Only in Moonlight, page 1
Only in Moonlight
Christine Linwood
Copyright © 2025 by Christine Linwood
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Contents
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
14. Chapter 14
15. Chapter 15
16. Chapter 16
17. Chapter 17
18. Chapter 18
19. Chapter 19
20. Chapter 20
21. Chapter 21
22. Chapter 22
23. Chapter 23
24. Chapter 24
25. Chapter 25
26. Chapter 26
27. Chapter 27
28. Chapter 28
29. Chapter 29
30. Chapter 30
31. Chapter 31
32. Chapter 32
33. Chapter 33
34. Chapter 34
35. Chapter 35
36. Chapter 36
37. Chapter 37
38. Chapter 38
39. Chapter 39
40. Chapter 40
41. Chapter 41
42. Chapter 42
43. Chapter 43
44. Chapter 44
45. Chapter 45
46. Chapter 46
47. Chapter 47
48. Epilogue
Afterword
Coming Soon
About the author
Chapter 1
Valen
I’d rather face an assassin than spend another minute at this party.
The guests mingling in the garden showed off their finest eveningwear: gowns studded with precious stones, gold-embroidered doublets, and rings with gems the size of olives. Sadly, none of them seemed to be hiding a knife up their sleeve. I scanned the neatly trimmed flower bushes and silvery green trees, but no murderers lurked in the shadows, just luminescent moths fluttering among the leaves. It was a shame, but I suppose I should be grateful. I didn’t need murderous complications when I had a mission to complete.
Since I couldn’t get violently attacked (at least not yet; the night was young), I resigned myself to continuing my current conversation.
“Your family is well, I hope?” I asked Felina.
Or was that Florina? I could remember the names of every suspected spy, assassin, and saboteur in the kingdom, but I always mixed up the two sisters. Both of them stood in front of me, fluttering their eyelashes so much you’d think they were trying to shake them off.
“Oh, yes,” she said breathlessly. “Mother is insanely busy, but she thrives on hectic schedules. And Father just returned from Earth. My brothers went with him, and they’ve brought back all these horrid hunting trophies. My aunts are fighting over who gets to host the family party for the feast day, but Uncle Andeolus says he’d rather burn down the manor than have us all over again.”
Florina elbowed her, and Felina snapped her mouth shut, cheeks reddening as she realized she’d shared too much.
“Preposterous,” I said. “Why, for the honor of hosting two lovely ladies like yourselves, I’d build a manor myself.”
It was a weak attempt at charm, but they giggled anyway.
“It is a small ordeal,” Felina said. “There are seven siblings in Mother’s generation. We have sixteen cousins along with all our brothers.”
“It’s true. I come from a long line of fertile women.” Florina met my eyes with all the subtlety of a war hammer to the skull. “We don’t have trouble producing heirs.”
I coughed. “Yes, well, luckily, knighthoods aren’t a hereditary title. I don’t have to worry about an heir.”
Florina’s mouth hung open for a moment. “Right,” she squeaked. “Of course. How lucky. Children are such a bother, don’t you think?”
She gave me a wide and completely unconvincing smile.
I needed an excuse to leave—and not just to escape their flirtations. The party was winding down, and I had to locate the documents before it ended.
Felina pounced on her sister’s awkward silence. “Do you like plays?” she asked me. “Would you like to see The Tale of Helvia? The troupe is from the Dark Moon Court. It’s supposed to be quite scandalous.”
“I wanted to ask him,” Florina hissed at her.
Felina’s gaze darted from me to her sister. “Then ask.”
“It’s too late now that you already did. It was my idea, remember? How could you—?”
“I’ve already seen the play,” I lied. “It was entertaining enough.”
The sisters pouted before glaring at each other.
“And pardon me.” I took a step back. “I need another drink.”
I raced away before they could stop me, feeling like I’d barely escaped getting torn apart by starving tigers.
The sisters were normally pleasant, but their mother was pressuring them to make advantageous marriages. And the Court lacked eligible bachelors with a title, which painted a target on my back. My looks didn’t exactly help the situation either. The stubble along my jaw and shoulder-length hair gave me what Aurea used to call a “roguish charm,” and years of training had left me with the kind of physique that made women take notice. In a court full of soft, pampered lords, I stood out like a sword among butter knives.
I snatched a glass of wine from a nearby refreshment table and slipped behind a large shrub before Felina, Florina, or anyone else could spot me. As soon as I’d escaped everyone’s sight, it felt like a heavy weight had fallen from my shoulders. The wineglass felt cool in my palm, the chatter of the party swirling around me. I threw back my head and took a long drink. Sir Valen Corvanos: charming party guest, handsome but shallow, more skilled at dancing than swordplay. I played the part for good reason, but stars, it was hard sometimes.
A moment later, I realized I wasn’t alone behind the shrub.
“Pardon me, my lady,” I said, dipping into a quick bow.
