Page 120 of House of the Raven
I go on. “I must extend my best wishes to you, though you need not worry. Nido will continue its existence just as it always has. Over the course of centuries, countless souls have passed through here. Your brief stay hardly registers as noteworthy.”
I’d like to say that there is a small flinch in his stern expression, but I’m afraid it’s only my imagination.
Inhaling deeply, I gather strength from the air. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must return to my party.” I walk away so fast that, this time, my feet almost fail me.
“Goodbye, little princess.”
BASTIEN
I hide back into the shadows once more as Valeria walks back into the party.
Frivolous chatter and laughter flow out the open door to taint the night. I inhale sharply, still unable to forgive myself. I ruined everything and now I must leave. I can’t stay here—not after what happened, not after I lost control of myself.
Being close to Valeria Plumanegra was my best chance to get The Eldrystone, and I’ve spoiled it with my ridiculous behavior. I acted likea weakling, forgetting all I ever learned from my past experiences with females.
Squeezing my eyes tightly shut, I try to push away the memories of last night, but they rise like mirages, tempting me further. Her skin under my touch, her lips trembling against mine, the maddening heat inside her as I took her fully… it all conspires against my focus.
But she is inconsequential, a cog in this faulty reality that only my ownership of The Eldrystone can repair.
My only hope is that my withdrawal from Nido won’t matter after tonight. Everything could be precipitated through Amira Plumanegra. Valeria will find herself with no other alternative but to bring out the amulet at last. The allure of its power, the promise that it can remedy all her troubles, will be impossible for her to resist.
And it will be this hunger to be almighty that will spell Amira and Valeria Plumanegra’s undoing.
The memories of the young princess will fade with time. She will leave no mark on me, just as she claimed I would leave no mark on her. Though perhaps I’m wrong about this.
I won’t soon forget my lack of control, something I’ll need to remedy, so nothing similar ever happens again.
VALERIA
My chest aches with my effort not to cry. I want to walk out there and rage in Bastien’s face, demand why he’s doing this, but instead, I keep walking, holding myself with the aplomb of a Plumanegra. I’ve been through worse when I was less than half my age.
I’m grateful when I find Jago sitting quietly in a corner, nursing a glass ofwine.
He perks up when he sees me. “There you are. Is everything all right?” As always, he finds it too easy to read my expression.
“It’s just Don Justo,” I lie. “I wish I could push him off the balcony.” This manages to get him off me.
“All those ladies would be terribly mad at you if you dared touch a hair on his coiffed head. They might throwyouoff the balcony instead.” He gestures with his glass, pointing at a gaggle of young women surrounding my supposed betrothed.
I’m about to tell Jago what the ladies can do in no proper terms when the horns ring again, this time with The Monarch’s Fanfare.
The music stops. The dancers freeze mid pirouette. Everyone faces the stairs. At the very top, Queen Amira stands transformed. I haven’t seen her in several days, but it might as well have been a hundred years because she is virtually unrecognizable.
Jago and I stand slowly.
“What the hell…” he murmurs.
I shake my head, unable to comprehend. My breath catches, and my heart clenches with shock at the sight.
My sister’s face is entirely covered with black makeup, her eyes white pools in the endless darkness. Her dress is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Woven from iridescent raven feathers, it cascades around her like a waterfall, an ominous sea of obsidian plumes that seem to undulate, ready to take flight. The crowd stares in awe and uncertain fear, just like I do. Amira’s magnificence is undeniable, but it’s also terrifying. This is not our way.
Emerito steps forward and lifts a hand. The fanfare stops. “Esteemed Castellans, bow to the Raven Queen.”
No one does anything. They just stare.
“Bow!” Emerito orders as Amira explodes into a cloud of black.
A collective gasp comes from the guests.
