Veiled Innocence (Book One, The Soul Cycle) (20 page)

When Drenna finally
returned, Lian almost winced at the dress in her arms. It looked more like a bridal gown than a ball gown, with layers upon layers of flowing pearlesque fabric. Sure enough, it made
her
look like a ghost
since it was only a few shades lighter than her skin and hair, but
she
had to admit that it somehow suited her.

She
blinked, returning to the present, and
grew
very aware of the increasing ache in the balls of her feet. Though they made her look taller, she was convinced that the spindly white heels she wore would be the death of her, and she had to cling to her escort’s arm more than once to keep from tripping. The knight said nothing and stared straight ahead as they slowly made their way closer to the dais.   

Taking one precarious step at a time,
she
tried standing up straight as best she could without feeling like she would topple over. She thought of how regal her sister always looked, and how she was failing miserably at imitating her; she couldn’t concentrate in those strappy torture devices.  A few heads turned to watch her, some bemused, others mocking, but tonight she was past the point of caring, aided by the fact she did not know half of these people anyway. 

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally made it to the bottom
of the stairs
, and
she
allowed herself a small sigh of relief.
Straightening her spine, she
nodded
,
and h
er escort
began guiding
her down the red rug leading toward the dais.

When she
blinked, the rug had become a river of blood, shiny and warm. 

Blood. On the feather and in the ballad
.

It dripped from the streamers and the sconces. She looked up. The fresco had become a battlefield where thousands lay dying while a shadowy figure unfurled large black wings and brandished a mighty sword. 

“
Be strong, Daughter of Light. Do not be deceived by the Darkness
,
”
said the gentle voice in her head.
 

She
took a sharp breath and blinked again. The rug looked ordinary. The blood and the soft voice from her dream were gone.

“Is everything all right, my Lady?”

She hadn’t r
ealized she had stopped walking and
her fingers now dug into the escort’s arm.  She looked at the dais. Alastor was halfway out of his seat, a look of deep concern etched across his face.

Swallowing,
she said, “Yes, of course.”

Like a seasoned pro, she trained her face to appear indifferent and cool, though her insides felt fragile as glass.

The escort led her forward, and the closer they came to the dais, the more details she could discern.   

Alastor’s ensemble was deep red with gold accents, while Ana-Elise looked radiant in an ornate flowing gown of gold silk with red jewels at her throat. Lian resisted the urge to snort, amused at the idea they had color-coordinated their attire.

Feron wore solid black, like he was at a funeral rather than a ball.
His robes made his eyes look that much darker, and very empty. 

Maybe
he spent all the money – where
ver
that
had come from – on the fan
cy decorations and restorations
and couldn’t aff
ord a new ensemble for himself.

Behind them stood Rowan, two knights she did not recognize
, and
–

“Gabriel,” she breathed.

The air instantly became very thin.
She hadn’t expected to see him so soon.
The flash of emotions on his face terrified her, and the second her eyes met his, a wave of longing and sorrow washed through her, heavy and deep. She felt as if she were drowning as the harsh reality of her words taunted her over and over in the prison of her mind.
“
I cannot stand the sight of you, I cannot stand the sight of you, I cannot stand the sight of you…
”

Her nerves crumbled with each step closer to the dais,
and her courage quickly dissolved
into dread.

I can’t do it. I can’t face him, not after last night
.
Perhaps there really are Gods, and they have cursed me.
 

Her cheeks colored at the memory of their kiss.

A page stood beside Ana-Elise. He cleared his throat and announced, “The Lady Lianora.”

Her escort stopped at
the foot of the dais and bowed.
Lian dropped into a careful curtsy, her feet smarting as she did. She barely noticed them as she furtively glanced through her lashes at Gabriel. He stared off to the side, his face as white as hers was red. 

What have I done?

When she rose, she found Alastor watching her with a half-smile. He discreetly inclined his head to Gabriel, and she shot him a warning look, her protesting feet fueling her temper.
He knows. It has to be written all over my face. Oh, don’t you dare say anything, Alastor.

Her eyes flickered back to Gabriel.

Stop looking at him! You’re going to make things worse!

She tore her eyes off Gabriel long enough to rehearse the expected formal greeting in her head.

Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her chin and said in a rush, “It is an honor to be here tonight, and an even greater honor to stand in his liege’s presence. May I join Lord Feron in offering you, the Lady Ana-Elise and Prince Alastor, my sincerest congratulations and wishes for a long and prosperous life together. May Accalia thrive under your reign.”

Alastor smiled broadly, not noticing the sweat that had broken out over her forehead. “Thank you for your kindness, Lady Lianora. We are glad to have you with us this evening. May you enjoy the festivities.” He swept his hand in the air as he spoke, an unbearably slow motion.

She barely heard what he said as th
e voices continued to haunt her.

It’s all your fault.
He’ll never speak to you again.

No! It wasn’t your fault;
it was that man’s, that thing inside of you.

What thing? Do you even know if it’s real? What if you’re going mad?

