22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I stared at the dress Jenevieve had crafted. It had arrived that morning, but I hadn't put it on yet and we'd be leaving soon.

The blue fabric spread across the bed reminded me of the color of an ocean during a storm. It was open backed, wrapping around the neck from the front to support it. Slits came up from the sides to midthigh, leaving my legs partially exposed. There wouldn't be anywhere to conceal weapons.

But the neckline was the problem. It plunged, leaving cleavage in its path. It wasn't that I was self-conscious, but I wasn't certain that the dress would blend in, and the main part of Caelus's plan had always been to go unnoticed.

Jenevieve had also included shoes that laced up my legs with bronze ribbons, and I thanked the gods she had enough sense not to choose something I could barely walk in. There was also a bronze necklace decorated with sapphires and matching bracelets included with the dress.

I slipped it on, the silky fabric sliding against my skin. There wasn't any extra time to do my hair, so I grabbed a hairpin that belonged to my aunt and pinned back the left side. I quickly painted my lips a deep red; I'd lined my eyes earlier while debating the dress.

In the mirror, I looked over myself one last time. The color complemented my fair skin, and the bronze jewelry brought out the pink undertones, adding warmth.

Jenevieve's work was beautiful. It was probably the most beautiful gown I'd ever owned. Her skill as a seamstress wasn't an exaggeration.

Caelus had been absent since last night. I sighed, readjusting my hair. But all that was left was the ball.

A knock at the door caused me to jolt. I turned, saying, "Come in."

Caelus opened the door, and I froze, staring at him. He stared back with wide eyes.

The desire to apologize rose in my throat, but I bit it back.

He cleared his throat. His face slipped into that indifference he'd adopted. He adjusted the sleeve of his black coat decorated with bronze accents that matched my jewelry. It was cut close enough that I could easily imagine the muscles underneath when he moved. A waistcoat of the same shade of blue as my gown peeked out from beneath, with bronze swirls patterned throughout. If he had any weapons, they couldn't be seen.

"We need to leave," he said. His voice strained with the words, and I wondered if he hated that he'd agreed to pretend to be romantically involved with me.

But I nodded and followed him out of the room and downstairs. Esteban was already gone, likely preparing food and transporting alcohol to the castle with Forgesong's owner. I never asked how Esteban planned to help Stumbleduck inside, and it was definitely too late to change their plan.

Together, we headed for Lord Ebonhammer's iron castle looming in the distance. Lightning buzzed beneath my skin as a palpable silence settled between Caelus and I.

Two gatekeepers checked invitations at the castle gates. They were the same ones who'd turned us away the day we'd arrived and tried to request an audience with Lord Ebonhammer. The same ones I'd accidentally spilled drinks on when I'd been dancing with Caelus.

As we approached, Caelus linked his arm with mine. Now was the time to hope we were convincing, and I'd mastered acting the part of a romantic partner. I did my best to appear happily in love, despite my twisting stomach. I peeked at Caelus. He smiled, relaxed—the smile of someone unbothered. Acting obviously came naturally to him.

Once it was our turn, he handed the invitation to the dwarven gatekeeper. The dwarf looked between us. After a close examination, he looked back at Caelus. "Sure ya should be here?"

"Is there a problem?" Caelus asked.

The dwarf narrowed his eyes at Caelus and me. "Step aside. I won't be havin' you tryin' to assail Lord Ebonhammer with your petty questions."

My fingers clenched around Caelus's forearm. "You can't turn us away. Otherwise, what's the purpose of the event?"

People behind us began whispering.

"Is there a problem?" a deep voice from beyond the gate asked. The man I assumed to be Ranvald stepped forward. He pulled at the collar of his well-tailored dark shirt in an attempt to loosen it.

The dwarf shrank back but said, "Sir, these two are only lookin' to cause trouble. They were here only a few days ago—"

Ranvald looked at me, his face remaining impassive. His gaze slid to Caelus, and the corner of his lips lifted. "I do believe my brother rewarded Eira with that invitation for her efforts in the event. You wouldn't want to disappoint a member of the Nythe family, would you?"

