Page 270 of A Dance of Water

It was a war of words, filled with male pride, all while Luella remained quiet. If not for the occasional hitching of her breath, Vale would assume she was asleep—but she was listening intently, by the way her head kept shifting on the pillow, searching out whoever was speaking.

Look at her, thinking she can get the upper hand,Vale thought, his dragon huffing out smoke.

They were getting nowhere with talking.

"What about a masquerade?"

Everyone turned to Azgorath.

Even Luella cracked open an eyelid, pain-tinged blue softening as she looked at the demon.

Vale’s heart twinged.

Ours.

The demon was staring at the wall. "If everyone pretends, then no one will know that…" Azgorath broke off, shaking his head. "Forget it. It’s a stupid thought."

"No." Bastian sat up. "It actually isn’t. We could hold a masquerade. Have everyone don a costume. No one would realize that her wings are real." The red in his eyes flashed as he spoke.

Tharen fiddled with the ends of Luella’s now-dry hair. "Look at you, beast. Using your brain." But his words lacked their usual fire.

"A masquerade?" Vale mused. "It could work, but what would the theme be?"

"Pompous purity?" Tharen supplied.

"Bastian," Vale prompted. This was the vampire’s domain. He loved planning and parties.

Bastian stood, pacing as he thought. Finally, he said, "Fallen Above. Courtiers can arrive dressed with angel wings or the wings of the fallen."

At the words, Vale looked to Graves. The male was quiet, of course, fingers gripping the chain of his amulet.

How was he taking all of this?

Vale worried for him, even more so ever since Luella…

No. Graves would be okay.

The King stared at the white, languidly resting wings on his Vincire’s back. "If we are going to do this…" He couldn’t believe he was considering it. But what choice did they have? She must go. They had done everything thus far to ensure no one would realize what she meant to them. They couldn’t afford to slip up now, not even when faced with something as monumental as this—her wings. "There will be rules."

Vale finally breached the gap between their fingers, taking her hand and gently running his thumb over her palm. "Luella, I know you are listening. Will you look at me?" He forced himself to pose it as a question, not wanting to use the Binding mark against her when she was in such a fragile state already.

Luella met his eyes, the shadows underneath dark with her exhaustion. He couldn’t have her ignore him—this was vital.

"You never walk alone. One of us is to be by your side at all times, keeping you steady. No one is to come within touching distance of you—we cannot chance them discovering your wings are real." Or thinking they could have a taste of her. "And you will not stay long. Show up and leave as soon as possible." Though Vale was looking at her, he spoke to them all. "The Chosen is allowed to lie with whomever she chooses now. The court will be salivating for ataste of the King’s favored. We can use this as an excuse for your early departure."

Luella’s fingers curled into the sheet by her head. "I will n-not go with anyone."

Vale pressed his thumb over the inside of her wrist, feeling her pulse. "You will not have to. Only us. Only ever us." A hiss laced his words. "We will merely make them think so."

Under his thumb, her heartbeat thundered against the delicate skin of her wrist. "Say you understand," Vale demanded.

"I understand," Luella hiccuped.

He pulled away from her and stood. But wished he could lie beside her and watch as she slept.

"Good. Bastian, we can trust Ina and Osa. Have them prepare a mask and gown and come to my room to get Luella ready. Graves, with me." To temper his dragon, Vale allowed himself a lingering look at Luella; Tharen was still sitting on her thighs, with Azgorath now lying on the edge of the bed, hand clasped with hers. "Rest," Vale said to her. "They will make sure you are awake in time to prepare."

Alone in the hall, Vale stopped Graves with a hand on his shoulder, voice quiet as he murmured, "I know this is hard…"

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