Concealed

by Christina Bauer

  Finally, the passageway ended in a thin metal door. With trembling hands, I yanked it open. A stone staircase rose up before me. Fresh air drifted across my cheeks. Yes. I jogged up the steps and into the gardens beyond. Night air never tasted so sweet.

  I sped through the hedges and trees until I saw the mansion’s windows blazing with candlelight. The warmth of hope spread through my chest. At last. I rushed through the deserted garden paths and toward the castle’s side entrances. Pulling open the heavy wooden door, I stepped into one of the lesser reception chambers. The place looked empty. I’d barely gotten past the threshold when Philippe stepped toward me. “Elea, are you all right?” Although he wore a black mask, there was no mistaking the tight lines of worry on his mouth and chin. “You’ve been gone for ages.”

  “I’m fine. Where are the Casters?”

  “You’re not fine. You lost your mask.”

  I patted my cheeks. The red silk mask was indeed gone. “That’s the least of my concerns.”

  “And you have blood on your throat.” He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed gently at my neck. “You want to see the Casters? No one will let you anywhere near Rex or his people looking like this.”

  It took everything I had not to push him over and run. “It’s only a little blood.”

  “And dirt. And cobwebs in your hair. We’re at a ball for Royals, remember? Do you really want to attract the attention of the guards and Fantomes?”

  I pressed my palms against my eyes. Guards, I could handle. Fantomes were another matter entirely. By the Sire. In all the excitement, I forgot that the Vicomte sent the other mages back to the ball. They’d seen me in the dungeons. As far as they knew, the Vicomte was alive and wanted me dead. If any of them saw me up here, they’d attack on the spot. The least I could do was not walk in a frightful mess and attract undue attention.

  “You’re right, Philippe.”

  He gave me a toothy grin. “I’m always right.”

  “Can you fix me? Amelia did all this.” I gestured awkwardly across my hair and torso. “I’ve no idea how it works.”

  Philippe winked. “Fortunately for you, making disheveled women look presentable is one of my finest skills. Seems to come up all the time.” He began dusting me off with his handkerchief, smoothing back my curls, and rearranging the folds of my gown. It took forever. Eventually, he stepped back and admired his work. “There you go. Presentable.”

  “What about my mask?” Even the servants were wearing them.

  “Once again, I came prepared.” He pulled another red silk mask from the pocket of his longcoat. I could have kissed him. He winked again. “I figured yours would have a short lifespan. Fancy things always seem to fall apart when you’re around. In fact, I’m shocked that you still have shoes.”

  “Amelia made me enchant them onto my feet.” That woman already knew me too well.

  “Clever girl, my sister. She’ll be thrilled that you’ve returned in time for the engagement ceremony.”

  An engagement? The idea of a celebrating an upcoming wedding seemed silly compared with the possibility of the Tsar about to break free. His escape could bring the entire network of caves down. Ada and the others would be buried alive. And that was just for starters. Who knew what would happen if the gateway blew open?

  Stay calm. You don’t know for certain if the Tsar is about to escape.

  The ground rattled beneath my feet. I focused on Philippe. “Did you feel that?”

  “The tiny rumble?” He shrugged. “It happens out here from time to time. These lands have more caves than solid ground, I’m afraid. Don’t tell me you’re using that as an excuse to avoid Amelia’s engagement? She’s counting on you.”

  I forced my breathing to slow. The tremors could be something natural, couldn’t they? I gripped Philippe’s arm. “Believe me, I do want to see the ceremony, but it’s safer if I find the Casters first.” The mansion became oddly quiet. A prickle of awareness crept over my skin. “What’s that?”

  “That, my dear Elea, would be the beginning of the engagement ceremony. Now before you get any ideas, think of this. If you rush off and interrupt the Creation Casters right now, it will undo all my hard work to make you blend into the crowd. Whatever you’re so worried about, you’ll simply have to wait a few minutes. The ritual won’t take long.” He plucked my clenched fingers from the cuff of his longcoat and pointedly set my arm on his sleeve. “Besides, Amelia will be heartbroken if you don’t see her engagement. She has some master plan for impressing her husband-to-be. I swore we both would see it.”

