Page 51 of Stolen Threadwitch Bride
Did it matter that he was fae? Did it matter that I wasn’t here by choice? Because right now, he was just as warm and alive and tempting as any human man had ever been—much,muchmore tempting, in fact.
And he was far more beautiful, far more handsome, and had treated me with more thought and kindness than anyone outside my family, apart from Rose.
I might not deserve it, I might not be powerful enough or pretty enough or any of that, but I wanted it.
Good gods, I wanted it.
I’d gone to the Lady of the Lake this morning because his absence last night had hurt me, had left my heart hollow and whispering his name with each beat.
Because somehow I’d spent these past weeks falling and right now, in his arms, flush against him, I was still falling.
I tilted my head.
His lowered.
Only our breaths separated us, growing thinner by the second.
Woof! Woof!Fluffy’s red tongue lolled as she stared up at us, fiery eyes even brighter than usual.
“Not now, dog,” Ly growled, the sound rumbling into my chest, into my bones.
But beyond the dog, movement made me twitch.
Sylvie and Boyd coming down the steps, right this way.
We leapt apart. If, somehow, their fae earsdidn’tpick up my thundering heartbeat, my burning cheeks would surely give me away.
But Sylvie only asked if I wanted to go for a ride with her this afternoon, and Boyd muttered that there was some business requiring Ly’s attention.
I cleared my throat and Ly gave me a little nod, an uncertain smile at the edge of his mouth, and then we parted ways. Boyd shot me a look, eyes narrowed, before he left.
All the way back to the workshop, Sylvie told me in great detail about a book she was reading, a romance with rather steamy scenes, but I couldn’t blush any harder than I already was.
We’d been so close to kissing and I had absolutely played a part in that—awillingpart. I regretted getting caught by Sylvie and Boyd, but did I regret tilting my head, inviting that almost-kiss?
I searched inside for the slightest pang that said some part of me didn’t want it or was glad it hadn’t happened.
There was none.
To Be Seen
The next day, Ly didn’t come to breakfast and I found out from Hil that he’d already been and gone. I barely had time for a twinge of concern and to wonder if he was avoiding me before Sylvie bounded in, chattering about tonight’s feast. Her enthusiasm was infectious, despite the tight fist low in my gut reminding me of the danger Goren posed.
I took my time bathing, washing my hair, laying out my gown and the shoes Sylvie had presented to me a week ago. Fluttering excitement and anxiety battered against that tight fist of fear, chipping away at it and leaving me restless.
After lunch (still no sign of Lysander), Sylvie appeared in my room, bringing a chest ofstuff. Apparently, she’d decided it would be fun to get ready together, and I didn’t have the heart to turn her down. Her ready smiles and gentle chatter eased my nerves.
“You know…” She eyed the dark grey gown. “Ly asked me to help you get ready for tonight—make sure you’d be dressed to navigate fae society, but”—with a grin, she shrugged—“I’d say you don’t need my help.”
“Of course, the keeper of the wardrobe at work.” I flashed her half a smile, but it soon turned into a wince at the tiny, shimmering moonstones scattered all over the spidersilk. At the slit up the leg. At the low back draped with threaded labradorite, moonstone, and crystal. It was a beautiful gown, the best I’d ever made, but…
What had seemed a wonderful idea in a sketch, in the abstract was now far too real as I faced the prospect of actually wearing it. That fluttering excitement gathered around my heart, making my chest sore and tight. “It’s not… too much?”
“No, no,no.” She flashed her eyebrows at me. “This is Calan Maiandthe new moon. On such a dark night, you should shine all the brighter. And I know you will.”
Not too glittering for the fae. Of course not. But… it was too glittering for me. I’d never worn anything like this, so revealing or so expensive. And yet…
No one here had to know that. I could be… someone else for tonight. Someone bold.
