Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Kora hadn't felt beautiful very often in her life, but she certainly did in the gown. She stared at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hands down the dark blue pleats. The deep V -neck accentuated her breasts before gathering to emphasize her waist. The pleats continued downward to skim the floor. There were even pleats on the long, full sleeves. But her favorite part was the back. Kora turned to the side and lifted her hair to look over her shoulder and see the V that exposed most of her back.

Before , she had purchased clothes when she needed them. They were for function only. She wouldn't have even glanced at anything like the gown because it wasn't needed. She never would've guessed that she might require something so grand. The material was as soft as a feather against her skin but warm enough that she wouldn't need the cloak.

Her only problem was her hair. She attempted to gather it behind her head to use the comb, but nothing she did held for very long. She certainly didn't want her hair falling at the party. Her usual plait or gathering the strands at her neck wouldn't suffice. She didn't know anything about fancy hairstyles. The fact was, she didn't belong with the wealthy, and she was terrified they would see right through her disguise, no matter how pretty it was.

The only saving grace was that Derek wasn't there to see her many failed attempts. She didn't know where he was. Maybe she should've asked when he had slipped out, but she had exposed too much of herself and felt raw. Being alone had helped to scab over the emotional wounds telling her story had caused.

Kora sighed and gave up as she left her hair down. She gently set the comb on the table and walked to the door to find Derek . When she opened it, the serving girl stood there, her hand raised to knock.

" Pardon me, miss," she said. " I was coming to see if you needed any assistance dressing."

Kora hesitated. It wasn't easy for her to ask for help about anything, especially something she felt so inferior about. She swallowed and blurted out, " Do you know anything about hair?"

Her face lit up. " Aye , I do."

" Would you mind helping me?"

" Of course."

Kora stepped aside to let her in before walking to the table. She held up the comb. " Can you use this?"

" I can. Do you have a style in mind?"

" Do whatever you think would look best."

The girl talked as she worked, her fingers nimble as she combed and sectioned Kora's hair. It took barely a push to get her to open up. Kora learned her name was Ada and that she had been born in Stonemore . Ada's family still resided on the third level, but she had managed to land a job well above it, which was a big deal.

Kora hung on every word. She was getting an uncensored view of the city from someone born to the lower levels who now lived in the upper ones. It seemed life in the lower four was even worse than what Kora had believed. Food was scarce, crime was unchecked, and poverty touched everyone. The wealthy went on blithely living as if nothing was wrong. Ada's lover was a soldier, and he had confided in her that many of them were apprehensive about trying to control the lower four levels that always seemed on the brink of something catastrophic.

" There you go," Ada said with a smile as she stepped back.

Kora stood and walked to the mirror. She blinked, startled at the vision that met her. She didn't know the woman staring back at her. With the dress and her long, dark hair swept over one shoulder with soft tendrils framing her face, she looked elegant and beautiful.

" The comb is holding your hair here," Ada said as she brought Kora's hand up and back to feel where it held the hair.

Kora may not belong with the wealthy, but she looked the part. She turned to Ada . " Thank you. You are very talented."

" It's easy with your hair. And I have a love for it. I was always styling my mum's and sisters'."

" You have a gift."

They shared a smile, and then Ada hurried away to see to her other duties. Kora took another look in the mirror. She wanted to remember every detail about the dress and her hair. Then she faced the room. She was tired of staring at the same four walls. Derek had surprised her by returning, but that didn't mean she didn't still worry. He had left again.

Kora blew out a breath. He knew her secrets now while she knew none of his. There was a shift in the dynamic of whatever they were. Lovers , yes. Friends ? That might be stretching things a bit. Yet he had gotten her to the inn and cleaned her. Anyone would say that's what friends did.

For anyone else, it might be, but Kora knew how dangerous it was for her to even breathe. Derek held her life in his hands. And she had given him that power. Even now, looking back, she didn't know why she had told him. Loneliness , maybe? The need to have a connection to someone? To belong? To be seen and…loved?

Being alone sent her thoughts to places she didn't want to go. She had to face the outside world eventually. It might as well be now. She walked from the room, pausing as she closed the door behind her. Then she lifted her chin and made her way to the stairs. It was disconcerting to walk down without being able to see her feet. She clung to the rail with one hand while she gathered her skirts in the other. It was a relief to reach the bottom. Ada shot her a grin as she moved about the dining area.

Kora returned the smile and chose a table against the wall so she could see the door and the stairs. The door opened, and the chill of the evening slid inside and directly to her. She missed the sunny days and warmth of her childhood home. No matter where she went, it was never quite right. The sun might be out, but the weather was too cold. Or the temperatures were fine, but the skies were filled with drab clouds. But she couldn't go home. So , she wandered. Forever searching for a home she would never find.

Ada brought wine. It gave Kora something to do as she waited. She caught people darting looks her way. Her body tensed, wondering if they knew she was responsible for the death of the mother and girl from the previous night. No one shouted, pointed, or called for the priests. Yet .

Finally , she spotted Derek as he strode through the door from the outside. His long hair was pulled into a queue at the base of his neck. She liked how the blue shirt molded to the width of his shoulders and skimmed his trim waist. He could wear anything and make it look good.

But he looked best naked.

He nodded at Ada and headed for the stairs but halted when he reached them. Derek slowly turned his head to her. Their gazes locked. She saw the raw desire reflected there, and her stomach fluttered excitedly in response. He turned and walked to stand beside her.

Derek leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheek. " You take my breath away."

Kora shivered at his words as well as the husky timbre of his voice. Her eyes closed for a heartbeat. Then , he straightened. She looked up at him. " You look amazing yourself."

" Shall we?" he asked, holding out his hand.

