Dain leans forward again, his hands finding me. I shudder pleasantly. “Open it,” he whispers.
I flip to a random page in the middle of the huge text and I feel my blood sing. Bloodbane magic. Bloodbane rituals. I look up breathlessly. “Where did you get this?”
Dain’s hands massage my knees, and he smiles. “Don’t worry about where I found it; it’s yours now. I want you to find the answers to your questions.”
“Why?” I ask, my fingers clenched tightly around the leather binding.
“I want you to be happy,” he says sharply. “It’s clear you aren’t happy and that you’re searching for answers Altair and the other Fae refuse to give you. I want to help. I want you to know who you are if that will help you find peace.”
“Dain,” I murmur, dropping my gaze back to the book. “Thank you.”
His eyes glimmer, so dark even his irises look black. “This text can only tell you so much. You would find all the answers to your questions if you went directly to the Bloodbane or spoke to Sadal Melik.”
My stomach turns at his words. “The Bloodbane will kill me,” I say. “And I don’t want to speak to Sadal, I don’t want to covenant with him.”
“Why are you so afraid of him?” Dain asks, his brows furrowed with confusion.
The questions spins around through my mind. Why don’t I want to meet with Sadal? Why am I apprehensive? I shake my head, trying to clear my mind. “He’s cruel,” I finally say.
“Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind,” Dain says softly. “It’s your choice. I simply want you to find peace, peace that even Altair can’t give you.”
My heart swells at Dain’s kind words, at the gentle smile he offers me. Altair has always told me he wants me to be happy, he tries to find ways to please me. But Dain has actually listened. He’s giving me what I need. “Thank you, Dain,” I whisper.
He stands and bends over me. My heart beats wildly, blood pumping faster as anticipation flits through me. I feel a rush of adrenaline as his face hovers only inches from mine. He doesn’t move any closer, doesn’t drop his lips to mine like I suddenly crave. My breath is short and rushed, and I know he can hear it with his Fae hearing. He doesn’t smirk like Altair does when he sees how I’m reacting to him.
Dain smiles kindly and trails his fingers over my cheek. I lean into his touch without thinking, my eyes hooded. “Find me in the gardens whenever you need me, Verity,” he murmurs. “For anything at all.”
“Verity?” I hear Altair’s voice echo towards me.
I jolt, and blink rapidly as if being drawn from a mind fog. My heart clenches in fear as I realize Altair will find me with Dain. Altair rounds the corner, his footsteps sharp on the stone floor. I straighten my back and meet his gaze defiantly; I’ll stand up for Dain if Altair says anything. Altair stops a few feet from me and looks curiously at me.
“Why are there two chairs?” He asks, eyes narrowing.
My lips part in surprise and I resist twisting around to see if Dain is behind me. I chew the inside of my cheek. “To put my feet up,” I lie.
Altair cocks his head and then glances around. I stuff the book on Bloodbane magic behind my stack of texts, so he won’t see it. Altair purses his lips but seems satisfied that we’re alone. He sits stiffly in the armchair across from me. I twist, pretending to be stretching my back as I search for Dain. Dain is nowhere to be seen. He must have melted into the shadows and slipped between the bookshelves while I was panicking about Altair.
I sigh in relief and turn back to Altair. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have meetings?”
“Hello to you too,” he says, cocking a brow.
I roll my eyes. “Hello, Altair.”
“Did you miss me?” He asks teasingly, his eyes glittering playfully.
“No,” I quip. He breaks into a smile. Altair knows I haven’t forgotten our fight last night on Summer’s Eve.
“I didn’t think so,” he says. His voice is light, but his eyes are dark. “I came to apologize.”
I cock a brow. Altair isn’t the type to apologize. “Apologize?”
“I shouldn’t have left you alone during Summer’s Eve for so long,” Altair sighs and rakes a hand through his dark hair. “I’m not good at finding a balance between my duties. There are so many things that only I can fix, so many threats and worries.” His voice is heavy and he pauses for a moment. “But I haven’t made you a priority. I’m grateful to you for what you’ve sacrificed for me and Alnembra, and what you will continue to sacrifice. I will work harder.”
His voice is heavy and tired. I bite my lip, realizing just how heavy the burden on Altair must be. I feel a rush of guilt at my own selfishness. “Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask, brows twitching together.
“There is,” he says. His tone is still serious, and I miss the light, teasing version of Altair I grew to know.
“What is it?” I ask. I don’t want to make his burdens heavier. I want to help.
“We need to make wedding preparations,” he says softly.
I blanch. “When?”
“Now,” Altair says. “We need to decide when to be married and then begin our preparations.”
“So soon?” I ask, toying with the ring on my finger.
“I thought you wanted to help?” Altair’s voice is cold.
I glance up, catching his chilly gaze. My muscles go stiff as I feel a wave of frustration. “I do. Just forget it.”
“No, Verity.” Altair leans forward and splays his hands. “Tell me, what could be
