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Guard? My heart sank as the foundation of my plan crumbled. Until I figured out a new way to get Gage alone and unprotected, there was only one option. Maybe I should play along—hopefully I could lose my guard in the chaos of the party.
Crossing to her, I thrust out my hands. “I can dress myself.”
“Maybe.” She shrugged a petite shoulder. “But it will take magic to do anything with that hair.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” I grabbed the dress and waited for her to leave. When she didn’t, I nodded toward the door. “A little privacy.”
She rolled her eyes, muttering “humans” along with a few choice expletives, and turned around.
Apparently, that was as much privacy as she was going to give me. Ducking into the bathroom and closing the door behind me, I laid the gown on the marble counter. There wasn’t much to it. I stripped out of my clothes and slipped the gown over my head. The fabric glided over me like a delicate second skin and fluttered to my feet. Two long slits in the skirt allowed my legs to slip through, and veins of black branched across its pale silk. I turned toward the mirror, and the dress moved like butterfly wings skimming through the air. The door cracked open, and she peeked inside. The fae had serious boundary issues.
“It suits you,” she told me, but it didn’t sound like a compliment. She handed me a pair of heels. “He will be pleased.”
I barely held back a laugh. If she knew how little Gage was interested in me, that he was probably already considering giving me to one of his enemies as revenge, she wouldn’t think that. Instead, I reached for a towel to dry my hair, but she stopped me.
“Don’t bother. You’ll make it worse.” She stepped closer and lifted her hands.
I braced myself for her touch, but her fingers ghosted around my head without making any contact.
“I’m Cate, by the way,” I said to break the awkward silence.
She didn’t introduce herself. “I know. Everyone knows about Lach’s new stray.”
I decided a change of topic was in order. “Will there be lots of f— I mean, people at the party?”
“Fae? Yes. Humans? No. Well, except for you.” Her mouth twisted, telling me exactly what she thought about that.
I nodded, my mouth going dry as I realized how much I would stand out in a room full of fae. “And tonight is the Equinox. Is it a big celebration?”
I’d heard the term before, but it meant little to me.
“The fae celebrate all the old holidays,” she told me, tucking up a loose strand of my hair.
“The old holidays?” I frowned.
“Tonight is Mabon. There’s Samhain, Saturnalia, Yule.” She sighed heavily at my blank look. “Mabon is the autumnal Equinox. That’s tonight. You call the others Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.”
I could tell from her tone what she thought of that.
“I have no idea why he wants you there,” she said, “especially with the other courts visiting.”
I plastered my lips into a bland smile. “And the other courts are here because of this Equinox?”
“It’s tradition. The fae courts gather to discuss new bargains and alliances to advance trade, political influence, and becoming even more filthy fucking rich. They party for days and shower one another with gifts.”
I barely contained a flinch. What if Gage decided to dump me with one of them like he’d threatened, claiming I was a gift? I had to find a way to dispose of him soon, especially if everyone was going to be focused on the celebration.
She stopped scrutinizing me and met my eyes. “They’ll also punish anyone who breaks their agreements without cause on this day.”
I pretended to fuss with my gown, but my mind was racing. Was that why they’d taken Martin’s hand yesterday? My stomach turned over as I considered what they might do to me if I was caught killing Gage, but what choice did I have? I couldn’t stay indebted to him. Couldn’t risk being traded to another monster. Gage had the power to destroy my life and hurt Channing. This might be my only opportunity to break the bargain and stand a chance of escaping.
But maybe more important than any of that, killing Gage would be doing my world a favor. I’d seen the bloody toll of his power in the city. If that meant facing fae punishment, so be it.
“It sounds boring.” I trained my face into disinterest. “A bunch of men getting out their measuring sticks.”
Her lips curved slightly, as if she might agree with that assessment. “That’s how it works here. Don’t be surprised if he trades you for something he wants.”
My knees buckled, and I barely stayed upright. Even she thought he might send me to another court.