Lady Celestine. Minor nobility. Too shy and reclusive to wield any political influence. She wore a subdued gray dress trimmed with pearls that seemed designed to help her blend into the background.
She lifted her own wineglass in greeting. “This hiding spot is taken.”
“I’m not hiding,” I replied—perhaps a little too quickly.
Her lips twitched. “You’re like a rabbit cowering from a pack of hounds.”
I wasn’t sure who should be more offended: me or my female admirers.
“A brave, handsome rabbit who’s merely taking a quick rest before leading the hounds on a merry chase again,” I said.
She laughed. Well, it was more of a snort, really. Entirely unladylike and incredibly intriguing. I gave her a closer look. She was older than I, her brown hair pulled back modestly into a beaded netting. People always said she was more timid than a mouse, but perhaps she had them fooled just like I did.
“And who are you hiding from?“ I asked.
She gestured to the entire party. “Everyone. If I have to hear one more person brag about their enormous estates or priceless family heirlooms, I…” She shook her head. “I might just snap and beat someone to death with an appetizer tray.”
“Really? You don’t want to hear a rich lord boast about swindling an old widow out of her lands?”
“Ugh.” She gulped her drink. “At least the wine is good.”
“It is, isn’t it?” I gazed appreciatively at the glass. “A nicely complex palate. Not too dry. The notes of tropical fruit and honey aren’t overpowering. It’s surprisingly refreshing.”
“Very eloquent. I was just going to say it tastes good and is giving me a smooth buzz.”
I smirked. “That’s true, too.”
She took another slow sip from her glass, closing her eyes and savoring it. I didn’t mean to stare, but I couldn’t stop myself.
“Huh.” She opened her eyes and gazed at the glass. “I thought your little speech was bullshit, but you actually described it perfectly.”
I raised my glass in acknowledgement. Women had been flattering me all night, but Lady Celestine’s “not full of bullshit” was my favorite compliment.
“You’re not a wine connoisseur, I take it,” I said.
“I like wine. Good wine, anyway. It goes well with cheese.”
“Cheese?”
“Nothing’s better than cheese,” she said with a glowing smile. “It’s mankind’s greatest invention.”
I suddenly wanted to enjoy a bottle of wine and charcuterie board with her—but not here at this awful party. Someplace quiet. Private. Like the balcony of my chateau.
“Well, if you think this is good, just wait for the dessert wine.”
“Oh?” she asked.
“It’s decadent. Tullus is a filthy lecher, but he has an amazing wine cellar.”
I froze. Apparently, the wine had loosened my tongue.
“My apologies,” I said stiffly. “I shouldn
Lady Celestine just grinned. “The drunken, mud-sucking pig currently creeping on a woman less than half his age? A lecher? How shocking.”
I followed her gaze and found that Tullus had cornered none other than Florina. She leaned away from him, eyes desperately scanning the crowd for someone to come to her aid. Her sister was nowhere in sight.
I’d be a poor knight if I didn’t rescue the maiden.
“Excuse me,” I said to Lady Celestine.
I cut through the crowd, wineglass in hand. Tullus was eyeing Florina’s décolletage as he blustered about something or another, invading her personal space. I couldn’t afford a conflict with him, not tonight of all nights, but I couldn’t leave Florina in his clutches either. This would take finesse.
“Florina!” I called, hoping I hadn’t mixed up the sisters’ names.
Her gaze snapped in my direction, face shining with hope.
“Have you seen your sister?” I asked. “She’s so drunk she’s about to fall face-first into the grass. Come help her.”
“Oh no,” she said. “Please excuse me, Lord Tullus.”
“Yes, my apologies,” I added.
Tullus’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Since it’s you, Sir Valen, I’ll forgive you for stealing her away.”
I clapped him on the shoulder. “Never fear, milord. The night is young, and there’s no shortage of ladies in want of your charms.”
Tullus let out a booming laugh, his wine-reeking breath hitting me full in the face. “Sir Valen, you rascal. You remind me of myself when I was younger.”
That was the worst insult I’d ever received. My smile almost turned to a grimace, but I caught myself just in time. I couldn’t let my façade slip in front of him.
I bid him good evening and led Florina away—or tried to. She moved so fast that she passed me within moments, and I had to hurry to catch up with her. Once we’d left Tullus’s sight, I admitted my lie and the reason for it. Florina gazed at me with stars in her eyes, and it took me fifteen minutes to get away from the besotted girl. Once I did…
My gaze went back to the shrubs, but Lady Celestine must have found another hideout. It was a shame. She was refreshingly free of pretentiousness, and I’d enjoyed our conversation. I could find her later…
No. Hadn’t I learned my lesson with Aurea? I had no place in my life for romance. Pursuing someone I cared for would only hurt us both when they learned the truth about me. That’s why I only allowed myself meaningless flings.
I shook my head. Enough pathetic self-pity. Time to get to work.
