Page 72 of Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

In honor of the celestials who gave us life, please dress to impress as one of your most beloved creatures of the night.

Beneath the formalinvitation was another message, this one bearing the instructions Dmitri referred to the night before.

Butcher ~

The masquerade is a formal ball. Dress accordingly using your creature’s inspiration to select your mask. You may not remove your mask at any time, nor reveal your identity to any of the guests in attendance. The terms of your trial are below. Heed them well, and may the stars be in your favor.

Your creature: The bat

Your task is twofold.

1: acquire the Lady Dovina’s brooch (the one ON her person, not one from her collection)

2: prevent Calix from completing his task

BOTH these items must be successfully completed before sunrise to move on. If you get caught, you will be disqualified. Tell no one of your assignment. Proof of completion must be provided to the Master of Ceremonies.

Ronan droppedthe paper into his lap. “Well, what do you make of it?”

Bast slapped a hand on his shoulder. “It was nice knowing you, Ronan.”

“You doubt me?”

“Did we not just read the same missive? You have to steal from the Raven herself without getting caught.” He barked out a harsh laugh. “You’d have better luck copping a feel of the High Lord’s flaccid dick.”

“I guess it’s time to use those skills of seduction you taught me last night.”

Sebastian looked horrified. “You’re going to get yourself killed. Or worse. Are you forgetting she’s part of the flock? She’s going to know who you are and what your task is. Stars, anyone who catches sight of your hair will know you the second you set foot in the palace, masked or no. This is an impossible task, Ronan. They set you up to fail.”

Ronan clenched his jaw, already perfectly aware of the fact. Someone had it out for him. Someone who was feeling a little territorial over their precious Shadow.

Too bad for them because so was he—and she belonged to him first.

“Bast, any idea where I can get a mask?”

Sebastian raised a brow. “You can’t seriously intend to go through with this.”

Ronan held his stare without saying a word.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Bast glanced out the window. “There are a few modistes who might have something on hand or the skill to fashion one. But you’re a large man, Ronan. I doubt there’s enough time for them to make you a full set of formal attire.”

Thankful for his foresight, Ronan glanced at the bag he’d brought with him, recalling the formalwear safely tucked inside. “Leave that to me.”

Shadow

She fastenedthe clasp of her earring and then took a step back to look at herself in the mirror and let out a soft gasp. Not even she was immune to the picture she painted.

Her card had simply instructed her that she was to portray the lady moon. So her color palette for the evening was a combination of silver and white. Not that she had much say in the matter. Erebos had left the outfit he expected her to wear on her bed. Much as he did for any court-related gathering.

Her dress and mask were a matching set. The strapless bodice was made of overlapping gossamer fabric only layered until it was thick enough not to be transparent. The skirt was composed of dozens of strips of the same silver fabric along with gray and white tulle. The glimpse of silver through the white reminded her of the way moonlight spilled through the clouds. The sheer fabrics hinted at the shape of her legs when not providing little peeks of bare skin with every step she took.

As if that wasn’t enough of a statement, Dovina had sent her personal maid to help Shadow with her hair and makeup. Shadow quite liked how the moonlight-colored strands were twisted up into an intricate mass of curls and braids. And as if anything else were required, diamonds decorated her ears and neck, and a shimmering powder had been applied to any exposed skin, meaning she sparkled with every shift of her body.

“You are breathtaking,” Erebos said with reverence, stealing into her room without invitation. As he so often did.

She waited for him to reach her, knowing he would want to see how they looked standing beside one another.

He’d also dressed with care, though he was all in black. He’d even gone so far as to dye his hair for the evening, and the contrast was... stunning. Erebos was an incredibly handsome man, but there was something about seeing him wear the colors of darkness that seemedright. Even his eyes seemed darker. More a deep forest green than their usual jade.

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