“Find me again,” he calls as I step through the foliage.
I don’t answer, my heart beating wildly as I hurry away from the small clearing. Soon, the birds start chirping again. I linger at the edge of the grove of trees, just beside the lawn leading to the palace. The preparations are still underway, the servants carrying in massive sheets of silk and various decorations to outfit the ballroom with.
The sun is high in the sky now and I wonder how much time passed while I spoke with Dain. My heart clenches in my chest as I picture the handsome gardener in my mind. He’s flirtatious and charming, but he’s honest. I can see bits of Altair in him, but he’s much kinder. I bite my lip as my thoughts drift around Dain.
I feel a surge of heat in my core and I blush. It’s been weeks since I felt desire for anyone. I’ve spent too much time pitying myself over my injury and worrying about who I truly am. But somehow, just the thought of Dain and his mysterious smile can draw those sensations up in me again. Something not even Altair and his soft kisses have been able to do yet.
I hurry into the palace, trying to put some distance between Dain and me. But my eyes burn with excitement and I feel more alive than I have since the night Maaz arrived. My blood is singing, the heaviness gone. My thoughts aren’t plagued with questions about my future while they flit around Dain. Somehow, he’s freed me from the fear that I’ve carried on my shoulders since the night I broke the curse. I pause at one of the windows looking over the front lawn. I see Dain in the shadows by the trees, his eyes latched onto me. My breath hitches in my throat as our eyes lock. He smiles, and I can’t help but smile back.
Chapter 6
Altair
Music floats from the ballroom doors as a string quartet plays ambient music for the arriving guests. The halls of the castle are lit brilliantly with lamplight, decorated in bundles of wild flowers. I pace along the soft carpet, out of sight of my guests as I wait for Verity. I didn’t have much time to spend with her this week; there are rumors that the Bloodbane are stirring again.
I curse under my breath. I had hoped it would take them more than a few short weeks to mobilize again. I drag a hand over my cleanly shaved chin with a sigh. The ball to mark Summer’s Eve is a tradition among the Fae, where summer is our most-loved season. But with the Bloodbane, my wedding, and Verity’s strange behavior, I wonder if I should have skipped it this year.
I hear a soft cough echo from the stairs. I glance up sharply. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts; I didn’t hear Verity approaching. She stands at the top of the stairs. Once she would have stared imperiously down at me, but now her shoulders curl inwards. I bite my lip, taking in her beauty as she descends the stairs.
Dressed in a blush pink gown of tulle, she looks like a cloud at dawn. Her brown hair is braided away from her face but spilling over her back and bare shoulders. I stare at the porcelain skin of her neck, imagining dragging my tongue over it. A low growl rumbles from my chest and Verity blushes. Biting my lip with a grin, I take her hand and circle her predatorially.
“You look lovely,” I murmur.
“Thank you,” she says softly. Her shoulders straighten slightly, as if she’s gaining more confidence.
I take in the way she doesn’t double over her belly anymore. Her wound will have fully healed by now, leaving only a pale scar. Verity is a vision in the gown, and I know all I’ll be able to think about tonight is her. I already have half a mind to skip the ball and drag her up to my room. “It’s a beautiful gown,” I purr, slipping a hand around her waist. “It will be a shame to see it torn to shreds after the ball.”
Her lips part slightly in surprise and her cheeks flush. But her eyes light with fire, sending desire pulsing through me. Wordlessly, I take her arm and lead her to the ballroom doors. She hesitates, but then straightens her shoulders and takes a deep breath. From the corner of my eye, I see her thumb picking at the ring on her left hand.
The doors swing wide and we step through into the bright light of the ballroom. The crystal chandeliers that hang from the ceiling are lit brilliantly. Flowers adorn nearly every free surface. It feels as if we’ve stepped into the gardens instead of the ballroom. A massive arch has been constructed by my servants near the other end of the hall. It’s draped in silk and wild flowers.
Verity inhales sharply as we descend the short steps into the crowd. Verity leans close to me, her bare shoulder brushing against my navy-blue jacket. “They didn’t announce you,” she whispers.
“It’s Summer’s Eve,” I murmur. “Their focus is elsewhere.”
“But do they know we’re engaged?” Her brows furrow with confusion.
“They do.” I slip an arm around her waist and sweep her onto the dance floor. “And we will revel in it later. But for now, dance with me.”
The Fae along the sidelines watch as Verity and I take the first steps in a waltz. Her eyes flit over the Fae guests, worry clear in her blue irises. I sweep her into a spin before she can think about the Fae filling the ballroom. She gasps softly and I grin. Later tonight, when we’re alone, perhaps I can make her gasp like that again.
Verity notices the wild gleam in my eyes and blushes. She nearly stumbles over the steps, but I carry her through it smoothly. With Verity in my arms, it’s as if everything else