I drifted through the courtyard toward Tullus’s sizable manor house, handing my empty wineglass to a passing waiter. The building’s white stone gleamed in the lantern light, pointed roofs stretching toward the starry sky. Its windows were dark. Besides the servants rushing to and from the kitchens, the whole place should be empty.
The grand main doors were too visible, the kitchen door too busy. I strolled casually across the grounds, the chatter and music of the party fading behind me, until I reached a small side door close to the stables. The lock was sturdy but straightforward; it took less than a minute to pick.
I slipped inside, leaving behind the simpering knight and becoming someone far more dangerous.
Chapter 2
Valen
Silence and darkness greeted me. The corridor was small and plain, meant for the serving staff rather than the master of the house. More importantly, it was vacant. I crept down it, exploring until I found a room I recognized. Then I swiftly made for Tullus’s study.
My feet made no sound on the carpeted floor, and my ears remained alert for any sign of another person inside. The darkness lent the vast rooms an ominous atmosphere, not helped by the blood-red color Tullus favored for upholstery and the massive collection of weapons he had mounted on every wall.
I’d eat my surcoat if the man could properly hold a sword, much less use one.
I slunk up the staircase, keeping away from the windows on the off chance someone in the gardens glanced inside. Then I stopped at the door of Tullus’s study.
A slight buzz in the air revealed a security spell. It would doubtlessly give a nasty curse to anyone opening the door who wasn’t Tullus or a member of his bloodline.
I didn’t have the magical power it would take to break the spell. What I did have was a lineage stone hanging on a silver chain beneath my shirt. The rare gemstone was smooth and forest green, its opaque surface stained with Tullus’s dried blood. (It had taken me three weeks to orchestrate an accidental injury to collect the substance.) Combined with the gemstone’s magical properties, it fooled the spell into thinking I was Tullus himself.
I opened the door and stepped inside, not feeling even a prickle of a curse.
Tullus’s extravagant study was full of bookshelves he probably never touched. Glimmering magic crystals lay in a grid-like arrangement on a small wooden table, powering the failed security spell. I strode straight to his elegantly carved desk and tapped a ring on my right hand, its crystal lighting up with a soft blue glow. It gave me just enough illumination to search through Tullus’s papers.
I scanned household expense reports but found no sign of illegal activity. Drafts of letters to friends and business associates were boring and equally unhelpful. Further searching revealed only his unspeakably terrible attempts at erotic poetry.
A dull thump came from beyond the room, and I froze.
That had sounded like it originated within the manor. And from here on the second floor, not down in the kitchens. Could Tullus have come inside? He had no family living with him, his wives divorced, and he’d never fathered any children.
I waited, but no further sounds came. Perhaps the house was settling, or an object had fallen off a shelf in another room. Or it could have been a servant who would notice the light and investigate.
I searched the papers more quickly. Tullus wasn’t stupid enough to leave a document titled “Smuggling Evidence” lying around, but still, I’d hoped to find something more quickly.
When I reached letters from the previous year, I realized this wasn’t working. I took a step back and studied the desk more closely.
The bottom drawer. It looked deeper on the outside than on the inside. I ran my hand along the bottom of it and found a switch. Flipping it revealed a secret compartment.
A thrill shot through my insides. I removed the hidden papers, but another thump distracted me before I could look at them.
It was definitely coming from nearby. Probably from only a few rooms down. I didn’t seem in immediate danger of discovery, though, so I focused on the papers.
The information was vague, but with what I already suspected, it was easy to decipher the dates and quantities of shipments. Always on the second of the month, and always at the same location. Tullus’s predictability would be his downfall.
“Checkmate,” I whispered.
Once I committed the information to memory, I returned the papers and shut the secret compartment. Finally, I had enough information to expose him.
Thump.
And now I needed to find out what the hell was causing that noise.
I tapped my ring again, extinguishing its light. After giving my eyes a few moments to readjust to the darkness, I left Tullus’s study and crept down the hallway. Another thump led me to the right room, which also had a security spell protecting the door. I quietly opened it and looked inside.
I wasn’t sure what I expected to see, but it definitely wasn’t Lady Celestine standing over an ironbound chest, clearly in the process of stealing every treasure inside.
Holy hell.
I didn’t make a sound, but she sensed my presence anyway and spun around. A few coins fell out of the sack thrown over her shoulder, which was brimming with gold, jewelry, and magical artifacts. Her eyes widened as she met my gaze, and my skin tingled, suddenly hypersensitive to the touch of my clothing. I’d realized she had hidden depths, but this… My pulse quickened as the pieces clicked into place. She hadn’t been hiding behind a shrub because she had social anxiety—she’d been scouting her next mark. The revelation left me breathless and oddly exhilarated. Every nerve ending came alive as I took in the sight: her flushed cheeks, the defiant tilt of her chin, the sharp intelligence behind her eyes.
A decent person would shout something like, “Stop! Thief!” But I wasn’t a decent person. And I couldn’t raise the alarm without drawing suspicion about why I was up here.
