Something about the way he assessed me made me want to cover myself. My dress no longer felt beautiful and daring. It felt like a costume Kaden had thrown over me to disguise what I really was.
The fae looked me up and down and then sniffed. “Disgraceful. Even for a bastard.”
Despite my effort to put some distance between us, I was still standing close enough to Kaden that I felt his muscles clench. Suddenly, I wasn’t so sure that hehadplanned this.
A long moment passed in strained silence as his magic thrashed against my skin. Then I felt the caress of warm fingers just above my elbow as Kaden stroked the back of my arm. I shuddered at the light touch, and I didn’t protest as he gently moved me to one side.
I was vaguely aware of Kaden fussing with the embroidered velvet sleeve of his jacket. Then he took one smooth step forward and threw out a fist.
Chapter
Fifteen
The pale-skinned male hit the floor with a grunt, and the fae around us staggered back. Glass shattered and females shrieked, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Kaden as he pummeled the faerie who’d insulted us both.
Even if he had been baiting him with that kiss, there was nothing rehearsed about the feral wrath he unleashed on the dark-haired male. Kaden’s silver eyes blazed with a fire that made my insides curdle with dread, and a shadow of his ominous magic seemed to envelop the hall.
Blood splattered Caladwyn’s pristine, polished floor, and the faeries in attendance seemed to swamp the two males, chittering excitedly.
Through my fog of shock and horror, I remembered my task for the night. This was the diversion we’d needed — my one chance to slip away and search for the cipher. I couldn’t waste a moment.
Lips still tingling from our kiss, I ripped my gaze from the two males on the ground and backed away from theknot of spectators who’d gathered to watch the brawl. Caladwyn wasn’t among them, but I spotted the flaxen-haired faerie watching from the corner of the ballroom.
I tried very hard not to draw attention to myself as I slipped out of the hall and into the corridor. It wasn’t the way we’d entered the great hall, and it took me a moment to get my bearings. The arched ceiling yawned at least ten feet overhead, and domed lanterns cast a soft amber glow over the gleaming white marble.
Not having any idea where to begin my search, I reached out with my senses. The entire house was steeped in the magic of the dozens of fae who’d gathered for the party, which made it difficult to discern where any magical objects might be concealed.
Closing my eyes, I concentrated on blocking out the steady hum of power emanating from the great hall. It was faint, but I sensed a pull of magic near the rear of the manor that didn’t feel as though it belonged. Tossing a glance over my shoulder, I slipped down the hallway, grateful that Kaden had selected soft-soled slippers for me to wear.
The main corridor was completely deserted, and yet I could have sworn faint whispers and chuckles slipped from the marble walls. The voices raised the hairs along the back of my neck as they chased me deeper into the manor.
The corridor opened into a foyer dominated by a sweeping marble staircase. Two curved sets of stairs hugged the walls, leading up to the rooms beyond. Throwing one more glance over my shoulder, I hitched up the layers of my gown and padded up the stairs as silently as I could manage.
I emerged on the second-floor landing, which led downa long corridor. Golden light spilled from the balcony at the opposite end, and I realized that it was the balcony overlooking the great hall where I’d first spotted Caladwyn.
From where I stood, I could just make out a stilted melody and the chatter of the dancers below. Someone must have broken up the fight between Kaden and the other fae, which meant I needed to hurry.
The magic I’d sensed had been strongest near the rear of the manor, so I slipped into the chamber closest to the stairs. Faelight flickered to life as I entered the room, casting long shadows over furniture draped in sheets. An unused bedchamber would have been an inconspicuous place to conceal a powerful magical object, but my instincts told me the cipher wasn’t here.
Backing out of the room, I shut the door and went to the next chamber. It, too, was unused, and I sensed I was no closer to the cipher than I had been in the previous room.
Door by door, I searched until I came to the grandest room of all — Caladwyn’s bedchamber, judging by the color palette. Twin balconies framed an enormous four-poster bed draped in turquoise silk. The French doors were open to the night air, and a freesia-scented breeze tumbled in.
My breathing became shallow as I entered the room, my slippers making faint indents on the plush cream carpet. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of my own reflection in the mirror over the dressing table, and I had the fleeting worry that Caladwyn would somehow know I’d been in here.
I pushed the thought away as soon as it occurred. I couldn’t worry about that now.
Crossing to the wardrobe, I threw open the doors. An assortment of brightly colored boxes lined the bottom, but they only contained shoes and hats. I rifled through the dresser and looked under the bed but found nothing out of the ordinary in Caladwyn’s room — certainly no hint of the magic I’d felt.
In fact, apart from the flamboyant silk shirts and outrageous hats, there was little of interest in the faerie’s chamber at all. Wherever Caladwyn hid his most prized possessions, it certainly wasn’t here.
Annoyance crept in despite my nerves. If Caladwyn was Kaden’s cousin, surely Kaden had been here before. He could have at least briefed me on the layout of the house and given me an idea of where to look. The fact that he hadn’t either meant that he and his cousin were estranged or that he’d sent me in with no information as some kind of test.
Feeling annoyed at the thought, I replaced a small brass box on Caladwyn’s dressing table and flitted out of the room. I took the stairs as quickly as I could manage in my dress and slippers, reaching out with my senses.
The hum of magic was definitely stronger on the first floor, and I realized I’d made a mistake in thinking the cipher would be concealed in one of the upstairs chambers.
I followed the tug of power to a set of double doors tucked into a small alcove. The doors were carved in the same art deco style as the front entryway, their huge brass handles molded into the heads of two curly-haired maidens.
