by Elle Clouse
“Soon.” He brushed a wisp of hair from her face and trailed a finger down her cheek. “I have summoned my allies to support my ascension. My cousins should arrive within a week. The coronation will be soon, but there is something that I need to discuss with you first.”
“Have you found Brogan?” She yearned for some good news.
“No. The servants say he ran off with two women and a stableboy, though, and no one knows where they went. But that is not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
She pushed herself up and brushed the wrinkles from her dark green dress. He sat too so they were shoulder to shoulder and pulled a piece of parchment from his jerkin. Kiera recognized the document. She had spent hours on that thing, and it had brought her nothing but turmoil.
“Does this look familiar?” He opened it so she could see the calligraphy she had etched within. She gave him the sweetest smile she could, but his expression remained stoic.
“Yes.” She took it from him and ran her fingers over the words of the decree. From his silence, she could tell he was waiting for an explanation. “It was Brogan’s idea. I was just a fool to go along with it.”
Lachlan stood and reached down to help her up. She took his offered hand and let him lead her to the couch. Once she had sat down, Lachlan looked at her expectantly. It was time to confess what she’d tried to do.
“Brogan is normally the front man. In the beginning we only targeted merchants that had gotten their fortune through unfair practices or exploitation. But then it spiraled out of control to bigger and bigger payloads. Until Brogan got the idea that we could retire if one of us married royalty.”
Lachlan’s brow rose and she cringed. She wasn’t proud of what she had tried to do.
“This Brogan.” Lachlan looked off into the distance. “Did he mistreat you?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “Brogan has always looked out for me. At first he didn’t have much of a choice; his father left him nothing but debt. He chose to continue to make his living through deception once his father’s debt was paid. He’s a good man, just not able to break a very bad habit. We pulled the jobs to pay the debt, we acquired the debt to do the jobs. We couldn’t break the cycle.” She stared down at her hands. She couldn’t meet Lachlan’s eyes anymore.
“What of your mother?”
“She died in a red fever outbreak seven years ago. That’s when I went to live with Brogan and his father. Brogan’s father died four years after that. It’s been Brogan and I ever since.”
“You were going to marry Ian, then?” His tone was cold.
She nodded. The idea of being Ian’s wife made her stomach twist. She had no idea how she had thought she could pull it off. “I have no prospects,” Kiera said, trying not to sound as pathetic. “I had no suitors, and Brogan couldn’t or wouldn’t find me a husband who was my intellectual equal. So it was best if I at least married into a position where I could pursue one passion, even if I never had it for my husband. As nobility, I could affect some of the laws and make society better. I couldn’t wait to marry for love, or I would be an old maid in due course.”
As she spoke she watched Lachlan’s brow knit, and his gaze trailed to the side. Even after she said her piece, his expression remained blank. His eyes were distant for a long moment. “You would be happy being my sister-in-law?”
“No, I would not be happy as your sister-in-law.” It came out no louder than a whisper. The silence built between them as she could think of nothing more to say. Lachlan clenched and unclenched his fists, his jaw clenched so tight his cheek ticked.
“Excuse me.” Lachlan rose and exited the room.
That could have gone better.
LACHLAN STOOD OUTSIDE his bedroom door, anger tensing his entire body. He didn’t mind that she had confessed to being a con artist, but the fact that she might have married his brother made him irate.
Lachlan could feel the cold wood door behind him and heard her start to cry beyond. He wanted to go to her but couldn’t bring himself to move. He wanted to accept her for everything that she was and had done, but his brain told him to keep his distance.
Right now, he had to listen to his brain. His enemies were too near. If he was going to take his rightful place as heir to the throne, he needed his allies with him. Ian wouldn’t take too kindly to being returned to second place in line. Ayden’s plans would be upset as well.
