Page 29 of The Shadows Between Us
“My lady,” the servant says, dipping into a bow before me and holding out the black box.
I take it, the wrapping paper crinkling under my fingers. A bloodred ribbon wraps around the box before ending in a bow on top. The package is fairly light, and the gentlest scent of lavender-mint wafts up from it.
Kallias wrapped it himself.
“Oh, go on, Alessandra,” Hestia says, her voice growing higher. “Open the king’s present!”
I tug at the bow, and it falls away. Carefully, I unfold the paper. Somehow, it seems indelicate to tear it. Once done, I find the front and pull up on the lid, the hinges snapping upward without a sound.
My breath catches.
I have received countless jewels and precious stones from my lovers, but this—
Nestled in black velvet is a necklace unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The rubies have been cut into the shapes of petals, spreading outward into a blooming rose the size of a tightly closed fist. Black steel frames each gem, giving a beautiful border to the petals, allowing each jewel to stand out.
The ladies in the room gasp appropriately.
Rhoda bends over my shoulder to give the trinket a proper look.
“My, my,” she says. “The king must be head over heels for you.” Quieter, she adds, “Well done, Alessandra.”
Hestia is so close, her breath is fogging up the gems. I promptly close the lid and hand the box back to the servant.
“See to it that this is placed within my quarters,” I say.
“Of course.” He goes back out the way he came in.
“What’s he like?” Rhoda wants to know. “The king?”
All the needlework is forgotten as the ladies lean forward in their seats.
“He’s very smart and capable,” I say, thinking of all the meetings and problems he juggles. “And thoughtful.”
“Oh, do give us details!” Hestia says.
Drunk on the attention, I can’t help but give them some details. I tell them of how we eat our desserts first when we dine together. How he compliments me on my new attire. How he smells of lavender and mint. How fond he is of his giant dog. I also tell them falsehoods. I talk of how Kallias kisses my gloved hands in private. How he whispers into my ear of our future. Of a romantic outing under the stars when everyone else is asleep.
I have to really sell the idea of our courtship, after all.
“He’s a romantic,” I finish, loving the way the whole room tries to grasp my every word.
IRECEIVE A NOTEstating Kallias is unavailable for dinner together due to a late-running meeting. I suspect he is still hard at work attempting to put a stop to the bandit. Rumors are everywhere in the palace. Apparently there was another attack. The nobles are putting pressure on their king.
I sup alone in my rooms, arranging the necklace on the table next to me so I can admire it.
Afterward, a maid helps me out of my dress and into a nightgown. If she thinks anything about the nightgowns I’ve made myself, she says nothing of them.
Tonight I wear a creamy yellow number of silk. The sleeves—or straps, really—dangle off my shoulders, and the gown dips in the front to reveal just a hint of my breasts. Less than a hint, really. A mere line meant not to give too much away, but enough to drive a man mad with wanting to see more.
If only I had someone to show it off to.
I sit on the edge of my bed, my hands behind me, supporting my weight, when he appears.
I jump to my feet before I can stop myself, my heart racing.
Even though I’ve seen him walk through walls before, it doesn’t exactly prepare me. I have a feeling it’s not something I could ever get used to.
I’m proud of myself for not shrieking at least.