He shoved the invitation back at Caelus and mumbled, "Go ahead," while waving us in. Nythe wasn't one of the five High Houses, but the name clearly meant something to that dwarven guard.

Once we were past the gatekeepers, I said, "You didn't have to do that."

Ahead of us, Ranvald said, "Keiran would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't intervene."

I smiled.

Caelus glanced at me, a flicker of emotion I couldn't read passing across his face before it was back to his veneer.

We passed through an oddly barren courtyard into the castle. A thin layer of snow dusted the dark ground. The flora native to the mountain was unkempt and withered. It was as though the land had rotted and nothing could grow. Did Lord Ebonhammer not have a groundskeeper?

A dark stone path that nearly blended in with the soil led through the castle entrance, and we followed Ranvald through to the ballroom.

Inside the dark-iron room with black marbled floor, several people were already dancing and mingling. Metal lanterns decorated the tables and walls, casting the room in an ambient yellow hue. A geometric iron chandelier hung down in the center, an immaculate accent to the room. A second-floor balcony overlooked where people were dancing.

Ranvald strolled through the busy ballroom with ease, joining Keiran and Jenevieve along a gilded far wall.. The three together looked stunning in their black clothing—a stark contrast to their silvery-white hair. They were accented differently, matching each sibling near perfectly. Keiran's clothing almost matched mine and had similar bronze decorations paired with sea green, while Ranvald wore a waistcoat over a shirt, hints of burnt gold and deep red–orange woven throughout like living flame. Jenevieve's tight-fitting dress was laced with bright silver with diamond jewelry. Based on the style, it was clear that she crafted their clothing for the event as well.

"Mingle until the lord makes himself present," Caelus said, tone flat.

Another look over those attending confirmed Lord Ebonhammer wasn't there yet. "Doesn't seem like what two people would do if they're madly and irrevocably in love," I teased in a whisper.

He sighed, conceding, and tugged me along with him.

I grinned up at him.

A muscle in his jaw twitched.

Now that we were inside, he looked more agitated than before. And gods, I understood why. Finding his sister took priority for him, where finding Teeg took priority for me. While we hadn't discussed it, I intended to do what I could to help him, though.

Arm in arm, we rounded the room, conversing with others. Caelus's performance was seamless, and he blended in with ease. He had no trouble discussing topics of politics throughout the kingdom, most of which surrounded who the crown prince may marry. Apparently, it was rumored that he would soon announce his engagement.

People chattered about Iker Ebonhammer coming of age for marriage, too, and producing heirs of his own one day. Some debated who would marry first: the crown prince or Lord Ebonhammer's son.

Meanwhile, I scanned the people there so far, and Perrin's voice rang through my mind. A partner who will be present at the ball . I wasn't sure how that information helped me. Caelus and I hadn't discussed what it could mean either. If only Perrin had even given me a descriptor of the person I should look for. Maybe he thought it would be obvious. But if I couldn't find them, Travok would know something about them, too, if Perrin was to be believed.

We encountered the owner of Forgesong, a young dwarven woman in a glittering purple gown. She recalled us, noting that we'd been seated with the Nythe family. I wanted to ask her why their family was well known in the city, but it didn't seem appropriate. Neither did asking where Esteban was. I hadn't seen him, but he was working for her during the ball. The last thing I needed her to worry about was her business's reputation being ruined because we distracted Esteban while he was helping her.

A few guests had obviously bought their way in. Every inch of their attire screamed wealth, from the unsightly number of jewels to their gem-inlaid attire. Groups of them gathered together, gossiping among themselves.

I spotted Ina wearing a modest lilac gown near a table of food with her husband, Gavriel. The last time I'd seen him was the day my power slipped and I accidentally killed Dorian. He'd aged more than his wife in the past several years. Faint lines marred his forehead, and his jubilant expression I'd always known had been replaced with one of disdain for those around him. It didn't stop Ina from grinning and looking as though she was having the time of her life. She'd always enjoyed parties. Dorian would have probably enjoyed them too.

Ina waved at me, her big brown eyes full of warmth and love. Her husband didn't look my way when she tugged on his coat and gestured toward me. He said something to her and then took a drink from his wineglass. Ina frowned at him. When she looked my way, she smiled again, her eyes now downcast.

