JACE

We grabbed a bottle of a 50-year-old whiskey and two glasses and headed outside for fresh air.

Fabian poured whiskey into the glasses. We made a toast and drank. The smooth burn slid down my throat and instantly warmed my belly.

"Do you know Courtesan Lila?" I asked him.

He glanced at me. "Why? Do you know her?"

I shrugged. Someone recommended her. I was thinking about going to Love Charms to see her.

"Don’t," he said. He poured more whiskey and downed the whole glass in one go. "She’s a helluva woman. Beautiful. Smart. Elegant. Vicious. She’ll rip out your heart and feed it to you."

"So you’ve had interactions with her before?"

"She fancied herself in love with me. It didn’t end well. I don’t love, Jace. I never will." He gripped his glass so hard, I saw the strain in his fingers. "Stay away from her."

He almost sounded jealous, an emotion I didn’t think Fabian was capable of feeling. What the hell had happened between Courtesan Lila and Fabian Velle?

For a moment, we contemplated the stars while we drank. I had a million thoughts going on in my mind. Was I really going to give Fabian the gu worm so Courtesan Lila could get her revenge? Where was Penny? What the hell had she been doing while I passed out from the drugs she’d given me?

I thought about Sophia in Amaranth Manor doing whatever wives did. Honestly, she rarely entered my mind these days, but only because Penelope had so thoroughly and schemingly gained most of my attention.

I wanted to consummate my marriage with Sophia. I could only do that if Penny were out of the picture and unable to cause trouble for us. I would get Sophia pregnant. Keep her busy raising children so she never thought about divorce again.

At least Nathan Stonehart was gone from our lives. That bastard had tried to steal my wife. I was glad I had kicked him into the ravine. I hadn’t heard any news about him being rescued. Nor had I gotten news that his body had been found.

I hoped he was rotting at the bottom of the ravine never to be seen again.

"You haven’t told me which woman won your affections," said Fabian. His gold ring clinked against the crystal glass. "Did you pick one? Or are you still trying to have your cake and eat it, too?"

"Penny drugged me," I said, still feeling bitter. " I slept with her. For the last two weeks all I’ve done is go to work and fuck Penny."

"Drugged you?"

"Aphrodisiac incense. And pills. She knocked me out for two days and did God knows what. I think she’s trying to get pregnant. She’s insane. She not worthy of marrying in to the Willowmarches, even if I could be talked into divorcing Sophia." I sighed. "Penny is crude and vulgar compared to Sophia. Greedy, too."

"Is she here?"

"Somewhere. She told the housekeeper she was going to the Governor’s Ball. For what purpose, I don’t know. I recieved two invitations and she took one to gain entrance. I don’t suppose you’ve seen her?"

"Even if I had, I might not know it. Everyone’s wearing masks. So what are you going to do with Penny? If she’s willing to drug you, she’s already crossed a line. Trust me when I say keeping her around will lead to your doom."

"Do you speak from experience?"

"Unfortunately, yes." He pulled out his case of cigarettes, took one, and lit it with a gold lighter. He blew out the smoke. "Love is such a scam. There are only duties to one’s family and one’s country. Everything else is chocolate cake."

"You make it sound so simple." I patted my jacket where the gold case rested in my inner pocket. I needed to give the gu worm to Fabian before he realized what I was doing. I wondered how long it would take for the gu worm to take over. And how would Courtesan Lila control Fabian?

"Jace."

Both Fabian and I turned and saw a masked woman standing just outside the doorway. She wore a pink gown, a black wig with gold combs embedded in it, and a pink mask that covered half of her face.

But even in that get-up, I knew who it was.

"Penelope. Where have you been?"

"Here and there," she said. "I’m glad to see you." She stepped forward and had the absolute nerve to put her hands on my arm. "Did you miss me?"

"Like a toothache," said Fabian with a laugh. "You’ve been quite naughty, Miss Shire."

"I don’t understand what you mean." She tugged on my arm. "Let’s go dance."

It took me a few seconds to calm the fury writhing through me. I wanted to strangle this woman. She was petty, greedy, ugly, downright demonic.

"Wait for me inside. I’ll say a few words to Fabian."

She smiled. "Okay."

She went and stood in the empty room, looking at us through the window. I looked for a way to distract Fabian. Then I saw the Governor’s airship sailing into view, the gold flags with a lion emblazoned on them draped the outside of the balloon.

As I withdrew the gu worm’s container, I nodded toward the airship. "Looks like Governor Devine went all out for this year’s ball."

Fabian turned to look at at the airship. I opened the box and dumped the tiny creature inside onto Fabian’s neck.

My friend slapped at flesh and grimaced. "Damn. Something bit me."

The little bug had burrowed into Fabian’s skin easily and quickly. I put the box back into my jacket. "I better go deal with Penny. I’ll talk to you later."

"Good luck," said Fabian. He glanced at Penny who still stared at us. "You’ll need it to deal with that one."

I said my final good-bye and joined Penny inside the house.

"What was in the box? Why did you dump it on him?"

"Don’t worry about it," I said. "C’mon. You and I need to talk."