“They’re beautiful,” I murmur, forgetting myself and brushing a finger over the silky feathers. “And enormous.”
The wing flinches back, just out of reach. Willem draws them to his back, tucking them away. “You know what they say about wingspan.” Willem winks.
I blush, my skin feeling even hotter. I lift my mask, letting the cool, night air brush over me. Mask looped around one finger, I sigh. Willem’s icy blue eyes rake over me, and my legs feel like gelatin. “Why are you being kind to me?” I ask, straightening.
“Who knows?” Willem cocks a brow. “Maybe I pity you.”
“Pity me? Why?” I narrow my eyes at him. I’m not used to pity. Rose used to say she thought I was pitiful—right before she would steal my toys or blame one of her mistakes on me. I realized that wasn’t pity, it was just cruelty. I prefer pity though; it makes manipulation much easier.
As if he can hear my thoughts Willem leans towards me, grinning wickedly. “You are a naughty little pet, aren’t you?”
I shrink back, replacing the mask so he can’t read me. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” Willem says. He brushes a stray strand of my unruly hair behind my ear. “But you’ll find out. We all will.”
I furrow my brows, confusion and distrust twisting in my belly. Willem drops his hand and strides away back into the party. I trail him with my gaze, watching as he slings an arm around a particularly lovely demon and pulls her onto the dance floor. Soon, the darkness and other writhing bodies blocks them from sight. I suck on the inside of my cheek and bite down hard. I want to be back in the throne room, dancing to the pulsing music. But Kane didn’t follow me out and I’m too frightened of these other Underworld creatures to find another partner.
Whatever Kane did to me is wearing off. My head feels clearer, thanks to the cool, fresh air. But I’m relaxed, the heart-twisting panic I would normally have in a situation like this can’t touch me now. From the balcony, I search through a sea of masks to find Kane. I spot him, almost exactly where I left him beside one of the massive columns. He gestures lazily, and then his hand drifts to an elegant, ebony shoulder. My blood runs cold.
Lilith and Kane are like two planets floating in a sea of stars. My eyes are locked on them while they talk. Her hands are on his forearm and shoulder, an intimate, gentle touch. A lover’s touch. I lift a hand to my chest and press my nails into my flesh. Even the physical pain can’t distract me from the way my heart clenches and twists with jealousy. He leans over her, mask lifting to expose his wicked lips.
It feels like my heart has stopped. The pumping, blood-filled organ stalls and my body seizes. I force myself to turn away before I see what comes next—the inevitable. I’m jealous of a vampire. I almost laugh at the absurdity of it all. My future husband, Death, is in love with a vampire. And, according to Court gossip, has been for almost a thousand years. How am I to compete with that? How will I conjure up love from my future husband that I so desperately wished for when I was growing up?
I lean on the railing for support as jealousy and pain assail me. I’m too weak for this. My father and sisters were right. They warned me that Kane was a monster, and I chose to believe he wasn’t. But all he’s done is prove to me just how monstrous he can be. He preys on my body, my mind, and now my heart. My father would smirk if he could see me now. He would tell me he was right, and that I need to focus on one thing only. My purpose here. My hand strays to my waist, as if my dagger is still there. But it’s not. It’s locked away or confiscated by Kane. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. I’ll have to find another.
“What is the guest of honor doing out here?” Desona’s light voice floats towards me from the door.
I lift a hand to my face, making sure my mask is in place. I turn towards the Goddess of Life and drop into a curtsy. “Goddess,” I murmur. “I needed some air.”
She nods. Desona wears no mask, letting her beauty shine like a beacon of light in the night. “I understand. The world of the Gods can be so overwhelming for mortals.”
“It will take some getting used to,” I agree. She smiles at me and I feel a flush of relief and peace. This must be the effect she has on all mortals. Her smile is like a promise of better days and new life.
“I saw you with that pesky Reaper earlier,” Desona says, striding towards me. She eases down onto a bench nearby. “What did he want?”
“Willem?” I raise my brows in surprise. “I was overwhelmed inside, he simply led me out here.”
“Not my son?” Desona’s lips quirk into an unreadable smile.
My thoughts flash to Kane and Lilith. “No,” I say quietly. “Kane was otherwise engaged.”
“And what do you think of him?” Desona asks, brushing invisible dust from her gown. I pause, lips parted, as I consider my answer. The most powerful deity in the array is the last person I want to anger. “Come now, be honest. No need for diplomacy.”
“Kane is an indomitable figure,” I say, relaxing my shoulders. Desona’s eyes glitter as she watches me, searching for any points of weakness. “He cares very deeply for his people and kingdom. He’s powerful. But he can also be kind.”
“Kind?” Desona giggles, lifting a hand to her lips to