She took it and stood while he tossed a coin to Ada . His hand on her back guided her out of the inn and onto the street. Once there, he dropped his arm as they made their way to the gate. The clear, navy sky twinkled with stars and the last light of the setting sun. It would have been an enjoyable walk if it was just them. But they were going to mingle with others. With every step, she began to question their appearance at the party.

" Why are we going again?" she asked in a low voice.

He remained near but didn't touch her. " There was a twofold reason, though we no longer need to search for your individual."

She didn't hear any censure in his voice. And she had listened for it. " And the other?"

" Being in the midst of such a gathering is a good way to learn about the citizens and their opinions because everyone has a view on something."

" Ada , the serving girl, shared that her lover and others in the army are getting anxious about things in the lower levels."

" I heard some rumblings about that today while I was out."

She so badly wanted to ask what he had been doing, but she didn't. " It was soldiers?"

" Residents and shop owners on level five. They're the closest to four. Because of that, they hear and see a lot."

" You don't really think that will be a topic at a party, do you?"

He grunted. " I think anything is fair game for the wealthy."

Their conversation ended when they reached the gate and waited for the soldiers to allow them to pass. Then they were trudging up another incline. She had to hold up her skirts so she didn't trip on them. Derek walked as if he knew where he was going, and it turned out he did.

The house had a large fence and an impressive ornamental gate with guards on either side. The gate was open, and no one stopped them, but it still bothered her that there were soldiers at all. Kora glanced over her shoulder as they walked past the gate and saw four more of them standing inside.

A gently curved path led them to the front door, standing open and adorned on either side with a variety of yellow flowers. There was a large overhang above them to protect them from the elements. On either side of that were woody, twining vines that wound their way up the side, branching off in different directions to shroud the house in fragrant, yellow blossoms.

Derek's hand returned to the small of her back as they stepped through the doorway. Servants moved between guests, carrying trays of drinks and food. Kora accepted a slim glass of a pale yellow drink. Someone really liked yellow.

She sniffed it before taking a sip. It was tangy and slightly sweet, but it packed a punch. Derek had chosen a short, fat glass holding an amber-colored liquid. Together , they moved about the front entry, farther into the house. There were guests in every room they ventured into. The clamor of conversation hurt her ears, and it took her some time before she settled and was able to pick up exchanges around her.

" Come back to this room if we get separated," Derek told her.

Separated ? Did he plan to leave her? And why did it matter? She had been on her own for years. What was another night? But she still looked for something to remind her what room she was in. She found it in the huge painting of an elegant woman sprawled on a bed with the sheets discreetly covering her nude body. " All right."

" Let me know whenever you wish to leave."

Kora looked at him and teased, " Is now too soon?"

He grinned, and it transformed his face from gorgeous to breathtaking. His eyes sparkled with humor. His lips parted to speak just as a woman walked up. The light that had been there dimmed, and Kora wanted to shove the lady away and recreate the scene.

Instead , introductions were made. To her surprise, Derek gave their real names, but he was vague about how long they had been in the city. She sat back and listened to it all, watching the way he easily deflected questions and turned the conversation.

It wasn't long before there were others in their small circle. Kora traded names, which she forgot almost as soon as she learned them. It was hard to keep all the faces straight, much less their questions. Some were inane, but most probed deeper. She and Derek were new to the city, and that meant there were secrets to be learned.

She began to tune others out. The room was too warm, the crowd too much. She wondered what would happen if she suddenly welcomed the fire within her. Would those around her run away screaming the moment flames erupted over her body? She was suddenly shoved as people pressed in on her. One moment, Derek was there. The next, she couldn't find him.

Kora frantically looked around for him. She caught sight of the painting and released a sigh. At least she was still in the room, but she was near the back now. Each time someone walked up, they moved in closer, and she instinctively shuffled back to maintain some personal space. Everyone wanted to be in her face, and her desire to have some breathing room had moved her away from Derek .

She searched the room for him again and finally caught a glimpse of his head. Someone asked her a question, the same query she had been asked several times that night. The more alcohol was consumed, the more prying the questions became. She ignored the person. It was either that or leave. She opted to leave. She started to slip away, her eyes locked on Derek , when someone touched her arm.

" Kora , dear. There is someone you have to meet."

There were dozens she'd had to meet, and not a single one of them had been anyone she thought important. She pulled her gaze from Derek and turned to the woman who had stopped her, only to go rigid at the sight of the red-robed armored priest.

The shiny armor and red robes belonged to a man with a pointed face and narrow-set eyes. The dark gaze observed her keenly. " Kora ," he said and bowed. " It's a pleasure."

Kora wanted to run, scream for Derek . Images of the priests surrounding her with their weapons drawn flashed in her head. She had been found out. He was here to arrest her, but she wouldn't go easily.

" She's overwhelmed," the woman said with a laugh.

Kora couldn't remember her name. She was draped in expensive jewels and had some sewn into her lavish gown. Kora looked from her to the priest.

" I am just a man," the priest replied with an easy smile.

Was he kidding? He had to be joking.

The woman squeezed Kora's arm. " You are more than that, and you know it."

Kora found both staring at her expectantly. The priest was smiling and relaxed. Maybe he wasn't here to arrest her. She realized she had been holding her breath and relaxed her body so she could draw in air. When she did, a foul stench slammed into her. Evil .

It was so shocking to have that sense return that Kora gagged and coughed. She forced a tight smile as she stared at the priest. The fire within her demanded release to bring him to justice. And she would. Just as soon as she took care of Villette . " I didn't expect to see one such as you at a party."

" We may be priests, but we still like to have a good time," he said with a grin.

The people around her erupted in laughs. Kora forced the sound past her lips as a tendril of smoke wafted from her fingers. She took a step back and felt a familiar, hard body behind her. Derek rested a hand on her waist, instantly calming her.