  I stared blankly at Philippe. My friends were near death under this horrible mansion, and I had to watch some insane ceremony?

  “Oh, look,” said Philippe blandly. “Fantomes.”

  I took a half step backward. “Where?”

  “Ah, my mistake.”

  I yanked my arm away from him. “That wasn’t funny.”

  “It wasn’t meant to be. I was trying to make a point. The Fantomes are somewhere nearby. The bottom line is this, dear Elea. You simply can’t do anything impetuous for two whole minutes.” He jiggled his elbow at me. “Now, be a good girl and take my arm like a lady. You know, without shutting off the blood flow.”

  Much as I hated to admit this, he was making sense. I really didn’t have a choice. I gently wrapped my fingers around his forearm and lowered my voice. “I have to tell you what happened in the dungeons.”

  We started walking toward the ballroom. “I’d love to hear, but whispering about death and destruction is another sure way to attract attention.”

  “Who says I killed anything?”

  “Didn’t you?”

  I opened my mouth, wishing I had a witty retort on the tip of my tongue. Truth was, I was already accumulating quite the body count tonight. “Perhaps.”

  “Thought so. Don’t take this the wrong way, sweet lady. I have only one sister, and she’s getting engaged tonight. I’d like to enjoy the next few minutes before our lives are once again dragged into the whirlwind of whatever you’re up to.”

  I frowned. “I’m not always a whirlwind.”

  He shot me a sly look. “Of course, you are. Death, destruction, and Elea. Wouldn’t have it any other way. Things were blasted boring until you came along. Nothing but pretty ladies to seduce. Ah, here we are.”

  We stepped inside the massive ballroom. The huge place was made of white marble, just like everything else in the Montagne mansion. Royals were everywhere. All their bright gowns and longcoats seemed to blend into a single swath of shifting color.

  Philippe led us to a secluded spot in the corner behind a large stone column. He chose well. The view here was excellent, and I had an easy hiding spot if needed. I hadn’t spied any Fantomes yet. I had no doubt they were close by, though.

  The Baron and Baroness de Montagne stepped into the center of the dance floor. All the guests backed away, clearing a large circle of space for them. The Baroness looked pristine in her white gown and tall wig. She clapped her hands and the room fell silent. “It is my great pleasure to announce the highlight of tonight’s ball,” she said. “We’re here to witness an engagement ceremony for none other than our very own Lady Amelia Masson!”

  Amelia stepped forward from the crowd, her pink gown swishing with the movement. Her doll-like face was framed by perfect ringlets of red hair. Every inch of her seemed to radiate excitement. I allowed myself a small smile. When I’d first met Amelia, she’d been a bitter recluse. Now, a true lady and leader was starting to blossom.

  The crowd broke out into carefully polite applause. They wouldn’t show any real emotion. After all, Amelia’s father was a common criminal, and her Royal family didn’t acknowledge her existence. Sure, the Vicomte had adopted her, but that didn’t change her tainted blood. Besides, she was marrying a mage. No Royal trusted anyone with magick.

  The Baron moved to stand beside his wife. He cut a different figure from what I remembered just a few hours ago. The man now
wobbled as he stood. He rubbed his red eyes and tried to straighten his longcoat. There was no doubt about it.

  The man was piss drunk.

  The Baron hiccupped. “We had hoped that our great leader, the Vicomte Gaspard, would be here to officiate, but he has been delayed. Therefore, it’s with deep disappointment that the Baroness and I must step in to play the Vicomte’s part.” The Baron didn’t look the least bit disappointed. “Luckily for you all, I know the Vicomte as well as my own brother. This is what he’d want to say. He’s simply thrilled to have brokered this union. This occasion represents the first alliance between our continents and people. It’s sure to usher in new era of peace and trade.”

  The Baroness nodded in agreement. “As we all know, Royal ceremonies tend to be rather long and formal affairs. However, Genesis Rex has asked that we follow his traditions, which call for a short exchange of engagement vows. Not marriage, mind you. We speak of the promise of one to come.”

