by Isabo Kelly
The maid left the bedroom, giggling into her hand as she closed the door behind her. Vic grinned into the mirror, turning to get a side view. Jacob was going to love this. Her masquerade gown had been delivered that afternoon. Shortly after, when the maid arrived to help her get dressed and fix her hair, she’d forced Jacob from his bedroom.
She studied the finished effect. The top of her hair was pulled back into a loose bun with curls left to hang around her shoulders. Silver thread woven through her hair caught the light with every move. The addition of feathers and silver sequins to the gown had perfected the outfit. Just one last touch. She retrieved her breast dagger and slipped it into place.
At last ready, she continued to delay her entrance, knowing Jacob was pacing the outer room. She couldn’t wait to see him, but the anticipation and mild torture inflicted on him was too much fun to hurry. She stood by the door, listening to his restless stalking, trying not to chuckle out loud. When her own excitement got the better of her, she moved the mask to her face and opened the door wide.
He stopped and stared.
He looked too sexy for his own good, she thought, staring back and coming very close to biting her lip. He was also dressed in black and white—tight black leather breeches, a loose white shirt with full sleeves, stiff cuffs and a high collar, and a snug black leather vest. His mask was a red wooden full-face mask with a hooked nose and a mischievous grin lifting its cheeks. It hung precariously from his fingers.
“Victoria, you look…absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you.” She flashed him a sexy smile and sauntered to him. “I’m glad you like. You look very good, too.” She shifted her mask away from her face and looked him over with undisguised admiration.
His free hand circled her waist and pulled her roughly against his body. She clutched his leather vest.
“Perhaps we should stay in,” he said huskily.
“Not after all the trouble it took to get into this thing,” she answered. Her mood sobered when she added, “Besides, you have to be there tonight.” She nodded at the sword prominently strapped to his hip.
He gave in with a groan, but didn’t loosen his grip. “Do you have your daggers?”
“I’ve got the breast dagger.”
His gaze lowered to the curve of her breasts and a dangerous smile touched his lips. “You know, I could always help you get back into that dress. We aren’t expected right away.”
“Uh uh, Jacob Marin. You’d muss my hair.” She fluttered her lashes and feigned a prim, ladylike pout.
“Very well, you minx.” He laughed. “But don’t expect that dress to stay on for long after we return tonight.”
“Well, I should hope not.”
Stepping back, Jacob slipped his mask over his head, tying the ribbons that held it in place, and then took her arm.
As they strolled through the castle, Vic noted the increased number of guards. After losing two of the blood magicians, Jacob and General Thack had tripled the castle guard and sent military troops to patrol the city streets. Both generals were required to attend the masquerade ball, but both would also spend the evening alert and armed. Despite his banter, she knew Jacob was worried.
When they reached the large double doors opening onto the ballroom, music washed over them. The hall was unlike anything Vic had ever seen. The long walls were lined at the base with dark wooden panels. From the panels to the high ceiling, the stones were covered with pale cream silk decorated with abstract designs in gold leaf. The ceiling was carved of dark wood shot with gold accents. Candles circled the thick wooden pillars lining the hall, but the lighting was dim, giving the room an eerie, unreal feel. On the highly polished pale gold wood of the dance floor, couples in both ghoulish and festive masks twirled at maddening speeds to the orchestra’s strange, haunting music.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said as Jacob led her into the hall, leaning close so he could hear her above the music. The gold detailing in both the ceiling and the silk wall coverings glittered in the dim lighting, painting strange patterns at the edges of her vision.
“You know, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you really impressed.”
She smiled wickedly. “Oh, I think you’ve seen me impressed once or twice before.”
His arm tightened around her waist. “We’d better dance, or I’m going to drag you away from all of this early.”
Before she could stop him, he pulled her onto the dance floor. The room passed in a rush. Lights and colors swirled together, solid objects became blurred and indistinct, the other couples faded into a mass of noisy specters, making the dance eerily surreal. For just that instant, Jacob was the only solid thing in her world, the focus of all her senses. He took her breath away.
