was wearing. I cast a glance over my shoulder. The moon peeked through the window.

  Dinner had long since come and gone, so by now most star elves should be asleep. It was the perfect time to skulk around the halls undetected. After slipping out the door, I relocked it behind me. Time to see that chute Shade had found with my own eyes. Maybe we really did have a chance at escaping. I tiptoed down the hall. All we had to do was find the other side.

  14.

  “A what now?” I stared at Niadhir, skepticism swirling around in my dark green eyes.

  “A ball. Tonight.” He raised his pale eyebrows at me. “Have you never been to a ball?”

  I very narrowly prevented myself from informing him that my only experience with balls was breaking into the attendees’ houses and stealing their valuables while they were away.

  “Uhm, no,” I replied instead.

  Niadhir’s face lit up. “Then this will be a wonderful introduction to it! I asked some of the ladies to help you dress for it.” He picked up his book again and continued reading with a wide smile on his face. “This will be perfect.”

  Perfect. Right. Me at a ball. In a dress. Dancing. What could possibly go wrong? I stabbed at the white fabric as if I was using a knife and not a needle. The sharp instrument left a big hole. Not caring how ugly it looked, I yanked the silver thread through.

  The past week had been an endless series of trying to get Niadhir to take me to the lower levels, failing most of the time, and instead having to spend the day embroidering while he studied some text or other. On those rare occasions when he had agreed to show me a few other parts of the castle, I had searched fervently for a hatch similar to the one we had found on our floor. So far, I had been unsuccessful.

  Shade and I had kept up the tradition of sneaking into Elaran’s room once every day to share the latest news. If it was late at night, we used the door, and if it was earlier in the evening, we climbed in through the window. The grumpy elf never got quite used to suddenly finding us in there but didn’t complain because he didn’t want to be the one scrambling across the side of a building or picking locks.

  I drummed my fingers against the frame that kept the embroidered cloth taut. None of us had found the end of the chute yet. Or any other way out. If we were going to escape, I had to convince Niadhir to show me more of the castle. Stabbing the needle through the mess of threads again, I continued running schemes in my head.

  Afternoon wore on as I plotted in silence until I finally decided that faking an interest in Starhaven’s history and architecture was my best bet. Say what you will about needlework but it was actually a pretty good way of clearing one’s mind.

  “Ready to go?”

  Startled out of my schemes, I looked up to find Niadhir standing next to me with his arm out. I placed the wooden frame and the needle back on the table. “Yeah.”

  Book-filled aisles twisted before us as we made our way out of the library. Almost every time Niadhir passed another star elf in this sacred place of his, they acknowledged him with a nod. After the first few days, I had come to the conclusion that he hadn’t lied. He probably was one of the foremost scholars here.

  “I’ve been admiring Starhaven’s extraordinary design,” I lied as we left the library behind and moved into the white corridor beyond. “It must’ve been built by some great architects.” Looking up at him, I gave him an innocent smile. “I would love to see more of it.”

  “You have?” His violet eyes sparkled. “Yes, it was indeed built by very talented architects. In fact, it...”

  As the excited scholar launched into a rather extensive recounting of all the great star elves responsible for designing and building the castle, I turned my attention level down to the lowest possible. I said mm-hmm and aha at the right places while waiting for him to tell me that he would take me on a tour. When we at last arrived outside my door, we still hadn’t gotten to that part.

  “So, could you take me to see some more of it?” I interrupted and gave him a light shrug. “Maybe tomorrow?”

  Niadhir paused mid-sentence and blinked at me, making him look like a startled deer. “Oh, of course. I apologize. I got slightly carried away.” He shook his head. “Of course I will show you some more of it tomorrow.”

  “Great!” I detached myself from his arm and pushed down the handle to my room. “See you tomorrow then.”

  “No. I will see you tonight.”

  “What?�
�

  He gave me a patient smile. “The ball. The ladies I mentioned should arrive shortly and help you get ready. And I will come back later and escort you there.”

  Damn. The ball. I had already forgotten about that. Or maybe I had simply tried to suppress the knowledge because I would rather face a squad of Silver Cloaks than attend it.

  “Right, yeah. See you later then.”