I tore my gaze away from them, and Caelus and I continued mingling.

Most people we spoke with asked questions about our time in Tiruhm and if we'd been enjoying the festival. If anyone was surprised when Caelus inquired about Lord Ebonhammer's whereabouts or the state of affairs in the city, they didn't show it.

No one stood out that could be the person Perrin had mentioned. But if I couldn't find them, he'd said Lord Ebonhammer would know more. I just hoped he was right.

We eventually took a break from mingling next to a table of food. Delicate sandwiches and an assortment of bite-size pastries were stacked on tiers. Bottles of frostberry wine and barrels of dwarven ale were ready to be served by a gorgeous young fey woman who looked out of place among the attendees.

I grabbed one of the little sandwiches, popping it into my mouth, savoring the unique flavors and unable to place the type of meat. After a sip of wine, I ate a small pastry, the sweet scent of it calling to me.

Caelus, on the other hand, didn't seem nearly as intrigued by the food. His gaze was focused on a point, and I turned to face it. A man stood next to a pillar, fidgeting with the buttons of his dark coat accented with burnt orange, seeming wholly uncomfortable. His dark hair was cut short and skimmed the tops of his ears.

"I'll be back," Caelus said.

He started in the man's direction, and I stepped in front of him. "Let me help."

His eyes narrowed on me. "You've helped enough."

"Really? Because I think I could do more if you'd let me," I whispered.

Caelus scoffed and sidestepped me. I followed him.

Whatever he was about to do had to involve his sister, and while it may be my fault she was in this castle, it wouldn't stop me from trying to fix it.

We approached the pillar, and Caelus spun and pulled me behind it, pressing my back to the pillar's cool surface. "If we both disappear, it's suspicious."

An unfamiliar male voice said, "Not if you're playing lover boy effectively." The tone was teasing. Light. He had to be a friend of Caelus's.

"He's not wrong," I added.

"Oh, I like her," Caelus's friend chimed.

"Kenzo," Caelus snapped, looking in the direction of the voice on the other side of the pillar.

A laugh sounded.

His gaze fell to me. "I'll handle this. Without you."

"How will you stop me?" I asked.

He narrowed his eyes at me again. "Stop her if she tries to follow me."

The man stepped around the pillar, a smile on his face.

"You have to know I never wanted this," I said.

Caelus headed toward a door obscured by shadows without acknowledging me.

I took a step to follow. Kenzo blocked my path. I sidestepped, and he did the same.

"He'll be in a better mood if you let him sort this one out on his own."

I frowned. "I somehow doubt that."

It was understandable why he didn't want me involved, but it still weighed on me. I wanted to do more than stand around and look pretty. I whirled away from Kenzo, the fabric of my dress swishing along with me, and walked back toward the table of food. Kenzo's faint laugh sounded behind me.

I stood on my own for several minutes, every now and again meeting Kenzo's gaze. There wasn't going to be a way around him.

I glanced around for other entrances and exits I may not have noticed. Esteban peeked out of a servant's access tunnel, locking eyes with me. He gestured subtly with his head for me to come to him.

With a glance around to make sure no one was watching me, I slipped inside the servant's tunnel.

Esteban said, "This castle ain't right, girl. Come."

"What do you mean?" I asked, and followed him through the tunnels until we entered a storeroom.

Crates sat stacked along a wall with a few sacks of flour leaning against them. Spices lined shelves in glass jars. Nothing remarkable for a kitchen storeroom, but the space didn't smell of spices. It was off, as though something had begun to rot.

Esteban walked over to one of the smaller crates and lifted the lid.

My stomach roiled, and I stepped back. Inside were small arms, a leg, and a scarred torso. They looked human, or at least as far as I could tell, disembodied as they were. "What is this?" I asked, even though I suspected the answer.

"He's eating them, Eira. Malik has found dismembered bodies like this a few times now. Always in crates." His expression turned grave. "We need to get out of here. That crown's guard needs to inform the king. Let them handle it."

My eyes shot to his. "We can't leave. What about Teeg? How do we know he's been safe here?" I turned, storming back into the tunnel. "It was ridiculous to believe he would be."

