“I won’t be needing any party costumes,” I said quickly. Too quickly. I needed to pry my fingers away from those pearls.
She gave me a comforting smile. “Of course not. The master has forbidden you to leave your room after dark.”
That brought me up short, remembering what Hadriel had said last night as well. I wasn’t allowed to go out after dark.
Nyfain thought he could rule me, did he? That I would obey him?
Clearly he didn’t realize that Hadriel had given me the key and I could essentially do as I pleased. Maybe I wouldn’t wear a costume, and I damn sure wouldn’t partake in the festivities, but I would definitely leave my room after dark.
I just had to make that demon-be-gone draught first. These demons seemed more powerful than the ones in my village.
The pants were too loose at the waist and short in the leg, with extra room in the crotch and not enough room in the ass. The shirt was hanging off my shoulders and very loose around my neck, tight at my bust and then loose again. This was even after having the binding around my breasts.
“I’m wearing clothes for a male,” I stated.
“Yes, milady. It’s all we have, I’m afraid. Females around here don’t exactly dress…”
She paused, and I knew she was searching for a word that wouldn’t hurt my feelings.
Before I could help by assuring her that I had no feelings, she finished, “For comfort.”
“I’m a bit of a social pariah for dressing how I dress,” I admitted as she refolded the clothes she’d been looking at and shut the drawers.
“That just means you don’t conform to the way you’ve been told to live your life. That takes courage, milady. In these times, we need people with courage. There aren’t enough of them left.”
Humbled, I sat on the edge of the bed and looked out the windows at the breathtaking view. A warm glow infused my heart.
She got me. She wasn’t judging—she was supporting.
She suddenly straightened up and said, “Oh!”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her spin and curtsey. A blast of fresh fragrance assaulted my senses, pine and lilac with a hint of honeysuckle, so delicious I wanted to lick the air. It reminded me of balmy days in the sunshine as a child, memories full of happiness and laughter.
My mood soured.
“Master. Excuse me,” she gushed, and I rolled my eyes. “I was just finishing up, and then I was going to get her ready and take her for lunch and show her the grounds, like you requested.”
Nyfain filled the doorway. He wore a white T-shirt that stretched across the top of his torso and hung loose at his waist. A pair of faded gray jeans were plastered to his thick thighs. People in my village wore fabric trousers almost always, or leather if they could afford it or make it. I hadn’t seen jeans in…a very long time. The fabric was hard to make, labor-intensive, and required expensive machinery—or whatever was used in its place now. Before the curse, I remembered trading for it in the village. Clearly the castle had the means to make it, but not the ability or inclination to trade it to the villages. Given how worn his jeans were, though, clearly they weren’t making it too often.
“Prepare a picnic,” he said curtly. His deep, dark sandpaper voice flowed over me. My animal pumped fire into my blood, awakening my senses. She moved within me, begging to be unleashed.
I hadn’t realized she came with a leash. I wish I could find the fucking thing and tie it to a tree.
“Oh goddess,” Leala said, clutching at her chest and falling against the chest of drawers.
I looked over at her in surprise. A serene smile crossed her face, like she was hugging a long-lost friend. She clearly felt her animal around Nyfain as well, but she seemed to like hers. I was still incredibly wary about mine. I was okay with randomly stabbing dangerous men who lurked in the woods, but not as on board with her other wishes—like randomly dragging said dangerous men on top of me and going to Pound Town.
“Deliver it to the west garden field,” Nyfain said as though her reaction were normal. It probably was.
Garden field? Those were two words I hadn’t expected to be smooshed together.
“Of course, sir.” She attempted another curtsey, but it was awkward and one hand still clutched at her chest. “Excuse me, milady.” She hurried from the room.
A few beats of silence passed. I let them, looking out at the fantastic view. Not one cloud marred the crisp blue sky. From here, the Forbidden Wood didn’t look so dead and twisted. There was still life within it, struggling to hold on. The gaps were indeed other villages. I could see roofs, even from this distance. Right below my window, way down on the ground below, was a forgotten garden, overgrown and tangled with weeds.