  Having closed the door behind me, I stalked across the room and flopped down on the bed. The soft mattress shifted under my body. I draped an arm over my eyes and let out an endless string of profanities. Why in Nemanan’s name would anyone want to go to a ball? What did people even do there? I hadn’t a clue and I was in no mood to find out but a knock still sounded from the door. Much sooner than I would’ve liked, I might add.

  Rolling off the fluffy covers, I stomped over to the door and shoved it open. Three startled star elves blinked at me. When I just continued staring at them in silence, the one at the front finally cleared her throat and spoke up.

  “We’re here to help you get ready for the ball.” She motioned at my room. “May we come in?”

  “If you must.” I turned around and stalked to the middle of the room. Drawing my eyebrows down, I crossed my arms. “I do know how to put on clothes by myself, you know.”

  The three elegant elves exchanged a look. I studied them through narrowed eyes. If they were going to the party themselves, they were very plainly dressed. Well, for star elves anyway.

  They all wore simple white dresses and had their hair pulled back in a loose knot. Niadhir had referred to them as ladies but from what I’d seen this past week, he was also a very formal person who valued tradition and propriety, so he might’ve said it to be polite. I let my eyes glide over them again. Yeah. These three ladies most likely worked in the castle.

  “Fine,” I muttered while massaging my forehead. It wasn’t their fault that I was forced to attend this ridiculous thing and that they had been ordered to help my ungrateful ass. “Let’s get on with it then and do... whatever it is that you do.”

  Relief blew across their features. The leader smiled, pulled out the chair from the desk, and motioned for me to sit down while the one with the dark violet eyes placed bottles and tins on the table. White hair bobbed in front of me as the third one swept through the room before stopping in front of the closet. Oh I was not going to like this.

  Time dragged on with all the hurry of a particularly lame snail while the three star elves pulled at my hair, covered the rest of my fading bruises with makeup, and stuffed my limbs into clothes I would never have worn voluntarily.

  “And you’re done,” the leader beamed at me.

  “You look beautiful,” the one with the white hair added. She took a few graceful steps to the mirror and held out her arm. “Come see for yourself.”

  I groaned. “Do I have to?”

  All three ladies let out a pleasant-sounding laugh and nodded at me. Reluctantly giving in to their suggestion, I started towards the full-length mirror by the wardrobe. Fabric swished around me as I moved. The star elf with the dark purple eyes stepped in front of the reflective panel so that I wouldn’t see anything until I was positioned right in front of it.

  “Are you ready?” she asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

  I shook my head. “No.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to see this.

  She laughed again and took a quick step to the side. I stared at the person in the mirror. I say person because whoever it was that stared back, it wasn’t me.

  The dark brown hair I usually wore in a braid now cascaded down my upper back. Silver pins with white gems decorated it. My body had been laced into a silver-colored dress with a tight bodice and flowing skirt, also adorned with the same precious stones, while the makeup not only covered the faint bruises but also added color to my cheeks. Glittering jewelry covered the skin above my cleavage and around my wrists.

  Light glinted off me as I turned and squinted at my reflection. “By Nemanan, if I tried to burgle a house in this sparkly spectacle, I’d set off alarms from a hundred strides away.”

  Surprised laughter erupted from the three elves. “Why would you want to burgle a house?”

  “Never mind.” Clearing my throat, I cast one last look in the mirror before turning away. “I feel like a different person.”

  The three star elves giggled and thanked me as if it had been a compliment. The right clothes can add to your spirit and enhance your personality. Others clothes, diminish it. And then there are some that try to change it completely. These were of the third kind. When you wear something that doesn’t fit who you are as a person, others can usually tell. I tried to swallow the dread rising in my throat. People were definitely going to laugh at me.

  However, the ladies who had dressed me looked so happy and satisfied with the result that I decided not to share any of that with them. Instead, I followed them to the door in silence.

  When their white skirts had finally disappeared into the hallway, all I wanted to do was rip everything off. With a deep sigh, I settled for simply closing the door. It had barely shut before a knock sounded on the wood. Mustering all the strength I had, I wiped every trace of my emotions from my face and pushed open the door again.

  “Oh by the Stars!” Niadhir exclaimed. “You look gorgeous!”

