He’d seen me.
I’d just accomplished what no other Soul Catcher before me was able to do.
I’d broken him free of his trance.
I moved toward him, my palm open in offering, reaching for his. Knowing it was just a matter of time before I made that glistening golden veil that would lead him to the bridge, to where he belonged.
My voice choked with the thrill of victory, I gazed into his eyes and said, “Theocoles, come. It is time for you to move on.”
13
Theocoles leaned forward, his fingers flexing, straining, moving toward … his sword.
First he grabbed his sword.
Then he reached for his shield.
I stood there, gaping in a mixture of confused outraged indignation when Messalina appeared.
“We’ve been over this, Riley. Theocoles hears only what he chooses to hear. And, just so you know, when he finally does break out of his spell, it won’t be because of you. It will be because of me.”
She moved toward me, a vision in pink with a feral smile that widened her cheeks, as a savage gleam shone in her eye.
And all I could think was: Run! Resist! Do not let her touch you! Do not let her enchant you again!
But it was no use.
Well before I could move, well before I could get my body in cahoots with my head, she leaned toward me, her long, cool fingers sweeping the space just north of my brow, once again pretending to tame a stray curl that had fallen out of place.
And the next thing I knew I was standing in the middle of a loud and crowded room. My cheeks flushed, my gaze shyly avoiding that of a very cute boy who grasped hold of my hand.
A boy who introduced himself as Dacian.
A boy who seemed to think my name was Aurelia.
And maybe it was. I couldn’t be sure, when there was no one around to dispute it.
“Why have I not seen you before?” he asked, his eyes shining with unrestrained interest.
I ducked my head, gazed up at him through my tangle of lashes, my voice bearing the full extent of my confusion when I said, “But you have.” Only to watch him shake his head and immediately discard what I said.
“Trust me, I would not have forgotten such a thing. There is no way such a beauty as yours would ever escape me.”
Me? A beauty?
I gazed down at myself, smoothed my palms down the front of my gown, shocked to see I possessed the kind of body that I once only dreamed of. And if the heft and weight of the blond curls that bounced on my shoulders was anything to go by, then chances were I just might be as beautiful and radiant as the lavender dress that I wore.
I leaned over, peering into the elaborate, tiered fountain beside me, greedily searching for a trace of my own reflection, and relaxing when I found my face beaming back in a series of ripples. The image unsteady, wavering, but still confirming Dacian’s words to be true.
And yet, if what Dacian said was true—if my name really was Aurelia—if I really was a beautiful, teenaged girl—then why did it all feel so strange?
Why did it all seem so unreal, like some kind of dream? The boy—the body—the face—the dress—the strange-sounding name which he called me—it all seemed as unstable as the image I’d seen in the fountain.
It must be the party. It must be the large crowd of people and all of the noise that went with it. I wasn’t used to such things. I wasn’t used to feeling so cramped, and hemmed in. I needed air, needed the night sky, along with the stars, and the moon, and all that went with it.
“I trust I can leave you in Dacian’s care?” Messalina smiled, her gaze dancing between us.
I blinked. Wondering where she had come from. I didn’t remember seeing her arrive. It was as though she’d appeared out of nowhere.