"If you insist on staying, girl, there's one more problem," Esteban called, catching up to me. "Lord Ebonhammer is sequestering himself in his chambers. If you're determined to speak with him, you'll likely have to do something reckless."

I looked over my shoulder at him.

He shot me a glare and added, "Don't."

Careful not to be noticed, I exited the tunnel and returned to the ball. Caelus's friend raised a brow at me from several feet away, but I ignored him and headed for the table of food and drink. I poured a full glass of frostberry wine and raised it to Kenzo. I downed the entire thing and poured another and faced those who were dancing.

Without Caelus and his font of mundane conversation topics, I avoided the crowd, scanning for the best-possible escape to investigate the castle on my own if Caelus didn't return soon. Teeg needed to be found.

I nursed my glass of bubbly wine. It did little to ease my worries, but at least I had something to occupy my hands.

Gods, if Lord Ebonhammer was eating people, was he behind all those who'd gone missing? Several of them had been children. And to what end? Why would he be eating people? Surely it wasn't for the taste. Nausea bubbled in my stomach at the thought.

For a better view, I wandered up to the balcony overlooking the ballroom, where people were chatting away from those who danced. I scanned the room below. There was an exit that led farther into the castle that was the most likely to lead me to Lord Ebonhammer, but it would take a lot of guesswork to find his room.

I dragged a finger along the railing, considering the idea, and turned to the portraits lining the wall. One for each of the Dawn Conclave—Whistlemane, Moonveil, Ebonhammer, Ashwin, and Quinn.

Travok and his family sat in the middle, the largest of the portraits, so that it could be easily seen even from below. The dwarf appeared proud, clad in dark-iron armor and holding a large war hammer. Next to him was his son, no older than a teenager, though his dwarven blood could easily mask his true age, but his pointed ears gave away a hint of fey heritage that came from his mother.

I approached the portrait of my parents—House Quinn. They looked different from what I remembered. Younger. My mother sat while my father stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder. A pin resembling a scale from a large serpent held my father's cloak in place. My mother wore a matching brooch.

Looking at my father was almost like looking in a mirror. It'd been so long since I'd last seen him. I'd never noticed how alike we were. I was the softer, feminine form of him. It really wasn't a stretch for Perrin to have figured it out so easily. We shared the shape of my nose, my full lips, and my eyes. The color of my eyes differed, though. One brown, one blue—something borrowed from both of them.

My mother looked over her shoulder, smiling up toward my father. Their love for one another was apparent even in paint. The love I remembered extending past themselves and into Mythbel before it burned. My life would have been different without that fire. They would be here. I would have never been forced to live with Aunt Celeste or ended up with that imitation of a tenebrae bond to Klareth.

"The swooning couple of House Quinn. Do you long for love?" asked a fey man wearing deep green. He stopped beside me, admiring the portrait. He sipped his wine, and his sleeve slid up and revealed faint scars around his wrist.

I shook my head, my gaze landing back on my parents. "No. The artistry is beautiful." Which was true.

He stood silent for a moment. "It is lovely. Such a shame they passed so young." Another moment of silence went by. "You and Lord Quinn share a resemblance."

My heart raced, and I clenched the glass of frostberry wine. "Oh?" I laughed. "I'm sure anyone with black hair would look similar," I said, smoothing the side of my dress. My gaze darted around for some way to extract myself from the conversation.

He peered at me, trying to get a closer look.

The smile on his ashen face sent a chill through me, and I shifted my gaze to the painting of the Ashwins to avoid his stare. The fey man in the painting had a long, thin, handsome face.

But I couldn't afford to admire the painting. I needed to excuse myself before he made some connection between me and my mother and father. The last thing I needed was everyone's eyes to fall on me. He didn't have proof, but the resemblance alone would be enough to garner attention.

I began to step away, putting space between us to escape before he noticed who I was, and collided into a hard chest.

"There you are," Keiran said with all the charisma I was certain won over his clients.

