23. Kiera

Chapter 23

Kiera

Asher poured scarlet wine into a gold cup and handed it to me. “How long have you been with The Silk Dancer , Katerina?”

I took the tiniest sip, still managing to leave gold paint on the rim. “Only a few weeks.”

His eyebrows arched. “Melaena must have quickly recognized your deep talent.”

“That and her drive to work hard,” Melaena said with a fond smile.

I relaxed a little. “At first, I thought my body would give out from the number of turns she forced me to practice.”

“I told you the torture would be worth it. You were lovely. You even remembered to smile.”

I laughed, and Asher leaned closer. “And even lovelier when you laugh, Katerina. I do hope you’ll stay on at The Silk Dancer. I would love to see you dance again.”

A part of me wilted, while another part celebrated such an easy take. “Of course, if she’ll have me.”

“Friends are always welcome,” Melaena said quietly. “Please excuse me. A few of my patrons wish to speak with me.”

She gracefully rose and melted into a crowd of admirers.

I bit my lip, watching her go. Gods, if only she knew how far from a friend I was.

Asher tsked, gently pulling my lip from my teeth. “Tell me what troubles you, darling.”

I hid my shiver and slipped back into my role of sweet seductress. “I—I’ve never been to a party like this before. I’m nervous I’ll say or do the wrong thing.”

His shoulder brushed mine as his warm brown eyes asked me to trust him. “You have nothing to fear with me. Stay by my side, and I’ll make sure this is a night you remember forever.”

I smiled and tentatively initiated the first touch, catching one of the beaded strings from his crown and rolling it between my fingers. Ruru had said that was important, to get my mark used to my hands being near him.

Asher was completely enraptured and didn’t feel my hand slip under his cape. No weapons. Shirt tucked. I would have to change that. His desire to wear so many other, heavier necklaces tonight might actually work in my favor. If I found the right clasp on the first try.

“I’ve heard you have the best food at your parties,” I said, still playing with his beads.

His nose dipped close to mine. “I do. Would you like some?”

I nodded shyly, leaning away.

A wicked gleam entered his gaze, but he turned and called out to a few servants standing nearby.

They quickly brought forward platter after platter of food. Skewers of smoked meat and chubby balls of white cheese drizzled with oil and herbs. Whole fish stuffed with a rainbow of vegetables. Heaps of rice with thick curls of butter melting through them. Whole corn cobs from a distant field in Pravara were fried in a delicate crust of cheese and spice.

Those corn cobs used to be my favorite. Father had them served at the palace every summer. Even during the Pravaran rebellion. I’d lost my taste for them since then.

Everyone else in the alcove partook of the expensive delicacies while I chewed a bit of bread soaked in honey to settle my stomach. I made sure to keep refilling Asher’s wine glass. He asked me a few more questions, but I steered the conversation into talking about him, which he was only too glad to do.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but surely Aiden and Maz were waiting for me by now.

Any moment someone might realize Aiden wasn’t really a guard or the real guard could wake up or Asher might grow tired of me...

“Gods, it’s getting warm in here,” I said, fanning myself with one of my silks. I leaned back on my hands, pushing my breasts forward. “Don’t you agree, my lord? I mean, Asher.”

He grinned, his cheeks flushed from the wine, as his gaze dipped to my barely covered breasts. “Indeed, I quite like it. Makes one relax, I think. But I could have my servants bring fans?—”

“No,” I said quickly, curling closer to him and pressing my hand to his stomach. “I’m simply thinking of you. You’re wearing so much more than I am. Would you allow me to... loosen a few things?”

His eyes glazed over as I tugged his shirt from his pants. I danced my fingers over the back of his neck, feeling for the smallest clasp.

I brought my lips close to his ear. “After all, didn’t Arduen prefer decoration over clothing?”

Asher shuddered just as I unclasped his cloak and his necklace in the same moment.

His gold cloak fell into a puddle of gold—and a small metal key landed in my waiting palm under his shirt. Heady with triumph, I nipped Asher’s earlobe as I stowed the key with its chain in my breast band.

He groaned and seized my wrist. “You tease me, Katerina.”

