Behind The Mask

ELOWEN'S POV

“You're going to be fine.”

I said the words to the girl in the mirror, but she didn't look convinced.

The silver gown I wore was one I had bought two years ago and never had a reason to wear. It was simple, with thin straps and a skirt that flowed when I walked.

I pinned my hair up, leaving a few loose strands around my face because my hands were shaking too much to tuck them away. Then I fastened the moon necklace around my neck. The mask that came with the invitation was plain white, with silver thread along its edges. I held it for a while before tying it on.

When I entered the ballroom, the room went silent. It wasn't because I was the most beautiful woman there. It was because nobody expected the quiet girl who lived in the house to look so different.

The chandeliers threw gold light on the marble floor. Guests dressed in black and rich colours moved between the tables, their masks sparkling. An orchestra was playing softly near the far wall.

Cassian was at the foot of the grand staircase talking to Vesper Sinclair. Vesper wore a fitted black dress and a diamond mask that flashed whenever she turned her head. One hand rested lightly on Cassian's arm.

The familiar ache returned, like an old wound. Cassian had dated more women than I could count. I had listened to him talk about his relationships like they were short contracts with no renewal clause. I had smiled through every breakup because, no matter which woman he brought home, he always came back to the same place.

To me.

Unfortunately, tonight, I was the one who would be leaving.

Cassian noticed me in the middle of a sentence and he paused. His gaze traveled slowly from my pinned-up hair to my silver gown, and then to the necklace.

“You look different.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No.” He offered me his arm. “Come on. I owe you a dance.”

Vesper's smile did not waver. “Of course, darling. Go ahead.”

I slipped my hand into the crook of his elbow. His sleeve was warm. I tried not to think about the many women who had stood beside him before me, or how none of them had been told that he owed them a dance.

The orchestra began playing a slow song and Cassian led me to the centre of the dance floor. I could feel people's eyes following us. Some smiled at the sight, while others leaned into each other and whispered.

I tried to maintain a safe distance between us. A couple spun past us, and the man's elbow nearly struck my shoulder. Cassian placed a hand on my lower back and drew me closer before it could hit me.

“You're shaking,” he murmured.

“I'm cold.”

“You're lying.”

I tilted my head at him. Behind his black mask, his eyes were still sharp and observant as always.

“Must you always know everything?”

“Only when it concerns you.”

My heart skipped a beat. I wondered what would happen if I told him everything; the apartment, my mother's decision, the deadline, and the years I had loved him in secret.

Instead, I asked. “Will you miss me when I leave?”

His smile disappeared. “Leave where?”

The question hit me like a splash of cold water. I hadn't meant to reveal it. I opened my mouth, searching for an answer that wouldn't sound like a lie, but nothing came out. His hand had gone stiff at my back. He was waiting for an explanation.

“Cassian, darling.”

Vesper appeared at his shoulder, her voice bright and cheerful. “I need you for a moment.”

He looked at me. “Give me a minute.”

“Of course.”

Vesper steered her attention to me, her smile flawless. “Enjoy the party, sweetheart.”

She led Cassian away, her fingers curled round his arm. The music continued, but the ballroom suddenly became too bright and noisy. I couldn't bear to remain in the crowd.

I sneaked into a side hallway where the music thinned out. Servants hurried past carrying trays, and the air smelled of roses and melting candle wax. At the corner, a waiter stopped with a tray of drinks. A man wearing a dark mask approached him and whispered into his ear. Then he picked up one glass and replaced it with another.

At first, I thought nothing of it. Guests swapped drinks all the time. However, the man did not leave. He stayed where he was, his back to the ballroom. I followed his gaze and saw Cassian. A strange feeling crept over me.

I moved slightly to get a better look, but a couple wearing feathered masks walked straight into my path, laughing as they passed. By the time I edged around them, the man had vanished.

I went back into the ballroom, my heart beating wildly. Cassian was back at the foot of the staircase. A waiter walked up to him with a tray, and he casually picked up a glass.

As the waiter raised his arm, a silver cuff link caught the light. It was square, with a crooked line carved into one corner. I recognised it immediately. I had seen that same cuff link on the hand of the man who had switched the drinks.

“Cassian, wait!”

He did not hear me. The orchestra drowned out my voice.

Vesper caught his arm. “Come with me. We need to talk.”

Cassian raised the glass to his lips and took a sip. I started running to him.

At first, his face changed into a frown, then he blinked several times, as if the lights had become too bright. His free hand reached for the nearest table, gripping its edge tightly.

“Cassian?”

“I'm fine.”

But he wasn't. His breathing was uneven. He pressed his palm to his forehead and swayed on his feet. I reached him just as his knees began to buckle. I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards me, struggling to support his weight on my shoulder. He was heavier than I thought, and his body was unusually warm.

“Someone get a doctor!” I shouted.

The music stopped, and all heads turned. Cassian tried to stand straight, but his fingers tightened around my arm as though he feared I might disappear if he let go.

“Don't let them touch me,” he whispered.

His voice wasn't quite audible. I searched the crowd desperately for help. Vesper was gone. The waiter was gone too. It was as if neither of them existed.

I grabbed the nearest servant by the sleeve. “Call the family doctor. Now!”

He hurried away.

Cassian sagged on me as he struggled to stand. His skin was hot even through his shirt, and his eyes kept drifting away from my face.

“Elowen.”

“I'm here.”

He looked at me like he was trying to see through a thick fog, unsure whether I was really standing before him. Then his eyes slowly closed, and his head fell on my shoulder.

“Cassian. Look at me, please.”

He didn't respond. I held him up with both arms, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears. The whole room was staring at us. Then a folded note slipped from the inner of his jacket and landed on the marble by my shoe.

Still supporting Cassian with one arm, I bent down and picked it up. My fingers trembled as I opened the paper. Three words stared back at me.

“Keep him away from Vesper.”