When the song ended, she shook off the strange, dream-like quality of the dance and grinned. “That was fun,” she said as they walked toward the side of the room.
“Good,” he murmured in her ear. Her entire body began to tingle in reaction to the heat of his breath on her skin.
He led her to where General Thack stood with his wife, a tall, powerfully built woman with fiery red hair almost a match to her husband’s. Thack also had a sword strapped to his hip.
“Good evening, George, Rea,” Jacob greeted with a nod.
“General Marin,” the woman smiled. “It’s good to see you again.”
“How’s the little one?”
“He’s fine and strong. Lungs like bellows.”
“Aye,” Thack groaned. “And he knows when to use ‘em too.”
“Rea, I’d like you to meet Victoria Flash. Victoria, this is Rea Von Thack.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Vic said.
“Aye, so you’re the spy George’s been telling me about. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Victoria.”
Rea’s green-eyed gaze danced between her and Jacob, making Vic want to fidget.
“Are you enjoying the ball?” Thack asked.
Grateful for the diversion, she smiled. “It’s wonderful. Some of these masks are grotesque.” She nodded toward one in particular.
The ugly mask approached their small group, much to her surprise, accompanied by a lady wearing an elegant, very alien mask covered in feathers and tufts of purple and red velvet.
“Good evening, Majesties,” Thack greeted.
Vic’s stomach dropped.
Queen Sara moved her mask aside, her smile warm and encompassing. “Good evening, George, Rea, Jacob.” She turned to Vic. “Victoria, I’m so glad you could attend tonight’s little gathering. I’m sure you’ve made Jacob’s night. You look marvelous.”
Her cheeks warmed. She couldn’t believe it, but she’d sworn she was blushing. “Thank you, Majesty,” she managed.
“Victoria was just commenting on your mask, Sire,” Jacob told the king.
She glared up at him, sensing the teasing smile behind his mask.
“It’s ghastly, isn’t it?” King John asked, his chest puffing up. “I think I’ve managed the ugliest mask here.”
“Yes, you did, dear,” the queen said, patting his arm.
Vic could hardly believe she was talking to the king and queen of Karasnia like they were normal people. Then Lord and Lady Fordin joined the group. She bit the inside of her lip at the sight of Lady Tiya. The sorceress looked very much like the fairies Vic had heard about in stories, ethereal and perfect in a gown of lavender and gold. Even her mask—a cat’s eye mask—covered with white, blue and pale purple velvet and lined with golden sequins, looked like something that might belong to a fairy.
Glancing covertly at Jacob while everyone greeted the newcomers, she couldn’t decide if she was glad his mask hid his expression or not.
“Hello, Victoria,” Tiya said. “It’s wonderful to see you here. Are you enjoying yourself?”
She blinked and faced the sorceress again. “Lady Tiya,” she greeted with a nod. Lady Fordin was so friendly, she wanted to snarl. Instead, she said, “I’m enjoying myself very much, t
hank you,” and hoped her smile didn’t look too strained.
A sultry, slow song began in the background and Jacob took her arm. “Shall we?” he asked.
Through the eyeholes in his mask, she could see him studying her. She nodded and let him lead her onto the dance floor.
He pulled her close, turning her in slow circles until they were across the room.
“What’s wrong, little thief?”
“Nothing. Everything’s fine.”
Jacob pushed his mask off his face and shook his head. “And I thought you were supposed to be good at lying.”
The jibe hit its mark. Her professional pride rose to meet the challenge. “I’m an excellent liar, General.”
He chuckled. “Most of the time, little thief, I’d agree with you. But perhaps I know you too well.”
She snorted. “I could lie to you if I really wanted.”
“Ahh. Then you really want me to know what’s bothering you?”
She frowned at being danced into that obvious trap.
He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I know what you’re worrying about, Victoria, but I told you before, you needn’t worry about Tiya.” Straightening, he looked down into her upturned face. “Everyone else has noticed the change. I’m surprised you haven’t.”