I smiled at his torn expression. “I have not even begun to tease you, Asher. Shall we play a game?”

“I would love to play with you,” he whispered, his wicked smile returning.

I tapped the end of his nose. “Eat, dance, flirt with anyone else you can find. If, by the end of the night, you are still interested in me, I will dance for you again. Only you.”

Desire flared in his gaze. “The end of the night can’t come too soon.”

Yes, it certainly can.

I slipped from his grasp and gave him one last heated look over my shoulder as he watched me leave.

But Asher evaporated from my mind the moment I turned away. I took pains to walk slowly through the crowd. The little key felt like a branding iron pressed to my skin, marking me as a thief for all to see.

I passed by nobles I’d known since birth but hadn’t seen in years. A few of them smiled and congratulated me on a well-done performance. Others looked down their noses and gave me their backs.

But one day, they would all know who I was, and they would heed my power as High Enforcer.

My footsteps quickened as I left the glittering nobles behind closed doors. I hurried across the silent atrium, the moonlight making the marble glow like a second moon.

Following the map in my head, I navigated several hallways and stairwells until I was in the bottom southeast corner of the mansion. Wall sconces were few and far between, leaving long shadows in the hallways. Not unlike the Old Quarter at night.

I shivered. My bare feet didn’t make a sound on the plush carpet, but the gold in my hair tinkled merrily.

A guard stepped into the hallway, blocking my path. I froze until my eyes locked with Aiden’s under the shadow of his feathered helmet.

“Aiden,” I breathed.

He looked strange dressed as the guards I’d seen on the grounds. Absent his usual dark colors and cloak. But I experienced the same familiar rush as his green eyes raked over me. They darkened when he saw the streaks in my paint where Asher’s hand had clasped.

His lips parted as if he were going to say something, but then he shook his head.

“Did you get it?” he asked roughly.

A kernel of disappointment lodged in my chest. “Of course.”

I pulled the key from my silk breast band, and his nostrils flared.

But then Maz sidled up wearing the plain servant garb stitched with Asher’s insignia. He grinned. “Fucking Four, you’re even more beautiful than Aiden said you were!”

My head whipped toward Aiden, but he merely scowled at Maz. “She’s late.”

I glared at him. “It’s not so easy to seduce a man and steal from him in a crowded party.”

His eyes smoldered like green fire. “Liar. He simply didn’t want to let you go.” He stared pointedly at my smudged wrist.

Maz shouldered his way between us. “You can have your lovers’ quarrel later. Aiden, go back to your post. I’ll grab the cart. Kiera, unlock the gods-damned door.”

Aiden growled something under his breath and stalked off.

I gave Maz a light shove. “We are not lovers,” I hissed.

He smirked. “To quote your lover: ‘Liar.’” He poked my ribs, and I smacked his hand away. “Lovers are often of the heart and mind before they are of the body,” he added.

I snorted. “Who said that? A poet?”

“My grandmother.”

That surprised a chuckle out of me. “Figures,” I muttered.

“Maz!” Aiden called sharply.

Maz waggled his eyebrows at me and disappeared down the hall. I took a deep breath and joined Aiden by the vault door.

He said nothing as I surveyed the ten keyholes set into the ornate metal door. Swirling gold leaves hammered over iron and steel.

Second one down from the top right. I slid the key into the hole.

Holy Four, please be the right one.

I twisted it, and several tumblers clanked inside the door. Holding my breath, I pushed down the steel lever, and it gave easily.

Air whooshed out of me in relief. The corner of Aiden’s mouth hooked in a tiny smile.

“Told you I’d remember,” I taunted him, stuffing the key back into my breast band.

“We wouldn’t be here if I doubted you.” He glanced down the hall. “We should wait for Maz before we open the door, in case someone walks by.”

I nodded. We stared at each other in silence.

“Where’s the guard?” I asked.

“Closet.”

I nodded again.

Lovers. Maz couldn’t be more wrong. Aiden was angry with me. Again. Because I’d meddled with his plans. Again. He might feel sorry for me. He might see me as his responsibility. But we weren’t any kind of lovers.

