So I was wearing nothing more than a plain white cotton gown—sewn from my oldest bedsheet—and my fancy, iron-heeled shoes as I stalked down the center of the thin metal tunnel that hid me and Leander from everyone else.

Allies never argued in public…so no one else at the necromancers’ ball could witness his dark eyes widen and his pale cheeks flush as I stalked towards him like living vengeance. Silk fluttered at his throat as his lean chest rose and fell.

He certainly deserved to be afraid. I was furious. Still, his voice sounded nearly as idle as ever. “Mia.” He gestured, gracefully, with one hand. “You thought the ballroom could do with a bit of re-decoration? A bit old-fashioned for your tastes?”

“I think,” I told him, “that I am done playing games with you.”

He blinked, his ridiculously long, dark eyelashes fluttering distractingly. “I beg your pardon?”

“You didn’t need me here tonight to watch your back,” I spat. “You only wanted to impress me with your strength. So be it!” I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows at him just as I had during his little demonstration. “I understand perfectly. You’re a terrible, powerful necromancer, and anyone who stands against you will run away sooner or later, weeping in defeat. That’s the lesson you’d already taught everyone else here in this ballroom. You just wanted to make sure that I learned it, too—because you’re a necromancer and you all think you have to always be the most frightening person in any room. But I have a lesson for you, too, Leander Fabian!”

I leaned closer, rising up to my tiptoes to whisper the words right into his beautiful face. “I am not a necromancer. I have my own terrible powers. And I will never, ever be afraid of you!”

When he drew a breath, I felt the chill of air drawn directly from my skin.

Then he leaned even closer into me, his dark gaze holding mine. “You are only half right,” he whispered.

Suddenly, it felt astonishingly hard to breathe. Still, I didn’t back down. “What do you mean, only half right?”

I’d worked it all out! The almighty Leander Fabian was vulnerable after all, underneath all of his swagger. After everything that had happened in the past, he couldn’t bear for anyone—not even his own ally!—to think him weak. So—

“I did want to impress you,” he whispered. “In fact, I wanted that badly. But I’m very glad you’re not afraid of me now.”

Glad? I frowned up at him, stymied. “But if you weren’t trying to overawe me by bringing me here to witness that, then why—?”

“Can’t you work that one out for yourself, clever girl?” His lips quirked into a smile. It didn’t feel mocking, though. It felt almost…tender?