The three of us hurried down the dimly lit corridor within the castle’s towering walls. The distant murmurs of excited maids and bustling servants preparing for the ball filtered through the air, mingling with the faint hum of guests beginning to arrive. My heels clicked sharply against the polished stone floor, the sound echoing in a rhythmic cadence that seemed almost too loud for the tense silence between us.
“She disappeared at the doors leading to the valley,” Noemi said breathlessly, her lavender dress gathered in her hands as she quickened her pace. “If she left the castle grounds, the forest will hide her. We’ll never-”
Her words cut off abruptly as she skidded to a halt. The only warning was the sharp, venom-laced tone of Marinella’s voice drifting down the hall.
Leonardo and I collided gracelessly, a tangle of limbs as we struggled to stay upright.
*So elegant, kitten,* his teasing voice drifted into my mind.
*We’re officially the clumsiest Fae alive,* I retorted, steadying myself against the cool stone wall.
Marinella’s words lashed out like a whip. Though her voice wasn’t particularly loud, it carried a darkness that sent a shiver skittering down my spine. From our hiding spot behind a decorative grate, I caught glimpses of her-a flash of her gown, the soft tap of her heels against the floor, and the sway of her movements as she advanced toward the ballroom.
“Why are you lingering in the corridor?” Marinella’s voice sliced through the air, smooth and inky, each syllable dripping with disdain. “Shouldn’t you be attending to the ball? I assumed even the most inept of staff would know where their duties lie tonight.”
A quiet yet steady voice answered her. “My lady, Lady Isotta requests your presence and wishes to know what delayed you.”
Marinella’s tone cooled, though it remained sharp. “Tell her I’ll arrive shortly. And inform her that I was… detained by family matters.”
As Marinella’s footsteps receded, the knot in my stomach tightened. Everything about this night felt wrong.
*You’re thinking it too, aren’t you?* Leonardo’s gaze locked on mine. *Whoever she was speaking to, it wasn’t family.*
*What do we do? Trail Marinella and Isotta all night?* I asked, my mind spinning through possible plans.
“It’d be more helpful if you spoke out loud,” Noemi called over her shoulder as we quickened our pace, weaving through narrow passageways that twisted and turned with dizzying unpredictability.
Noemi moved with uncanny certainty, each step confident. I envied her ease. Leonardo’s steady hand against the small of my back kept me grounded; without it, the oppressive closeness of the walls might’ve overwhelmed me.
“Sorry,” I said sheepishly. “We were brainstorming. It feels wrong, Marinella claiming ‘family matters.’ Maybe we *should* tail them tonight.”
Noemi halted abruptly, her expression grave. The unshakable certainty in her eyes made my stomach churn. “You can’t. You mustn’t follow Marinella tonight.” Her words carried a weight I couldn’t ignore, her small frame emanating an authority that belied her youth. “I’ve seen too much to risk it. Graziana will track Marinella, but you and Leonardo must stay close to Isotta. Mother won’t announce your identities at the ball-too dangerous. There’ll be Fae from every court tonight.”
The hallway sloped downward before leveling out. Noemi stopped at what seemed an unremarkable stretch of wall. As she placed her hand on the surface, a pulse of magic rippled outward, revealing a hidden doorway.
“And you?” Leonardo asked, a teasing lilt to his voice. “What havoc will you be causing?”
Noemi rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest. The gesture was almost comical, given that she could obliterate Leonardo in a duel. “Havoc? Please. When we survive this, I’m taking three centuries off-no wars, no nagging sisters, no murder attempts.”
“I think only two of those are realistic,” Leonardo quipped, peering out of the hidden passageway.
Graziana stood nearby, her expression thunderous. “Where have you been?” she hissed, storming toward us. Her sharp gaze swept over our group, lingering on my undoubtedly flushed face. “Mother’s been searching for you. We’re to make our entrance from the Northern balcony. You would’ve known if you’d stayed in your rooms.”
“I left because Marinella did,” Noemi explained hurriedly. “She spoke of family when she returned. That *means* something.”
Graziana’s irritation ebbed slightly. “We’ll discuss this in private. Is there a tunnel to the Northern side?”
Noemi smirked. “Finally ready to use my tunnels? Took you long enough.”
Two grand double doors marked the Northern entrance. Leonardo and I entered on one side, while Noemi and Graziana emerged from the other. The sheer number of Fae in the ballroom stole my breath. Every pair of eyes turned toward us, their gazes heavy with curiosity.
For tonight, we were guests of honor-distant kin to an unnamed general of the Water Court. It was a role assigned by a curvaceous Fae woman with cobalt hair who’d drilled us on our cover story. But I wasn’t focused on the theatrics of the evening.
All I cared about was surviving the night.