Page 93 of Promised to the Nightmare Realm
He’s just so… fun.
After a while, we drift off to one of the tables with food where he points out which snacks are vegan, but then gets distracted when a friend challenges him to a game of balancing a snowflake made out of sugar on his nose.
They both seem very proficient at it, and I have to laugh, yelling his name in encouragement.
Tristan does win, and when he approaches me, proud as a peacock, I take the snowflake off him with my tongue. Sweet but tart and crunchy, the thin, breakable candies might just bethe nicest thing I’ve ever eaten. As soon as I voice that opinion Tristan requests that someone delivers a whole jar of them to the Book Mausoleum, buried in powdered sugar, so they’re safe during transport.
He’s thoughtful that way, and each kind gesture he extends to me brings to mind how gently he treated me when I was frantic, scared, about to sink into another flashback of the horrors I suffered at Gloombane’s hands.
And when my heart reacts with a joyful beat that feels almost like a little bell ringing inside my chest, I have to admit to myself that I love him too.
I didn’t want to admit it, even to myself, but the way he makes me feel goes far beyond infatuation. It’s lust, it’s admiration, it’s care, and softness, all combined with mushy feelings that don’t have a name. For once in my life, I don’t have to beg for scraps of affection and pretend to myself I’m satisfied with mediocre dates.
And yet here I am, worried that we haven’t discussed what our future holds outside of finding a unicorn so we canbreakour bond.
What if that affects his feelings for me? What if the thread that ties us involves magic that made him fall for me, and when we—
“So you were a vet?” It takes me a second to register the question and realize it’s Luke.
“Vet tech,” I correct him without thinking, but I can already see his eyes glazing over. What matters to him is that I ‘heal animals’.
“The animals here are often different, like there’s this one type of mouse that feeds on moonlight. They will come out and sit looking at the moon on bright days. Anyway, maybe you could have a look at this one bat? Kyran has presented me with several exotic ones, and we plan to let them out in the future, but oneseems… I don’t know. It doesn’t fly, won’t drink. I don’t want to let him out into the wild if he’s sick.”
My stomach sinks already, and I face Luke immediately. “Of course. I can’t say I’ve often taken care of bats, but I’ll examine it.” My gaze drifts to Tristan, who’s been discussing some kind of new sword steel for the past five minutes, but Luke is faster than me and calls out to him. “I’ll take him to the bat tent!”
My knight frowns, his gaze seeking mine, but when I offer him a nod, he smiles, returning to the conversation he’s having with his fellow knights. I don’t need to check to know he’ll have one eye on me anyway. I still can’t get over that helived in my wallsjust to make sure I was safe.
We pass elves engaging in some love-themed game for which I can’t work out the rules. Despite it being mixed in terms of gender, I swear I saw some lady bring a man a plate of sweets then pull out the chair for him. I’m sure there must be a pattern to the courting, but I haven’t cracked it yet, and it doesn’t help that I’ve barely been out of the Book Mausoleum.
“I need advice,” I tell Luke as we leave the tent and head along the path between beautiful ice sculptures glistening in the moonlight. “How does romance work here?”
When he blinks, I clear my throat and continue, “As in, how do the elves establish things like… who lets someone through the door?”
Luke smirks. “Are you trying to find out if Tristan’s a top, or something? I assumed you two were way past that.”
I almost choke on the cherin. “No… I mean… maybe? Is that all it is? I just saw a woman being very chivalrous to a man.”
“Oooh. Okay. I get it.” Luke raises his hands, palms up, and he definitely seems drunk when he stumbles over the threshold to the giant tent with cages where the different bats are held. “It’s extremely convoluted. After almost two years here, my understanding is that it’s all about power and status. Muchmore so than among the servants or elves that live in villages. It’s considered unseemly for say, a princess to let a more lowly royal court her. It’s up to her to pursue, since that’s considered a position of power. And it’s taboo if she doesn’t dominate in the bedroom.” He leans to me to whisper. “It’s a load of bullshit, if you ask me, but they made these expectations for themselves, so they can live with them. Are you asking because of something to do with Tristan?”
I briefly consider the fact that Sabine’s husband has a lower status than her but choose not to pursue that thought. “I suppose I don’t want him to think I’m neglecting him. He’s so romantic, and sweet, and I worried he might be feeling ignored if I don’t also shower him with gifts and stuff like that. But I’m guessing that he wouldn’t expect that? Since he is royalty?” I say, pulling on the silver crab attached to my heavy necklace.
Luke stands in front of one of the giant cages with a thoughtful expression in his kohl-rimmed eyes. “Unless it bothers you, you shouldn’t do anything just because you worry it might be expected. As far as I know Tristan, he is… very giving. He almost lost his life protecting Kyran while he was still his guard. I might be wrong, but I think he misses that kind of responsibility in some way and has gladly focused on you. As his promised, you are expected to be the apple of his eye, so if you worry you’ve misstepped, I’ve heard no gossip about that.”
His promised.
Such a beautiful word has been so stained in my mind I can’t wait to have the shadow thread cut.
Or do I?
Because what if it changes things? What if my skin stops pulsing in anticipation whenever Tristan’s close? “He saved Kyran? I was only told about him… not saving the other Lord, who ruled before your husband.”
Luke scoffs. “Prince Kyranis was a rake and an asshole who deserved what happened to him. But yes, Tristan put himself between my Lord and an assassin’s arrow. He almost died from the poison. It was extremely brave on his part, and he will always have my gratitude. Though I also think he loves to be the hero, so if he wants to? Let him. Nothing wrong with getting pampered and courted by an elven prince.” He winks at me. “And I know Tristan. If he’s so smitten by you already, it won’t change once you’re his Dark Companion.”
Having to lie to everyone about where Tristan and I stand on the shadow bond is such an unpleasant weight, but dark thoughts disperse the moment I spot a bat as white as snow. I immediately know he’s the one Luke is worried about, because its fur appears patchy, eyes dull, and I notice how thin he is despite the wings wrapped around its body like a cape.
“Oh, he definitely is unwell,” I say, cocking my head, watching the sleeping animal. “Have you noticed any growths on its body?”
“No, but he’s not happy for me to come near, and always tries to retreat to the darkest part of the cage. He’s a Frost bat. They’re supposed to love the moon, just like the mice I told you about, because it’s cold where he’s from. And they mostly feed on oils and fatty meat, but he’s not touched any. How do you feel about going in? I’ve got gloves for handling him, and he’s not been aggressive." There’s so much hope in Luke’s eyes, I can see he’s a true animal lover.
