Calmed, I replaced the orrery in my bodice. This dress had no pockets, but a generous cleavage could double up as storage.
I gave myself a tight smile in the mirror. The rainbow light coming through the crystals glimmered over my gown and painted my skin. I turned this way and that, taking in my reflection and the way the fabric made it look like gold paint had spilled over my body.
Perhaps Bastian’s staring was understandable.
My smile eased into something more confident. A smile the Wicked Lady had been too desperate to give. A smile Lady Katherine of Riverton Palace had been too crushed beneath rules to allow herself.
It, like this body clad in gold, was all mine.
Perhaps that was what Bastian had always seen.
I wouldn’t want to break you.
In that moment, I’d wanted to be broken. By him, on him, with him. I’d have slipped my gown off then and there if he’d offered to pull me apart with both sides of him.
Later could not come soon enough.
Fuck Uncle Rufus.
As I left the bathroom, I let my mind linger on the thought of being sandwiched between two Bastians, like some sort of fucking delicious cake. Or should that be “delicious fucking cake?”
I was biting back a laugh as I rounded a corner and stopped short. At the end of the corridor walked a fae with fox-red hair bound in a braid.
The fae from Lunden.
They disappeared around the corner, and I hurried after. “Excuse me,” I called out. “Hey!”
I had to hike up my dress to run, but it was worth it, as I finally caught up. “Hello?”
They turned, lips pursed, brow furrowed. Brown eyes bored into me.
“You… You were in Lunden, weren’t you?”
Arms folding, they nodded once and went to turn away.
“Wait, no. I’m not done.” I tried to grab their sleeve but caught the hem of their coat instead.
They stopped stock still.
But that wasn’t why my breath caught. Beneath their coat sat a sword with a bronze fox head pommel and a matching dagger.
No weapons were allowed in the palace corridors today. Guests had been made to surrender theirs at the grand hall. Even Bastian had left ours in his office. I’d tried slipping his old dagger into a leather garter on my thigh, but it was impossible to hide anything under this clingy fabric. I suspected Bastian had something stashed in a boot, but, officially, no weapons.
As they turned, I dropped their jacket and pushed a friendly, foolish smile on my face like I hadn’t seen.
“What do you want?” they ground out.
“At the race. You helped me, didn’t you? When that tree fell…”
Their eyes narrowed, but they didn’t deny it.
Why did they have the blades? They didn’t look dressed for a wedding, so perhaps they had other business in the palace. Perhaps.
I blinked, realising how long I’d left the silence between us. Too long for someone who wasn’t suspicious. Cocking my head, I shrugged. “I just want to know why.”
They huffed a long breath out through their nose and rolled their eyes. I could almost hear the way they wanted to mutter humans.
“You saved me from the snare. I owed you.”
So they were the fox.
“Then I saved you from the waterfall.”
A transaction. Said like a true fae.
They took a step closer, towering over me. Their arms dropped to their sides, putting their hand close to the hidden weapons. “Now, I owe you nothing.”
My heart stuttered as I took a step back. It was a job to keep my smile empty-headed and bright—thank the gods for long years of practice. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d have done without your help.” I glanced down the corridor. “Well, I’d better get back to the celebrations.”
“You should.” Their jaw tightened as I turned away. I could feel that stare follow me—an itch between my shoulder blades.
It was only once I was out of sight that I allowed myself to frown. It might be nothing—it probably was, but I needed to let Bastian know they were armed and in the palace. For all I knew, they might be one of Dawn’s guards. That would make sense.
It took another couple of turns before I realised I was lost. Dawn’s layout was similar to Dusk’s, but not quite. In running after the fox-haired fae （and trying to ensure my breasts didn’t bounce out of my dress entirely）， I hadn’t paid enough attention.
Still, I hadn’t come far. I just needed to find my way back to the bathroom, then I’d find the ballroom from there.
Left at a familiar hallway, then right. Yes, the bathroom was round the corner from here, I was sure of it.
Just as I reached the end of the corridor, a figure in grey stepped out, continuing straight at the T-junction I was about to turn onto.
Black hair, slate grey leather armour, a cleft chin, he glanced this way, then did a double take and slowed. His hand rested on the hilt of a sword at his belt. A dagger sat beside it.
I sucked in a breath, gaze flicking back to his face, but the skin around his eyes tightened. He’d seen me spot his weapons.
Palace guards didn’t wear grey. Not that shade of it, anyway. And people who lived in the palace didn’t tend to wander around in armour. What were the chances of two armed fae walking the halls for benign reasons?
“Hello, pretty one.” He gave a slow smile as he stalked this way, but his eyes pierced me, intent and calculating. “What are you doing here?”
“Bathroom. But I think I’m a bit lost.” I touched my chest and managed a chuckle that said “silly me” but my heart beat grew heavier and heavier with each step he took.
“Very lost. No one’s supposed to be here.” He cocked his head, gaze skimming over me. It rested on my cleavage.
My fingers tingled, and I curled them into loose fists at my sides, away from his focus on my tits.
“What say I show you back to your friends? You never know what kind of trouble you might get into in the wrong place at the wrong time.” His smile eased, brightening, and I almost believed it.
Almost.
Because he angled his shoulders in that way Bastian did before he drew his blade.
As soon as he reached me, he would attack.
85
Bastian
It felt like Kat was gone for a very long time, but I fully accepted that was down to my infatuation—one minute felt like forever. Between fetching more drinks and deciding to dance, the rest of the group filtered off until Faolán, Rose, and I remained at the back of the ballroom.
She stared off to one side, nursing her drink. Faolán examined his, brow furrowed. I couldn’t stop scanning the room for Kat’s return.
“Oh, hmm. Yes.” Rose craned over the crowd towards the entrance chamber. “I think Perry needs my help over there.” She pointed, but I saw no sign of the woman. “Back shortly.” She flashed me a bright smile before lifting Faolán’s chin and forcing him to meet her gaze. “I’m sure you two have plenty to talk about.” She nudged his chest before slipping away into the crowd.
Once she was gone, I sidled closer to him. “Look, I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry,” he said at the same time.
We laughed, and it was almost like we hadn’t argued.
“No, I’m sorry.” His scowl deepened. “The marriage laws were the only thing that kept Rose safe when she came here—the reason we got married in the first place. It terrified me to think what might’ve happened if…” He shuddered, hand scraping over his chin, which was already stubbled even though he’d been clean-shaven at the start of the ceremony. “Suppose it made me cling to those traditions too hard.”