  “The ritual involves a little more than that.” The Baron gave us a lopsided smile. “When Casters do this ceremony, there’s barely any clothing involved. And afterward, the couple kiss and even—”

  The Baroness jammed her dainty elbow into her husband’s ribs. He immediately silenced his ramblings. “As I was saying,” she went on. “In a nod to both of our cultures, we will have a short ceremony followed by a dance. That will be more than sufficient and proper.”

  Beside me, Philippe wagged his brows. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Wait until you see what Amelia has planned. She’ll follow the Caster ritual.”

  My mouth fell open. “She’s not going to strip down, is she?”

  “Don’t be crude. She has a minor act of rebellion planned. I thought she might not get up the nerve, but now that the Vicomte isn’t here? I’m certain she’ll follow through.”

  I kept my features level. “I see.”

  Philippe flashed me his palm. “Don’t say it. I know. She’s gotten unusually attached to Genesis Rex because she lost Veronique. Well, all the more reason to enjoy the now. Soon enough, I’m sure she’ll be miserable for years to come.” He rubbed his palms together. “Aren’t you excited?”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. No, I’m not excited. All I could think about was the fact that I had friends to rescue and a Tsar that might escape at any moment. Even so, there was nothing I could do about any of that at the moment. In only a few more minutes, I could get my friends some help.

  I forced my features into some semblance of calm. “I’m happy for her, certainly.”

  The Baron’s voice bellowed across the ballroom. “Now, I present to you the King of the Creation Casters, Genesis Rex.”

  A tall man stepped up to stand beside Amelia. As I looked him over from head to toe, a chill crept up my limbs. The man wore red fitted leathers. There was no mistaking the outline of his form. Broad chest. Stout legs. Arms roped with muscle. A half-helm covered most of his face. Still, it didn’t conceal the strong lines of his chin.

  Was that Rowan?

  I shook my head. It couldn’t be Rowan. The man never went anywhere with a clean-shaven face, not to mention enough weapons to kill a small horde. Besides, I’d met Genesis Rex in the desert. He was Rowan’s uncle. From this distance, I was certain the two could be mistaken for each other. The Casters played a game of “body doubles” all the time.

  I forced out a slow breath. That has to be it. After so much excitement, my mind was simply playing tricks on me. I needed to focus on finding Rowan, not imagining things. I scanned the crowd. None of the other Casters were visible yet.

  I glared at the Baron and Baroness, willing them to speak faster.

  The barest rumble shook the floor. A few Royals noticed, but except for some guarded whispers, they seemed as unconcerned as Philippe. My hands balled into fists. I needed to get Ada and the others out of here.

  The Baron spoke once more. “If you’ll both put out your right hands.”

  Amelia and Rex raised their arms. Her small hand rested atop his much larger one.

  The Baroness stepped forward and wrapped their wrists with a golden ribbon. “By taking this troth, you are now bound to marry each another.” She tied the ribbon into a loose knot and smiled. “The engagement is official.”

  The Baron grinned from ear to ear. “Aren’t you going to kiss your fiancée? It’s your tradition, isn’t it?” He wagged his eyebrows up and down.

  “Francois!” The Baroness swatted him on the shoulder.

  Rex turned to face Amelia. Their bodies were only a few inches apart. My heart thudded so hard I thought it might burst. I kept repeating two thoughts over and over.

  This isn’t Rowan. I’m imagining things.

  Rex leaned forward and brushed his lips on Amelia’s cheek. The kiss was stiff and formal. I suppose it was in respect of Royal culture. That was when Amelia made her move. Grinning from ear to ear, my friend tore off her own mask as well as Rex’s leather helm. My breath caught. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

  It was Rowan.

  My mind raced. Was he really Genesis Rex? Or was this another case of body doubles? Every inch of my body froze with the thought. The ballroom took on a dreamlike haze. It didn’t seem possible.

  Amelia went up on tiptoe and wove her fingers through Rowan’s brown hair and planted another longer kiss on his lips. Rowan didn’t react, but that didn’t stop my stomach from turning queasy. I remembered what his kisses were like.

  “There,” said Amelia, her eyes glistening with joy. “That’s more how a Caster would do it, isn’t it?”

