Page 73 of Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

“Moonbeam,” he whispered, resting his hands on her shoulders as he stared at her reflection in the mirror. “You are exquisite.”

She offered him a smile, appreciating the compliment though her heart yearned to hear it from someone else.

“I brought you something.”

“I think you’ve already done enough,” she said, not sure what else she could possibly need. Her gem-encrusted half-mask covered all but her lips.

“This is the pièce de résistance. Trust me.”

“Always.”

He walked to her closet and pulled out a large black box. He must have stashed it there earlier when dropping off her other garments. Setting the box on her vanity, he set the top aside and retrieved a glittering crown.

“My lord, it’s too much,” she breathed as he walked toward her holding the array of stars.

“Nonsense.”

He placed it on her head, the cluster of metal and gems surprisingly light.

“Look,” he ordered softly. “Not even Luna herself would shine brighter than you tonight, Shadow mine.”

“Luna?”

“The Lady of Light.” His lips gave a wry twist. “The moon goddess herself.”

Shadow turned back to the mirror, her breath catching at the sight. Erebos was right. The crown was the perfect final touch. It just brought everything else together, lending her ensemble an elegance and regal quality it had been lacking.

“Thank you, my lord.”

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “The Lord of Night could hardly walk into a ball without his Lady to guide him, could he?”

Any delight Shadow had taken in her appearance dimmed at Erebos’s not-so-subtle reminder of his intentions. She had been caught off guard by her task for the evening, but not because it had been difficult. Quite the opposite. It felt as though he’d gone easy on her. All she had to do was acquire one of Dominic’s rings. Child’s play. The man would simply give it to her if she asked sweetly. No questions asked. Hardly a test of her skills. She wouldn’t need an hour, let alone the entire night.

“I’m surprised you didn’t give me an impossible task so I would be forced to leave the competition,” she found herself saying.

The skin around his eyes tightened, and he ran his hands down her arms until he grasped her elbows none too gently. “I will not see you end in disgrace. You wanted to make a point. You wanted to prove you are the best. Fine. Prove your point. But know that even after the contest ends, the only title you will hold is that of my Lady. Just because you win, Shadow darling, doesn’t mean you get to keep the prize. But surely you knew that?”

Her heart dropped, and it took every considerable effort to hold on to her impassive expression as she held his glittering stare in the mirror.

“You belong to me, and I will never let you go.”

There was a sinister quality to the words, a possessiveness that filled her with ice.

“I would expect nothing less, my lord.”

“Good girl.” He gave her a satisfied smile and held out his elbow, waiting for her to curl her arm through his. “Now, we’ve kept our guests waiting long enough. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER22

SHADOW

As she’d suspected, her task was complete in a matter of minutes. She hadn’t even said a word. Shadow simply held out her palm and gave Dominic an expectant lift of her brow. He handed his signet ring over with a slight quirk of his lips. It was too big for her to slide on one of her own fingers, so she’d tucked the trinket into the bodice of her dress and walked away as if the exchange never happened.

With her assignment out of the way, she was left with plenty of time to, well, not blend in exactly. There was noblendingin this outfit, but she was still able to observe. Which suited her just fine. She was more than a little curious what the others were up to because as certain as she was that she’d been given a ridiculously easy mission on purpose, she knew the opposite would be true for them.

Unlike her,theywere actually being tested. She resented the special treatment, especially after the High Lord publicly promised he wouldn’t. Still, the knowledge didn’t confirm her other suspicion: whether she and Ronan had been given the same task. What was laughable for her would be a true feat for him. All she had to do was turn in the ring, and she’d have her answer. If she was right, it would be over. Ronan would be spared.

So why wasn’t she seeking out Dmitri right now? Why was she moving through the room like a ghost, trying to remain undetected while she sought out the one man she should avoid at all costs?

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