Court of Winter (Fae of Snow & Ice, #1)(29)

He was gone. The bed was entirely empty save me. I reached a hand across the mattress. Cold sheets slid beneath my fingers.

“Thank the Mother,” I whispered. I must have crept into the bed after he’d left, probably when I’d grown too frigid on the hard floor.

“Lady Seary!” the female outside of the room called again when I continued to sit there.

“I’m up!” I finally called. “And I don’t need assistance. I’ll get dressed!”

Another knock came. “Apologies, but the prince insists.”

I grumbled as I rubbed my eyes, and then a flash of a dream came to me. My parents. The Winter Court. Strong arms around me.

I frowned as the knocking resumed. “Please, he said I must assist you.”

The foggy dream vanished as I processed her words. Reluctantly, I pushed the covers back, then padded to the door and opened it. A young timid-looking female stood in the hallway beside Haxil. The guard gave me a nod, a slight smile curving his lips.

I returned the greeting, then shifted my attention back to the young servant. She was probably less than twenty winters, and she bobbed her head multiple times as she held out an armload of folded clothing. “These are for you. I’m to help you change into them.”

My confusion grew as I stared at her, then I looked to Haxil for answers, but he just shrugged.

“But I have my own clothes.” I opened the door wider to let the girl inside, then shut it behind us.

She didn’t waste any time smoothing the rumpled bedsheets before holding out her hands to assist me out of the sleepwear Milis had provided. “I’m afraid you can’t wear your own clothing.”

“Why not?”

She wouldn’t meet my gaze as she lifted my shirt. “I’m sorry, my lady. The prince said we were to burn them, not wash them.”

My hair—still silver from the prince’s illusion—brushed my shoulders when I spun to face her. “He did? And is that what was done? They’re gone?”

The young servant’s eyes widened. “Yes, ‘tis correct. I’m very sorry. I was simply following orders. The prince gave me your clothing this morning and said to destroy it.”

My chest heaved, but I forced my breathing to calm. It wasn’t her fault, and even though my pants had been worn threadbare in some areas and engrained with dirt and stains in others, it still infuriated me.

Once again, the crown prince was doing as he pleased, not caring nor considering that those were my things.

Arrogant cad.

“My lady?” the young fairy said as she twisted her hands. “May I help you dress?”

I forced my tight-lipped smile to smooth. “Of course. I’m sorry. It’s not you I’m angry with.”

She bobbed her head again, a relieved exhale escaping her, then she held the fresh undergarments out for me to step into.

Somehow, amazingly, everything the young servant had brought fit. On top of that, the shirt didn’t have wing slits in the back, and the pants felt as though they’d been crafted specifically for me. I marveled at that when the clean material spun from the softest cottonum and warmest woolen blend settled over my skin.

Eyeing my new pants, I was relieved that the prince hadn’t commissioned a dress for me, as was the common choice among noble fae females. Instead, I’d been given supple black leggings that were thick and warm.

The rest of the clothes were all done in the Winter Court’s palate. The sweater was a thick cable-knit that rose to the top of my neck and slid down my arms to the base of my fingers. The beautiful royal blue brought out the natural sapphire in my eyes. Coupled with the silver stitching woven throughout the pants and top, along with the fur-lined black cape rimmed in silver and blue flowers carefully stitched along the outer edge . . . well, I felt like a true princess, which would probably make Nish snicker.

“Where did these clothes come from?”

“They were sewn yesterday in High Liss, my lady. The prince requested it of Milis, so she commissioned our local seamstress.”

I frowned, trying to think of when the prince would have had the time to ask that of Milis, then realized he must have done it after he’d left me with the guards in the great room downstairs.

I held out my arm, marveling again at how well everything was tailored. “The seamstress must have a creation affinity if she could sew everything so fast and so precisely.”

The girl bobbed her head again. “That she does. She sews most of the clothing sold in High Liss and is quite adept. With her magic, she can create an entire wardrobe in one night.”

“Please thank her for me, although, I’m not sure how I’m going to pay for—”

“’Tis already been paid for, my lady. The prince covered the expense.”

I sighed. He’d probably spent more rulibs than I made in a full season. “I’m sure he’ll expect me to repay him, and I’m not a lady. You really don’t need to keep calling me that.”

The girl’s blue eyes grew curious. “I apologize. I’d just assumed you were a lady since you were traveling with Prince Norivun. I’ve never seen him carry anyone, but I suppose since you don’t have—” She cleared her throat and glanced toward my back, to where my wings should have been. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have presumed.”