The sinister, snide, mocking Cade is the one that I’m used to. The one I can deal with. This unbalanced version is a bit of a mystery.
“It’s good to see you, Daire. I didn’t think you’d come.” He casts his gaze downward, drags his mask over his face as though caught in the grips of a sudden bout of shyness.
“Hard to pass up such an interesting invite,” I reply, studying his intricately detailed mask bearing a silver moon eclipsing a golden sun.
When Shadow eclipses Sun—the Seer shall fall
The choice is no accident. The message anything but subtle. It’s Cade’s way of telling me he knows about the prophecy—that he considers himself the Shadow, destined to rule.
“So you liked the invitation? I wasn’t sure if you would.” He lifts his chin, regards me with a hopeful gaze. His energy so chaotic, I can’t get a read.
“What’s not to like?” I grin flirtatiously, choose my words carefully. Convinced the slightest misstep will set him off, and it’s a risk I can’t take. For now, it’s best to play his game his way.
“I worried the raven might send the wrong message, but I’m glad you could see past all of that and glean its true meaning.” His eyes are shrewd and appraising. “It was meant to be symbolic, as you’ve clearly figured out. Something which, I have to admit, makes me inordinately proud.”
I nod encouragingly, needing to hear more. I have no idea where he’s going with this.
“It’s the end of our old roles, Daire. It’s time we shed Coyote and Raven and move into a new day. It’s time for Richter and Santos to join. With the kind of power we wield, the possibilities are endless. You and I could rule the world. And the thing is—I know that we’re ready. Your presence here tonight, wearing the dress and the mask that I sent, well, clearly you feel it too.”
My smile grows tighter, but he’s so caught up in his delusional world he doesn’t seem to notice my struggle to keep this farce going.
It’s hardly the first time he’s tried to convince me to join his quest for world domination. Still, he’s never been quite so . . . earnestly poetic before.
My gaze runs the length of his crisp white tux, his bloodred bow tie and cummerbund. Funny how Dace chose to wear black and his brother white. Yin and Yang, just like Cade stated in the dream where he slipped the blue tourmaline ring onto my finger.
“I understood immediately.” I lean toward him, hoping to foster a sense of intimacy and trust. “But what I can’t help but wonder is whether you broke Coyote’s neck as well? You know, as a symbolic gesture to signal the end of your role.” I adopt an innocent expression as though I’m merely curious and not at all baiting him.
“I’m embarrassed to say that it didn’t even occur to me. But, now that you’ve mentioned it, it makes perfect sense.” His gaze glimmers. It actually glimmers. And if I peer close enough, I can catch the tiniest bit of my reflection staring back.
I blink once, twice, ensuring it really is true—that Cade’s eyes actually mirror in the way Dace’s once did.
The startling sight, combined with his willingness to kill his beloved Coyote in an effort to please me, forces me to reevaluate everything I thought I knew about him.
While it’s never been clear how a spirit animal’s death might affect its owner, considering Cade and Dace’s mystical connection, I can’t take the chance. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” I purr, touching his arm briefly, before using the momentum of a group of people brushing past to take a tiny step back, inching closer to what I hope is the vortex.
“It’s your call, Daire.” His voice catches on my name in a way that’s unnerving, as though it elicits untold emotion. “You’re probably surprised to hear me say that, but how else can I convey the seriousness of my offer? Besides, you’ve pleased me immensely by wearing the dress and the mask. I never imagined you’d actually go through with it—and I have to say, it looks even better than I dreamed.” He pushes his mask high onto his forehead, filling his eyes with the sight of me. Not seeming to notice the space slowly increasing between us.
“I could never reject a gift of such generosity and beauty. I felt like Cinderella the moment I slipped it on and saw how perfectly it fit.” I gaze down the bodice, to the deep V, and smile shyly, all the while risking another step back.
Cade’s gaze follows mine. His fingers twitching, his weight shifting from foot to foot. His movements as awkward and jerky as a marionette with loose strings.
“Yet, I did find it odd that you chose a red gown for a black-and-white ball.” My right foot slides back. The left one soon meets it. “I couldn’t quite make sense of that. Care to explain?”
“Easy.” He grins, causing his eyes to flash clear and bright. “You’re not like the rest of them, Daire. Girl like you should always stand out in a crowd.” He centers his gaze on my chest, and I have to fight every instinct not to move my arm to cover it. Though it’s not long before he catches me looking and drops his gaze to his feet, doing the shy act again. Which is strange enough in and of itself, but when I catch sight of his fingers trembling and clenching by his sides, it’s a sure sign of the strange inner conflict that rages inside. “The mask—the dress—I had them made especially for you.” He scrapes the sole of his shoe against the stone-tiled floor. “But you really need to toss that ridiculous key. It’s ruining the look.” He lifts his gaze to meet mine, and I watch the glimmer fade until he’s back to being the Cade that I’m used to. The dark, overconfident Cade. The one whose eyes absorb everything around him. “And what’s with the shoes?” He thrusts a disapproving finger toward Jennika’s designer motorcycle boots peeking out from the hem.
“You don’t approve?” I sneak the hem up just a bit, allowing for a better look. The scowl on his face telling me I’ve only succeeded in making it worse. “Well, on the plus side, they’re a lot easier to run in than stilettos.”
His fists curl tighter. “And what exactly are you running from?”
“Well, normally, that would be you. But, here you are, right here before me, and I wouldn’t even consider it.” I press a hand to the outside of my thigh, ready to summon my athame should I need it. Peering past his shoulder as Auden goes through a series of sound checks and the crowd starts to head for the dance floor. Won’t be much longer until he heaves his last breath.
“Somehow, your words fail to convince. No matter what I do, you still see me as the enemy,” he says, so lost in the thought, he fails to notice when someone bumps into him and sends him reeling into my space.
So much for the progress I made.
; “I assure you, that’s hardly the case.” I wiggle my fingers by my side, hoping for a tingle of energy, some kind of hint that I’m on the right track, that somewhere nearby a portal awaits.