Were we?

Aiden’s eyes flared, as if he’d read every thought that crossed my mind. I swallowed hard. “You watched me dance.”

He nodded.

I traced a finger along the edge of my mask. “How did you know which one was me?”

He slowly stepped closer to me. I didn’t move a muscle. Even with a vault door temptingly ajar beside us, I wanted to see inside his mind more.

“This.” His fingers captured the ends of my hair, stroking them like he had when he’d washed my hair. “And your smile,” he murmured.

“My smile?”

He edged even closer, placing his thumb at the corner of my mouth. “You were the brightest light up there, my little thief. So bright, you stole the very shadows from my heart.”

My stomach swooped hard and low. Lightning sizzled through my veins and curled around my spine.

His lips were so close. Had I pulled him forward? Gods, I wanted a taste. I wanted to trap those beautiful words between our lips and never let them go.

“Hey now, lovers! It’s not the time for that either!”

I jumped away from Aiden as Maz pushed a servant’s dining cart down the short hall, a smug grin curling through his golden beard.

“We—we were just?—”

“No need to explain, lovely,” Maz said. “Did you get it open?”

“Of course she did,” Aiden answered, but I didn’t dare look at him. His words were still busy crumbling the walls around my heart.

Maz did a little jig. “What are we waiting for?” He grabbed the handle and heaved back on the door.

“Fucking Four, how much does this thing weigh?” he grunted.

“More than the gold, I imagine. Asher’s guard seemed to have no trouble with it the last time I was here,” I teased.

He bared his teeth and pushed harder. Aiden wrapped his hands around the edge and helped him drag it the rest of the way open.

I seized the lamp from its wall holder and slipped inside. Just for a quick peek.

It was . . . emptier than I remembered.

Dozens of chests lined the walls, but many of them were only half-full of coins or less. Only one small barrel of fireseeds. The glass cases that had been stuffed with jewels and expensive trinkets now looked picked over. Was this Asher’s fault or my father’s?

I winced when my bare foot landed on something sharp. I picked up a heavy gold ring, pointed wings extending from it like a bird. Squinting, I could see two tiny sunstone fragments for eyes and a beak.

“No jewelry,” Aiden said, appearing in front of me. “Only coins.”

He held out his hand for the ring, something strange flickering in his eyes, smothering their earlier warmth.

I dropped it in his palm. “I’ll go stand watch.” I gave Maz the lamp, but glanced over my shoulder as I left.

And saw Aiden slip the ring into his pocket.

I frowned. Had he simply wanted it for himself? Or did it mean something to him?

He started to face me, so I rushed down the hallway and peered around both corners. Still empty and silent.

I paced the hallway, my skirt swishing with each step. The only other sound was the faint tinkle of coins. How much were they taking? We’d never discussed numbers. I’d spent so long assuming the heist would never happen that I’d never thought about it.

But it didn’t matter. Renwell would never let the gold escape Father’s clutches for long.

Come dawn, I would ask Aiden if I could stay with him. Plain and simple. After what he’d said, surely he wanted me to stay?

I bit my lip as butterflies danced through my stomach. My little thief. Did he want me to be his?

Sudden longing struck in a deep, dark crevice of my heart, growing roots, taking hold, drawing strength from hope.

At long last, Aiden and Maz pushed the cart out of the vault.

Just as voices echoed down the hall.

Panic flooded my bloodstream, and I waved wildly at them.

Their eyes widened, and they struggled to shove the cart back into the vault.

The voices came closer. Gods damn it, they would be here in moments.

Lost. I was supposed to act lost. Should I run out and greet them before they reached the vault hallway?

Aiden and Maz strained to close the door with Aiden on the outside.

What are you doing? I wanted to scream.

My fingers dove into my hair and pulled out the hairpin knife Melaena had given me. Just to be safe.

Voices. Male. Footsteps. So close. More guards?

Aiden raced up to me, whipping off his helmet, his eyes blazing with determination.

I gaped at him. “You shouldn’t?—”

“Don’t stab me,” he whispered.

Then he kissed me.