  Rowan’s face was still as stone. “Yes, it is.”

  Amelia bounced a bit on the balls of her feet. “I knew you’d be pleased.”

  I took a half step backward. Rowan’s gaze locked with mine. Guilt and rage sparked in his brown eyes. We’d been able to read each other’s thoughts for ages. Now I wished I didn’t have the ability, because there was no question what that look meant.

  Rowan was Genesis Rex.

  He looked away again and my heart cracked.

  Rowan lied to me.

  All this time.

  So many sweet words.

  All lies.

  The music started for the couple’s first dance. There was no way I could stand by and watch that happen. I turned on my heel and marched out of the ballroom.

  Philippe was close on my heels. “Elea, what’s wrong? Where are you going?”

  “Back into the dungeons.”

  “I thought you needed help from the Casters.”

  “Turns out, I was wrong.” Using the vortex watch was sounding better by the second. I might turn everything into dust for many leagues in every direction. At this moment, that didn’t seem like such a horrible idea.

  In no time, I’d found my way back to the deserted reception room. I’d barely set my foot inside the door when Philippe gripped my shoulder. “Elea, what are you doing?”

  I pointed toward the ballroom. “Did you know that particular man was Genesis Rex?”

  “No, but I know his type of so-called noble. You know him, don’t you?”

  I nodded.

  Philippe exhaled a long breath. “Tell me you didn’t give him your heart.” Candlelight glimmered through his blond hair, making it seem like a halo. “I warned you about Royals, Elea.”

  My heart felt like it was crumbling inside my chest. He did warn me. “I didn’t think he was King.”

  “And I didn’t think anyone from the nobility could be worthy of your trust.” Philippe stepped closer. “Move on from this nonsense. Whatever happened back there? It was merely a political alliance. Don’t lose your friendship with Amelia on top of everything else.”

  “I don’t blame Amelia.” I hated the bitter tone in my voice, though.

  “Good. Blame the overgrown liar.”

  “Mother Superior warned me against emotion. I should have listened to her too.”

  “Stop blaming yourself. This is how noble families are, Elea. His kind doesn�
�t feel the way other people do. You and me? We’re pawns on a chessboard.”

  I scrubbed my hands over my face. Our swim together. Those kisses. The way Rowan eyed me in the tavern bedroom. Those weren’t the acts of someone who was playing games. Still, it didn’t make the situation any less impossible. “Whatever he was doing, it’s all over now.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Philippe offered me his arm. “Now, come dance with me.”

  A familiar voice reverberated through the marble room. “Give us a moment, Philippe.” I’d know that deep tone anywhere. I could hear him speaking other words. Asking me to trust him. To believe in him.

  It was Rowan.

  Philippe set my hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, your Highness. Elea and I are due to dance.”

  Rowan’s voice lowered. “I’ve asked them to hold off on dances for a time. Please excuse us. I must speak with Elea alone.”

  Philippe turned to me. “Is this all right?”

  I didn’t trust my voice, so I merely nodded again. Philippe released my hand and bowed to Rowan—or Rex—whoever he was. Soon, the two of us were alone.

  Bit by bit, I forced myself to meet Rowan’s gaze. His eyes were dark and his mouth grim. Again, I wasn’t happy that I could read his emotions so well. I still knew exactly what this face meant. Guilt.

  This was no misunderstanding. Anger heated my blood. “You lied to me.”

  “I had reasons. I can’t speak of them now. Where is the Vicomte?”

  “What?” I couldn’t understand what I was hearing. “You asked me to trust you. You said we’d be together. Now, I see you get engaged to another woman and all you have to say to me is ‘where’s the Vicomte?’”

  He stepped closer. “I have reasons, Elea. It’s important.”

  And I’m not.

  “He’s dead. I killed him.”

  Rowan rubbed his neck. “You didn’t.”

  “Would you have preferred that I die? There wasn’t a lot of choice at the time.”

  He gripped my shoulders. “Tell me what happened.”

  “Go to hell.”

  “Trust me, I’m there. But I’m still responsible for the lives of millions of people.” His eyes were wild with worry. “Tell me what happened. Please.”