No. That couldn’t possibly be right. But I was stuck staring at his lips now, and I couldn’t seem to wrench my gaze away. They really were quite terribly close to mine now.

So close…

I drew a quick, desperate breath. As I inhaled, my chest—covered only by a few layers of cotton—brushed lightly against his crimson silk waistcoat.

He shivered, his dark eyes dilating directly above mine.

Music suddenly struck up outside our iron-lined walls with a loud and reedy wail. Laughter and chatter floated inside as the dancing started up again around us.

Leander stepped back half a foot and gave himself a quick shake, smoothing down his coat.

I slammed my mouth shut the moment I realized I was gaping.

“It seems,” said Leander, “that the ball is continuing perfectly well without us. Can I entice you into a dance after all, as we’re in private?”

He held out one pale, long-fingered hand.

I considered it for a long moment. Then I said, “No. I’ve never learned to dance.” I’d never even wanted to, back in respectable society. I’d never seen any point to it. “But I do drink tea. Rather a lot of tea, in fact. If you’d…ah, I mean…that is…”

I moistened my lips with a quick flick of my tongue, fighting against the much stronger, older, invisible shields that I’d built inside myself long ago.

I’d been wrong earlier to think that he could never understand the fears that drove me. At least my father had never abandoned me after my powers had developed. He hadn’t even blamed me when our house had been attacked because of who I was. Instead, he’d formed the steady bedrock of my life…and he needed more company just as much as I did. The other day, I’d even caught him chatting at the dour deliveryman who brought our supplies, and that fellow barely moved his lips except to scowl.

The truth was, for all of the danger and irritations of this ball, I hadn’t felt so vibrantly alive in ages as I had tonight, out in company for once with my powers unhidden. It made me feel strong—strong enough to take a first step away from the fear that had suffocated me for months.

“What would you think,” I asked Leander Fabian, “of coming in for a visit tonight to take a cup of tea with me and my father before you return to your castle?”

He looked down at me for a long moment, his dark eyes wide and startled. “Are you actually inviting me for a real visit? In your house?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “So what if I am?”