A Kiss of Shadow (Court of Starlight and Darkness #2)(36)

He’d been an ice king for centuries. I’d known it, but now, the knowledge just made me sad. Desperately, terribly sad. “You must have been so lonely, all those years without anyone. Not so much as a hug.”

He looked down at me, something flickering in his eyes. It was almost a…softness, maybe. Then he looked away.

I shook my head. What was I thinking, trying to have conversations like this with him? There was something inside me that pushed to know more about him. To grow closer to him.

That something was downright stupid.

“I’m going to get a shower.” I turned and walked away, determined not to look back. “I’ll see you tonight before dinner.”





13





Sia



* * *



The shower was amazing, of course. A waterfall that had appeared to be natural flowed from a rock wall in a nook made entirely of glass. I’d been able to look out over the lake while letting the hot water pour over me.

It would have been perfect if not for the creepy clouds. I turned my attention to the orchids that climbed up the rock walls, their pink and white blooms making me feel like I was in the jungle.

Being a fae queen might come with more death threats than I was comfortable with, but there were some perks.

When I’d finished showering, I wrapped myself in the soft robe that hung outside the shower door and left the bathroom. The bedroom was empty, as I’d expected it to be, and someone had laid out a dress while I’d been in the shower.

“Ninja maid,” I murmured as I walked toward the emerald fabric. “Here and gone before I realized.”

I was grateful for her work, though. I didn’t have the first clue about what to wear in a fae court.

I ran my fingers over the soft fabric of the long dress. The design was simple, a beautiful green garment embellished with gold embroidery. The square neckline and tight sleeves had a medieval flare, and the skirt was light and flowy. I slipped it on, sighing at the silken caress of the gown, then turned to the mirror.

With my curls around my shoulders, I looked like a fairytale princess.

I was a fairytale princess.

So weird.

I headed to the door, opening it to find Eve and Meria standing on the other side, still dressed in the outfits they’d worn earlier.

Eve raised her brows. “Don’t you look fancy.”

“I feel fancy. And like I probably wouldn’t be able to outrun danger.”

“Doubtful.” Eve crouched down, running her hands over the folds of the skirt. “The king wouldn’t put you in something dangerous. This material has been enchanted to stay out of your way when you’re running or fighting.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Feel it.”

I leaned down and ran my palms over the soft green fabric. I’d thought it felt a little strange around my legs. Now that I was focusing on it with my palm—which was far more sensitive than my calves—I could feel the faintest spark of magic.

“Wow.”

Eve grinned and stood. “Yep. Pretty cool to have the royal tailor working for you.”

“Are magical clothes common?”

“For the fae, definitely,” Meria said. “They’re a specialty of ours.”

“Where are you headed?” Eve asked.

“To get you guys, then go exploring.”

“What about Lore?”

“We’re on the same team now. Both planning to look for whoever is attacking me. For the afternoon, we’ve decided to split up to see what we can find.”

“I like that plan,” Eve said. “He’s a pain in the ass, but it’s better if we all work together. Chances of success go way up.”

“And I like that it will be just the three of us today,” Meria said. “Maybe we can find out more about the violet-eyed woman.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” I said. “I hope we run into her.”

“Let’s go find out.” Meria turned and started down the hall.

Eve and I followed, descending the stairs to the main entry hall. It had cleared out, the fae who’d been mingling having departed for their quarters or the grounds.

“Let’s go outside,” I said. “People might be stretching their legs after the long train ride.”

“I could use some fresh air anyway.” Meria looked around the entry hall. “Places like this give me hives. Too fancy.”

“You would have made a terrible queen,” Eve said.

“Most certainly.” She gave us each a little push forward. “Now let’s go.”

We strode across the entry hall and exited onto the stairs that led down to the grounds. The gardens stretched out in front of us, perfectly manicured with beds of flowers arranged around fountains and statues. I spotted an enormous tangle of hedges to the right. A group of red-haired fae walked through a gate and into the maze.

I nodded toward them. “What do you think that’s about?”

Eve shrugged. “Not sure, but if I wanted to have clandestine meetings, that’s where I would go.”

“Then let’s have a stroll.” I hurried down the stairs.

The clouds roiled overhead, lower than ever. They felt like they were pulling on me, and the sensation sent a wave of nausea into my gut.