“They’ve known you longer,” she said, trying to be surly. But her frown dissolved into an embarrassed grimace when Jacob’s laughter tumbled over her head.
“Victoria Flash, stop worrying and enjoy the music.”
The hand at the small of her back pressed her tighter, and she forgot to be jealous. Soon, she was caught in the sultry beat of the music, enjoying the heat of Jacob’s sexy half smile.
During the next song, a man in an orange and yellow bird mask interrupted their dance. “Do you mind if I cut in for a song, General?” the bird asked before removing his mask to reveal Garath’s smiling face.
Jacob scowled at his lieutenant. When he looked back at her, she grinned wickedly. “Stop worrying and enjoy the music,” she said, taking Garath’s hand.
“All right,” Jacob said, “but only one song.”
She chuckled as he walked off the floor.
“What was that about?” Garath asked.
“Nothing. Just giving back a little of the grief he gave me earlier.”
“Well, I have to admire anyone who can give the general grief. You look quite enchanting this evening, Victoria.”
“Thank you, Garath. That’s very nice of you to say.”
“Not nice, just honest. But I’m afraid I do have an ulterior reason for dragging you away from Jacob. I wanted to privately thank you for not telling him I was the one who let you through that day just before the festival started.”
“No need for thanks. That wasn’t your fault. I make my living conning people. And I am good at what I do.”
“Yes.” Garath nodded. “You are. But thank you anyway. He gave the whole company a dressing-down the next day, and I was more than a little relieved when he didn’t turn on me directly.”
“Tell you what. One day, when all this mess is over, I’ll teach you how to spot a con like me. But you have to promise not to tell anyone. Otherwise, I might not be able to sneak in again.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Victoria Flash.”
As the song ended, a short, broad man in a baby-face mask stepped up. “Would you mind?” the man asked Garath, nodding at Vic.
Garath raised a brow. “I don’t mind if the lady doesn’t, but I wouldn’t expect your time with her to last long.”
The guard smiled knowingly before replacing his mask and moving off the floor.
“My lady.” The short man pulled her very tightly into his arms.
She grunted and braced a hand on his shoulder to keep some space between their bodies.
“I am Lord Cathius of Dareelia.”
“Lord Cathius,” Vic repeated. The man’s mask made her want to giggle. His attitude made her want to knock him down a rung or two.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of your acquaintance, my lady. You’re not from Dareelia?”
“Why, no, Lord Cathius, I’ve lived all my life in Dareelia. Strange we haven’t met before. Is this the first event you’ve attended at the royal castle?”
“My lady, I’m often present at royal events.”
“Really?” she said mildly, enjoying his bristling indignation. “How very odd. Perhaps it’s the mask.”
“Perhaps.” Lord Cathius visibly worked at restoring his charming persona.
She forced her expression to remain mild, but a chuckle tickled her throat.
“Might I have the pleasure of your name, my lady?”
“But of course, Lord Cathius. You may call me Victoria.”
“Lady Victoria. What a lovely name for a lovely lady.”
She let loose a coquettish giggle. She’d been practicing that laugh since she’d started wearing dresses to hide from Charlie. It appeared to work because Lord Cathius puffed higher, his hand splaying across her back in a less than formal manner. She smiled, preparing another barrage of ego-damaging chatter when their dance was interrupted.
“Lord Cathius.”
Jacob’s voice slid over her shoulder.
“Good evening, General Marin.”
The man made no attempt to loosen his hold on her, though he did stop moving her in awkward circles.
“If you would excuse us.” Jacob extended a hand.
“I do believe that’s Lady Victoria’s choice, General.”
“Well, Lady Victoria?”
She grinned at Jacob, then looked at Cathius and fluttered her eyelashes. “I do hope you’ll forgive me, my lord, but I promised the general a dance.”
Cathius tilted his head, reluctantly taking a step away from her. “As the lady wishes. Perhaps we’ll have an opportunity to speak later?”
“Perhaps.”
Cathius bowed stiffly to Jacob and left the floor.