  “Well, I didn’t...” I trailed off when I realized what he’d said. “Wait, what?”

  The scholar was dressed in a crisp white suit with silver details and the plain silver ring gathering up his hair had been replaced with a gem-covered one. He raised his eyebrows slightly as if he was confused about why I was surprised.

  “Of course!” He gave me a bright smile. “The way you look tonight... you look more beautiful than ever before.”

  Heat radiated from my face as a blush settled on my cheeks. No one had ever told me I was beautiful before. It was an odd feeling. Not sure how to respond, I just stepped into the corridor next to him and drew the door shut behind me.

  Niadhir held out his arm. “Shall we?”

  Nodding, I took his arm and started forward, silver skirts swishing around my legs. We moved in the direction of the banquet hall we had dined in exactly one week ago.

  “Last week was the banquet and now there’s a ball,” I said. “Is there always something like that happening on this day of the week?”

  “Yes.” A wistful smile blew across his lips. “We like to celebrate the beautiful aspects of life.”

  “I can tell.”

  A stream of people in elaborate outfits carried us ever closer to the vast room with the glass dome. Chatter and anticipation hung in the air. My heart thumped in my chest. I had done a lot of nerve-racking things in my life–assassinated a king, tricked an invading army, manipulated an election in a foreign country–but this ball beat them all. Killing, cheating, and manipulating were everyday staples for me. No matter how high the stakes. But this...

  “I have no frame of reference for this,” I mumbled while blood continued pounding in my ears.

  Niadhir frowned down at me. “Pardon?”

  Gem-covered bracelets clinked when I waved a hand in front of my face, telling him to disregard my strange comment. I glanced down at them before running a hand over the elaborate necklace lying heavy on my chest. Man, I had never worn this much jewelry before. Well, except for when carrying it off after a heist, of course.

  The grand entrance to the banquet hall appeared before me. Wishing that I was wearing battle armor instead of this flowing dress was an exercise in futility but I couldn’t help myself. As we reached the huge double doors, I sucked in a deep breath. This was going to be rough.

  15.

  Light filled the ballroom. Thousands of candles flickered in silver candelabras and mingled with the pale moonlight streaming in from the crystal dome. I ran a hand over the statue next to me. It wasn’t ice. The intricately carved swan was made of glass. In fact, everywhere I looked, decorations of frosted and clear glass, silver
, and precious white stones adorned the vast hall. It was like a winter fairy tale landscape.

  “Wow,” I mumbled.

  Niadhir patted me on the hand and gave me a smile before leading me into the mass of star elves in elaborate outfits.

  The banquet tables from last week had been rearranged to create seating arrangements along the edges while the middle of the room was left empty. Panic flashed through me when I realized what it was. A dancefloor. I glanced at the people around me, forming glimmering islands on the smooth floor. Excited murmuring hung over the area. At least no one was dancing. Yet.

  “Princess Illeasia,” Niadhir said as a pair of familiar faces appeared in the crowd. “You look beautiful as ever.”

  “You’re too kind,” the gorgeous princess in her sparkling dress replied and inclined her head, making her gem-covered headdress glint in the starlight.

  “And... I beg your pardon but I seem to have forgotten your name,” the scholar continued.

  The auburn-haired elf next to her flicked his eyes around the room. “Elaran.”

  He looked about as uncomfortable in his white suit as I felt in my elaborate dress but I had a feeling that the worried glance hadn’t been because of that. Following his gaze, I found the source of his uneasiness.

  A few strides away, Captain Hadraeth in his ceremonial armor stood glowering at the wood elf. When he noticed that I was watching him, his dark violet eyes locked on me in a challenging stare. I narrowed my eyes at him. What was his problem?

  “Right, Storm?” Niadhir’s voice cut through my musings.

  “What?” I tore my gaze from the strange Guard Captain and turned back to the small talk I hadn’t been paying attention to.

  The soft-spoken scholar gave me a patient smile. I knew he did it to be nice but every time he smiled at me in that way, I felt like a halfwit child. It made me want to stab him.

  “I was just telling Princess Illeasia and Elaran that you have been practicing embroidery and that your needlework is improving,” he explained.