fine moment, and I would hate for you to miss it.” He gestured again to the window, but I refused to look.
“What are you talking about?” I asked coldly.
“Why, your young princely friend, of course,” he said. “Playing right into my hands.”
“Gabe won’t come running in here after me, if that’s what you’re expecting,” I said. “He’s too smart for that.” It took every shred of trust I had to hold onto the hope that was true.
“Oh, I should hope not,” he said. “But I’m sure he’ll do just what he’s supposed to.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my stomach swirling as a sick feeling rose up my throat.
Leander chuckled. “You must judge me a fool, Princess. Did you really think I would tell you the truth of your enchantment—especially with a young prince hanging around?” He regarded me with amusement. “Oh, don’t look surprised. Surely you didn’t think I would fail to notice the way the two of you have been sneaking around the forest—even into my own inner sanctum.”
Anger crossed his face before it was smoothed away with a smile. “I told you exactly what I wanted the two of you to hear—and yes, I did know you were both there.”
So he had known Gabe was hiding in the forest while he told me of the new curse. What else did he know?
“You mean the curse can’t be broken by a declaration of love?” I was proud of how steady my voice sounded when inside, everything shook.
“That part is true enough,” he said. “These sorts of enchantments are delicate matters, and it isn’t always safe to tell outright falsehoods where they are concerned. However, an omission, on the other hand…”
He let his voice trail off, clearly wanting me to exclaim and inquire as to his meaning. I refused to give him the satisfaction, and after a moment he continued anyway.
“If your true love stood before everyone and proclaimed his love and his promise of fidelity, you would be freed. But I left out a rather important point. If that same true love declares his love for another, you will die.”
I pulled in a long breath, my churning insides slowly calming. I had come too far to give way at such an early test. I could trust Gabe with my life as I had already trusted him with my heart.
“I don’t know what you think is going to happen, but Gabe would never do such a thing,” I said.
“Ah, but did I not promise you a show?” Leander pointed once more to the window.
This time I didn’t even try to resist, looking down quickly at the party. It took me a moment of searching, but I managed to locate Gabe, standing not far from the base of the Keep, half way between the tree where we had kissed and the door. The crowd that had blocked my way earlier had dispersed, somewhat, and he was looking all around, clearly searching for me.
I frowned across at Leander, but his eyes were trained on the scene below with a self-satisfied smirk, so I looked reluctantly back down. My eyes picked out Gabe again, just in time for a change to come over his demeanor. He reached out both arms, and someone hurried toward him, placing two hands into his.
I blinked and then blinked again, pressing myself up against the glass with both hands flat as I tried to understand what I was seeing. I was up here—watching the party from above—that much was unassailable. But somehow I was also down there. The same cream dress, the same winged wrap and swan mask. I could just make out the soft brown waves of hair, pulled loosely back in a simple arrangement.
“I…I don’t understand,” I stammered.
“Do you not?” Leander kept his own gaze locked on the scene below. “Personally, I have always found my servants to be perfectly amenable to my requests. You know, I wouldn’t have been able to arrange any of this if you hadn’t so helpfully sent your good friend into my Keep. But she has been so very helpful. She sent a message to recall the young prince when he nearly escaped. She convinced you to come. And she passed on the dress I provided—the one I had instructed to be made in duplicate. Gabe is not fool enough that he would think she was you if he had not already held you, and talked to you, and kissed you while wearing that ensemble.”
Leander continued to watch the people