He placed a warm hand on my bare shoulder to steady me. I turned to face him and smiled, thankful for his interruption. Taking advantage of it, I said, "I was wondering if you'd ever be free from Jenevieve. Care to dance?" I wasn't particularly interested in dancing, but it was the perfect excuse.

Keiran smiled and took my hand. "I'd never refuse."

Together, we headed down the stairs back to the ballroom floor, and I hoped that the man wouldn't follow.

A server approached and took my empty wineglass. Keiran led us to the middle of the dance floor. With a hand on my waist and the other holding mine, he led us through the movements. I barely paid attention to the steps, my mind racing with thoughts of whether that man would put the pieces together and figure out who I was. What would he do with that information?

"Something on your mind?" Keiran asked me after several moments.

He knew my identity and hadn't made a big deal of it, so I gave him my best smile. "I was admiring the painting of the late Lord and Lady Quinn. There was only one other person paying respect to the deceased family."

Keiran lifted a brow and scanned the ballroom. "They passed too young."

"It's a shame they also lost their child in that fire," I said, keeping up the ruse for anyone who might overhear.

"I'm sure had she lived, she would have grown into a fine woman with a kind soul that they could be proud of."

I smiled at his words but was uncertain if I believed them.

We spun through the dance, and Keiran continued to watch those around us rather than me. After several moments, he leaned in and whispered, "Your friend is nowhere to be seen, and Lord Ebonhammer has yet to make an appearance."

In the middle of a crowd of people was far from the best place to talk about Lord Ebonhammer, but there was nowhere else.

Voice low, I replied, "It's complicated, but you wouldn't know why, would you?"

Keiran's eyes darted to mine, brows knitted together. "I'm afraid not. Are you going to continue with your plan?"

I nodded.

"Be careful."

Before I could respond, we spun, and I spotted Kenzo speaking with a dark haired girl. Her dress was a size too large. We spun again, and I lost sight of them.

A tap on my shoulder interrupted us. We paused, and I turned, facing Caelus.

He looked at Keiran, smirking, and took my hand, placing it on his shoulder. With a hand on my waist, he led me through a flurry of steps that put distance between the two of us and Keiran.

Caelus didn't meet my eyes and focused on a point I couldn't see behind me. I wondered if that girl had been his sister. From his resolute expression, he was far from in the mood to talk.

Once the song ended, he linked his arm with mine and led us toward a shadowy alcove. A tower of food clattered to the floor and drew everyone's attention. We made our escape from the ballroom through the exit that led deeper into the iron castle.

He untwined his arm from mine. We maneuvered upstairs and continued several feet before he turned and led us down another hall, this one made of the same black marble as the ballroom. A deep red rug ran down the center, masking our footsteps.

"Wait," I whispered, and ducked into the next room we passed. It was dim, lit only by a lantern and a few candles, but we were alone. "Did you find her?"

He crossed his arms and kept his eyes on the doorway. "Kenzo has her. She's well. Unharmed. They're leaving. Now I'm helping you, like I agreed."

A weight lifted off my chest. She was alive and safe. All that was left now was a chance to speak with Lord Ebonhammer and find out where Teeg was and what had happened to Aunt Celeste and Lora.

"I'm glad," I said.

"We need to keep moving."

I nodded and said, "Lord Ebonhammer . . . Esteban said he's keeping to his room. And he thinks Travok's been—" I swallowed hard. "Eating people."

Caelus's face contorted with disgust. "Then we're wasting time."

We exited the room and continued through the castle. Caelus led the way, weaving through the corridors. "I hope you know where you're going," I whispered. He didn't respond, but the interior transitioned to iron as we continued through the castle. The walls lacked decoration for function.

The floor transitioned from carpet to metal, and my shoes clicked with each step. Citrus scent stirred around me, and the clicking ceased. Caelus was able to subdue the sound using his control over air. No wonder he never made a sound.

It was too late, though. Armored footsteps started around the corner, growing closer. There wasn't a nearby room to slip in and hide in the straight hallway. Only a door at the very end, but we'd have to pass the turn leading to the corridor where footsteps clanked.

I checked behind us, but options were too far away to hide before we'd be caught.

An idea that Esteban would classify as reckless came to me.

I turned to Caelus. "Kiss me," I whispered.