He didn’t look forward to the inevitable meeting with his brothers. He had a lot of questions for them, and he didn’t want to lose his temper. Anger would only release the beast inside. He didn’t want Kiera to see that again. He scarcely remembered what he did when it overtook him. The beast was driven by raw emotion and need. When it saw Kiera, the drive to protect her overrode all other desires.
“She’s got your heart in her hands.” Flann approached.
“She does,” Lachlan admitted. “But she doesn’t know it.”
“Does your father know?” Flann asked quietly.
“He said it himself: she is my center.” Lachlan waved his faithful servant from the door and down the narrow service corridor.
“She is not of noble blood. Marrying her is against the law.”
“Don’t lecture me about laws,” Lachlan growled. The corridor ended, and they emerged in the old family library. “And as king I can amend the law or bestow her with a suitable title to make it legal. My father was going to give her father a title before his death.”
“She still does not remember the incident?”
“She has not mentioned it.” If she remembered what had happened, she would have called him out on it. She was never one to mince words. “Something more is at work here.”
Flann curated the family library himself, keeping it clean and up-to-date on world affairs. The desk was covered with stacks of books, some open with a small paper stuck in to mark the page. All pertained to kingdom laws, policies, histories, and various current events of note. Lachlan sat and pulled a heavy volume forward. Flann stood at his shoulder, waiting.
“What do you want?” Lachlan asked when Flann didn’t strike up another conversation.
“I have confirmation that Lord Connor will be arriving in one week,” Flann replied. “Along with all his siblings.”
Lachlan nodded and started to review his notes from the night before. He had been up late into the night and still rose with the sun completely refreshed. Perhaps it was due to all those years in the dark, but he did not feel the need to sleep as much. He welcomed the extra time; he had a lot to catch up on.
“The issue of your brothers will need to be addressed soon,” Flann added.
Lachlan glared at him. “Yes, I know. And I will choose the right time. How are the preparations coming on the ball?”
Flann looked put out. “Everything is as you have asked, my lord.”
“Good.” Lachlan returned to his work. “In one week, the world will know my intentions. Do my brothers suspect anything?”
“Not at this time. It did not take much for Ayden to conceive of the idea for this ball. He cannot pass up an opportunity to indulge in his favorite vices. He sees the ball as a celebration of his triumph.”
Lachlan smiled. “Thank you. That is all, Flann, you may go.”
Flann bowed and left silently.
Lachlan turned to look out the window at the evening sky. The moon would be almost full in a week, perfect for an evening ball. He hoped that Kiera would be up for it. She didn’t know it yet, but she was important to his plan to reassert himself as the people’s choice for their king. Even if he should have it by bloodline alone, he wanted his friends and allies to support him.
KIERA TURNED TO FACE Lachlan, and his mouth dropped open. Despite the layers of violet silk and lace, she still felt naked in her ballgown. His reaction only made her blush and fidget as she ran a finger over her ears.
He stepped closer, taking her hands in his to prevent her from spoiling the polish on her delicate fingernails. “We must play at this game of
politics for now. Don’t worry, no one will recognize you.” He placed in her hands an ornate mask that would cover her nose, cheeks, and forehead. A small silver horn jutting out from the middle reminded her of a unicorn.
Lachlan had dressed to match her in black slacks and a plum waistcoat and had a similar mask setting on a nearby table. She looked at it, thinking it was a shame to cover his handsome face.
Lachlan reached up and traced the ridge of her ear near the top. In the past week, he had used every opportunity to touch her. A brush of her cheek, a kiss on her hand, even a hand on the small of her back as he passed her. The attention was welcome and in stark contrast to his reaction to her confession of being a con woman. He made her giddy, just as he had when she was young and hadn’t had a care in the world.
“I remember these. They are lovely.” Lachlan took her chin and looked at the other ear. Her nervous habit had exposed the pointed tips. His thumb inadvertently brushed her bottom lip. Their eyes met then, her cheeks grew very warm, and she knew she was blushing. “It’s a shame you cover them.”