“Okay,” Jacob said, pulling her close, “that will be enough of that, Lady Victoria.”
“Enough of what, General?” She widened her eyes in feigned innocence.
“I didn’t invite you to this thing to watch you dance with other men.”
“Why did you invite me?” She relaxed against him, grinning contentedly.
“To force you into wearing this sexy gown. To keep you to myself all night. To dance with you until you can’t think, then to carry you off to ravish you.”
“You do realize you could have ravished me without going to all that trouble?”
“Don’t tempt me, love. I’m just jealous enough that I might have to carry you off now to prove why you should want to dance with only me.”
“Jealous?”
“Yes, little thief. And don’t look so pleased with yourself.”
“I just think there’s something funny about the man who can’t walk down the street without every woman in town gawking, being worried about Lord Cathius.”
“I’m not worried about Cathius. I’m worried about Garath.”
“Garath! Why?”
“I don’t like the way he looked at you.”
She giggled. “Thank you, Jacob. I know why you’re doing this, and I do appreciate it.”
“You think I’m pretending to be jealous?”
“I think you’re trying to convince me to stop worrying about Lady Tiya.”
Jacob stared into her eyes for a long moment. “You don’t have any idea what you’ve done to me, do you?”
“I suppose I don’t.” She focused on his chest, feeling uncharacteristically shy for the second time that night.
“Victoria.” Jacob lifted her chin. “You’ve stolen—”
A sudden disturbance near the entrance interrupted him. They both turned in time to see the first goblins breaking through the crowd into the hall.
Chapter Sixteen
Before Vic had fully absorbed what she saw, Jacob charged the goblins, drawing his sword. Scr
eams echoed through the hall, followed by the sounds of clashing metal and a rumbling boom that Vic couldn’t identify. Taking a quick glance toward the king, she saw Garath, General Thack and Kevin Fordin surrounding him, swords at the ready. Queen Sara had dropped her mask and was working a silent spell. To her right, Lady Tiya was also mouthing a spell, but from Tiya’s extended fingers, bolts of blue energy sizzled into the chests of attacking goblins, the magical strikes creating the rumbling sound that beat beneath the chaos of the room. Vic took in the scene in seconds then ran after Jacob, pulling her knife, her mask forgotten on the dance floor.
The first goblin she encountered almost paralyzed her ability to act.
He was huge, a half foot over her head and almost twice as broad as Jacob. Large, dark eyes narrowed to slits beneath heavy brow ridges. Green-tinted skin pulled tightly over bulging muscles and sharp, thick bones. He wore a pair of human leather breeches while the rest of his body remained bare.
But the most frightening feature was also the most unexpected. From his opened, lipless mouth, two huge fangs protruded from his upper jaw.
Vic barely managed to avoid the swing of his curved saber blade, she was so stunned by fangs in a goblin face. She didn’t remain inactive for long. Despite her hooped skirt, fear had her moving with the speed of her nickname. She darted beneath the goblin’s extended reach, slashing her knife across his exposed chest as she skirted behind him.
He roared, swinging around, his blade moving in an arch aimed at her head.
She dropped to one knee, but the skirt prevented her from rolling away.
Just as he shifted his grip, preparing to bring his blade through her neck, the goblin froze. The saber slipped from his fingers as wide, dark eyes looked from Vic’s face to the gold and emerald-encrusted dagger hilt protruding from his heart.
By the time he hit the floor, she’d recovered her knife and turned to meet her next opponent. To her left, Jacob fought two goblins. His sword blocked and shifted, parried and struck, but against two of the warrior creatures, all he could do was hold them off. She sucked in a breath. Time to even the odds.
Moving deftly through the chaos surrounding her, she drew nearer to the fight. A flick of her wrist sent her dagger into the throat of one of Jacob’s opponents. The second wasn’t distracted by the loss of his comrade, but one-on-one, Jacob was able to drive him back. Vic slipped in to recover her knife. When she looked toward Jacob, he was pulling his sword from the goblin’s chest.