Page 72 of A Sea of Secrets
He swayed, and I took his lead as the next song started and we began to dance to an upbeat quartet. “Noah and Dick are in position,” he whispered into my ear. “Kayden’s ready, too, but I don’t know where the merman is.”
I flinched at Zane’s name, having momentarily forgotten what I’d seen on that video recording.
Ace pulled me back just enough to read my face. “What’s wrong, Princess?”
My stomach rolled at the thought of Zane betraying me, us. At the fact that the man I was falling for could… I shook my head. “Nothing. I… It’s nothing.”
He sent the lightest pulse of electricity up my palm, which was just enough to pull me out of my downward spiral. “Fallon, tell me the truth.”
I bit my lip. Maybe it was time to tell someone and get their opinion. “It’s about Zane. Before I killed Jeremiah, he showed me a recording. It showed Zane meeting with my father. I think… I think they got to him, Ace.” Tears welled in my eyes as butterflies surged in my stomach.
“What?” Ace bit out. His grey eyes flashed like violent storms, threatening death to anyone who crossed him. Or crossed me.
“It looked like they were making a deal or sharing information. Zane seemed upset at first but then he shook Victrus’s hand. It…” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It didn’t look good.
“I will kill him. I swear to the gods, I’ll fucking rip him limb from limb.”
“We can’t think about that right now. We have a job to do, and we need to stay focused. We need that weapon, Ace. The video was recorded in Jeremiah’s office, which means Victrus was here and could very well still be. We need to get to it before my parents.”
“And put our trust in that fucking leech in the process? No way! He could have told Victrus about our plans. We’d be walking into a trap.”
“We have no choice.” I looked around to see if I could spot Zane’s blond hair, but I found nothing. “Zane might have betrayed me, but I have to believe he doesn’t want to hurt us. There’s a good chance Victrus will wait for us to retrieve the weapon, rather than get his own hands dirty, and then take it. So, we’ll have to be careful once we have it. We can’t allow a power like that into his hands. He’ll be unstoppable.”
Ace sighed. “You’re sure about this?”
“If Zane doesn’t turn up to help Lou create a distraction, we’ll warn the others to be extra vigilant. I… I don’t know what I’d do if he stood against us. I can’t go there.”
Ace’s lips thinned in clear disgust, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he slid a hand through my hair and gripped the roots tightly. “I will never hurt you, do you understand? I will never betray you. And I’ll destroy anyone who does.”
“I know you will,” I whispered.
And right now, that scared the shit out of me. Zane was a problem for later, but when later came I wouldn’t have a clue how to stop blood from being shed. My stomach felt oily, my skin clammy, but the anxiety and hurt would just have to wait.
Ace gripped my thigh, holding it tight as he dipped me. I yelped in surprise, but followed his lead, arching my back as he did. Across the room, I spotted a familiar figure. The man was all skinny legs and arms, with a thin moustache he kept stroking as he eyed off the crowd. His oily hair had been scraped back, his pale face practically shining under the light. I shivered. The man was like a freaking vampire, complete with a pompous cape.
“Oh, shit,” I muttered as Ace pulled me back up. “Julian’s here.”
“The ex-king’s advisor? It makes sense, I guess,” he said. “He’s probably leading the crowning ceremony. Bastard is likely getting a good look at who he might be manipulating next.”
I snorted. “If I become queen, that guy will be banned from stepping foot within ten feet of me. He gives me the creeps.”
“Say the word and I’ll make sure he never steps foot around anyone again,” Ace said with a sly grin. “My gift to you.”
“Tempting,” I replied, “but right now I just want you to hold me.”
Ace nodded. “I can manage that.”
We stayed that way for a time. Ace, despite his reservations about the ball, was a surprisingly good dancer, not that I’d expected anything less. He was meticulous with everything he did. And I mean,everything.
We were just considering a little rendezvous behind some of the giant curtains when Celeste stepped onto a stage, wearing a ridiculously large flouncy dress made from a rainbow of fabrics. It was garish, but hey, it suited her perfectly.
“Young ones,” she cooed, waving her hands to encapsulate all of us. “Brave and noble Potentials. Against all odds, you stand before me, every inch a winner in your own right. But, as you know, there can only be one victor. Only one can wear the crown and take up the magnanimous duty of a monarch. Only one can lead us into a new age of glory. Terrulia awaits in all her splendour, for the king or queen this country deserves.
“Tonight, we celebrate your successes and wish the fallen well as they enter the afterlife. Many died in pursuit of greatness, but rest assured, we commend their souls and honour their sacrifice. There has been too much death in the House of Ascension. The Masters and I take the murders on these grounds very seriously. When the killer is found, they will be punished accordingly. But tonight is for you. For tomorrow is the dawn of a new age. Now go, young bloods! Feast on our delights, drink until you drop, and let love fill the air once again.”
“Interesting, that she didn’t mention Jeremiah,” I whispered to Ace.
He scoffed. “That would draw too much attention to the fact our three are down to two.”