She swatted his hand away and adjusted her curls to hide her ears. “It’s just a deformity.” She turned to the mirror to place her unicorn mask on. “It’s better to have everyone think that I’m normal and not a freak.”
“You are not a freak.” Lachlan took her shoulders and looked her straight in the face. “You are extraordinary.”
“That’s just a nice way to say freak,” she countered. “People are cruel to those who are ‘extraordinary.’ Especially the farther into the kingdom you travel.” It had only taken the first bully for Kiera to learn to hide her ears. She had never had to hide them in Cearbhall.
“I like them.” That was all he said about it. She was glad he didn’t pry into what it meant for her to have ears like the fabled fey.
THE GRAND BALLROOM was filled with guests ready for a spectacular ball. From the elaborate outfits of the other party guests, masquerade looked as though it might have been a fairly common theme.
People mingled with one another without exchanging names and unaware of whom they were talking to. She knew that Ian and Ayden would be here, and she wanted to avoid them at all costs.
The events started with dinner. There were so many courses that Kiera lost track and soon grew too full to finish them all. The conversation revolved around that year’s fashions, the winner of the last tournament, and whose wife was caught in the latest scandal. Kiera would have gone crazy if Lachlan hadn’t been sitting next to her, engaging her in conversations in between charming the guests.
“Dear, that is a lovely dress,” a matronly woman next to her said. She herself wore a peacock-blue dress and a mask that was a burst of feathers.
“Thank you.” Kiera kept her tone chipper. Up and down the table, people spoke in bright, friendly voices, but their smiles were too fixed and their laughter too forced. Was this how nobility lived all the time, playing each other false and pretending to enjoy the company of those they couldn’t stand?
“It’s so hard to pull off that color. Most people don’t have such a pale complexion to complement it.” Thankfully, the mask Kiera wore hid the way her brow rose at the backhanded compliment. To avoid the risk of saying something rude in response, she just smiled.
Lachlan took her hand from her lap and squeezed. She couldn’t read his expression because of his unicorn mask, but he also wore a nobleman’s mask of feigned indifference. He had it perfectly, except for his eyes.
Kiera nearly gasped when she realized what shone in them. Her heart raced. She turned away, pretending she had heard something of interest to keep him from seeing her face.
Love. She had seen love, and she was certain it was for her.
Gentlemen stood to escort their ladies from the dining hall as the meal ended. Through the open doors, she could already hear music being played by a string quartet. Lachlan offered his arm to her, and she allowed herself to be led into the ballroom among the other matching couples. Chandeliers lit the high, arching ceilings, and paintings dating back hundreds of years covered the oak-paneled walls. Each king and his family looked out over the guests as they laughed and danced.
Kiera had learned the dances long ago as a child, and she worried she might have forgotten the steps. Partners lined up in the center of the dance floor, and the quartet readied their bows to begin the waltz, the traditional first dance. Lachlan put an arm around her waist, then took her hand. She looked up as she placed her free hand on his shoulder and almost lost herself. He was home, in his element, and he only had eyes for her.
Her cheeks burned.
The music started. They stepped off, and Kiera was relieved to find she remembered the footwork. The last person she’d danced with had been Lachlan, before she left Cearbhall. It was interesting how much they had changed and how much they hadn’t.
After their first turn around the room, she relaxed enough to look about. To her surprise, a lot of people were watching her and Lachlan. “What are they looking at?”
He looked up, then smiled. “They are trying to figure out who you are.” He pressed her against him, holding her tight and whisking her off her feet. “That just means I’ll have to work very hard to keep you in my arms tonight. No doubt other men will want to dance with you.”
Kiera wrinkled her nose. She didn’t want to dance with anyone else. She loved the way he held her close as they moved across the dance floor, so protective and possessive. She didn’t have to guard her thoughts or pretend to be anyone other than herself. And he loved her.