That last thought shot a bolt of terror straight down to her core.
She looked again at Gabriel and felt her knees tremble and bile rise in her throat.
I have to get out of here.

She
curtsied once more and practically dragged her escort away when Alastor’s voice called out, “Wait one moment, dear lady.”

“Yes?” she
said
,
a little too curtly.

Alastor didn’t notice
the impatience in her voice
. “Since you are to be my sister, you deserve the best dance partner in the room.” He motioned someone forward
,
and her impatience soon turned into a rock in the pit of her stomach.

Gabriel, the color drained from his face, was slowly making his way toward them. 

Alastor squished his lips together in an effort to keep from grinning as she nearly choked on her next breath. “In that notion, let us exchange Ralim for Gabriel. I think you’ll find Lord Gabriel a most suitable dancer.” He winked, completely oblivious to her inner turmoil, and she stared wide-eyed at him, hoping the panicked look on her face would alert him to her mortification.

She had no such luck
,
and her heartbeat doubled as Gabriel stopped in front of Ralim, placed his fist over his heart, and nodded. Ralim did the same and
offered
her
hand to Gabriel, who stared at it before folding it carefully over his arm. She
felt
the curve of his mus
cles beneath his tunic
,
and she imagined his hands in her hair as his lips stole hungry, passionate kisses from her. 

She
flushed as he bowed and stiffly steered them toward the dance floor.

Neither of them spoke, and when she peeked up at him from the corner of her eye, straining not to move her head too much to do so, his eyes flicker
ed down. She
snapped her head forward, trying fervently not to focus on the heat radiating from his body and how much it reminded her of their first kiss.

Looking away,
her eyes stopped on the figure of a tall
,
dark man leaning against the corner near the garden doors. His face was partially obscured by the shadow of the wall, but what she saw made her completely forget the kiss.

S
mooth
pale
skin curved into perfectly formed features, and the way his black robes hung about his figure suggested lean muscle. His hair was as black and glossy as his attire, and it hung freely about his shoulders in long dark waves. But what stood out about him the most was his costume piece. His mask resembled a skull, only it was black and had two devilish horns protruding from the temples. Like the others in the room, it nearly covered his entire face, leaving much to the imagination. It was striking when combined with his dark garments. 

The crowd shifted
,
and his eyes found hers. 

For a moment, time stopped
,
and she could scarcely breathe. She felt inexplicably drawn to him by a force so powerful and certain it sent her head reeling. His mouth dropped open ever so slightly, and she could imagine his eyes widening. 

They stayed like that, somewhere between then and now, lost only to themselves. 

Then, slowly, a sly grin crept across his lips.

She blinked as light and sound rushed past her, the figures and decorations falling back into place. The room seemed louder
,
and she felt light-headed. As if of their own accord, her eyes roamed back to the corner, but the dark man was gone, leaving not so much as the shadow of his cloak, and she wondered if he, too, were an illusion. 

They were drawing upon the dance floor when the suite ended
,
and the dancers applauded the orchestra. As
they
took their positions within the circle, her hand in his, the tune shifted into something somber and mellow. He leaned close to her ear. “I’ve waited for this moment for what seems like an eternity since I last saw you,” he said in a low voice as they began stepping in time to the slow, lilting thrum of the melancholy ballad. 

“
And my love so fair did take

My breath, my heart for her own sake
,” sang the minstrel.

She
turned as the song lifted, the folds of her skirt swirling around her throbbing ankles. But the moment her fingers touched Gabriel’s, her pain and the memory of the stranger disappeared
,
and she forgot
how terribly frightened she had been these past few days
. He pulled her in closer, his hazel eyes boring into hers. “I want you to know my feelings are real, and my heart belongs to you for as long as you’ll have it, if you’ll have it.”

“
Oh, my dear heart, my all

Forgive the vices I’ve caused you.”

Her breath caught in her chest. She turned in a half-arc with Gabriel’s arm around her waist, barely touching her, as if he was afraid to. His touch sent goose bumps up her spine. Her chest ached; it genuinely hurt to be held by him. A piece of her heart had been missing and longed to be whole again.

“I need you, Ga
briel,” she said breathlessly. It hurt to admit it. Her whole life, she had tried so desperately to not want people, to not depend on them
,
because when she did she only got hurt. But she needed him. She needed the man who had stolen her heart and had become one of her best friends, as frightening a realization as it was.

He pulled her to him as the music swelled.

“
I dare not kiss your lips,

For fear you will steal my own soul.”

“Truly?” he asked. 

Her eyes stung mercilessly as she gazed u
p into his sweet, hopeful gaze.
Damn these tears!

“I cannot stand the sight of you…”

“Forgive me,” she whispered.
“I don’t know what came over me last night.”

“Think of me, my love, my all,

When I have fin’ly answered Death’s one call

And bid you good night eternal.”

His breath caught as the last note hung in the air. 

The couples began clapping
,
and for a moment, neither of them moved. Gabriel lifted
her
hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “I would forgive you anything,” he said softly. His eyes flickered as the applause died down. “Meet me in the garden?”