The waltz ended, and Lachlan escorted her off the dance floor. He stayed by her side, deterring men from approaching. One fox-masked man crossed to them, a swagger in his step, but Lachlan grabbed her hand and whisked her out of harm’s way. Kiera craned her head back to catch a glimpse of him, but he was no longer there. She recognized Ayden by his demeanor.
“If Ayden is here, Ian isn’t far behind,” she whispered.
“Yes, the lion,” Lachlan replied. “They are both here. They don’t know it, but they are throwing this gala in my honor. Ayden can be played too, if you know how to do it.” He handed her a glass of champagne from the refreshment table and tapped his own glass against hers with a smirk and sipped.
Kiera took a sip too, amused at the thought of someone tricking Ayden. She liked the sweet, bubbly flavor that tickled her nose. She knew too much champagne was the fastest way to become foolish.
“Was that the point of all this?” she asked. “Making a fool of Ayden?”
Lachlan smiled. “That’s just a perk. It’s an excuse to gather information, gather allies, and make a grand reentry into society. People love a good party and a show.”
Kiera hoped Lachlan knew what he was doing. He did know his brothers better than she did, but he had also spent the last fifteen years in a cave with a beast. The court intrigue was making her head hurt.
A commotion near the entrance drew Lachlan’s attention. “Well, what brought them to the masquerade?” he murmured. She turned around and looked at the door where a troupe of men and women stood, all dressed as cranes.
“Elves?” Kiera couldn’t believe her eyes.
They wore masks like every other guest, but their tall, pointed ears were obvious. She had never seen an elf; she had only read about them in books. Her mother had spoken of them once; she had lived among them before she had met the man Kiera called father, but beyond that, she had never elaborated. “What nation? Are they allies?”
“The Aosi Mons ally with no one officially. Cearbhall has had good relations with them for a long time, though.” Lachlan watched the leader scan the room, then looked at her, but his attention wasn’t on her face.
Her hands flew up to her ears. “Stop that. My parents were not elves. At least not my mother.” Though Tomas had raised her, her real father was an unknown. Every time Kiera tried to ask about her ears, her mother changed the subject.
The unexpected guests did not mingle but stood near the door
and surveyed the room. Two of the people in the group were human.
“Let’s dance, shall we?”
She took his offered hand, ready for a distraction and her heart fluttered as they fell into the dance. The music swelled, and Kiera was lost as Lachlan’s gaze consumed her. She never wanted him to let her go. The dance and the smoldering gaze of her partner caught her, and she forgot about everything else.
A few hours later, bells chimed, signaling midnight. The last dance ended, and the guests began to clap for the musicians.
Ian in his lion mask and Ayden in his fox mask approached the podium where the musicians sat, both with champagne glasses in their hands. Ayden pointed to people in the crowd, then motioned for everyone to quiet down. Ian stood behind him, a smug grin on his face.
“This has been a splendid evening. As is customary at these events, it is now time to remove our masks so we may all see who our company is.”
Kiera tensed. She hadn’t known about this part of the masquerade. She looked at Lachlan, who took her hand and smiled. The other guests looked anxious to find out whom they had been dancing and flirting with. The din of the crowd rose with their excited laughter and chatter.
“On the count of three. One, two...” Ayden allowed for a dramatic pause, during which time he laughed along with the crowd. “Three!”
Masks came off, and bare faces appeared all over the room. People started to look around. Kiera turned to look at Lachlan for guidance. He nodded to her, gave her hand a squeeze, and Kiera removed her mask.
He stood tall, letting the people see him with a strange little smirk on his face.
Gossip broke out almost at once. Kiera caught words and phrases.
“He looks just like King Roudri.”
“Who is that handsome man?”
“He looks just like the paintings.”
Kiera glanced at the portraits on the walls. They were right. Lachlan was almost an exact copy of his father.
The hubbub didn’t go unnoticed by Ian and Ayden. They too looked around to find the cause of the commotion. Ian saw it first. His face went white. Then he hit Ayden and pointed.