“What about why you’re such a butt face? Will you tell me that too?”
“Oh, Evander.” He sighed. “Whatever will I do with you?”
My chin trembled as I lost my sassy façade. “You could start by telling me how to get through this evening in one piece.”
Lupin’s expression fell. “I must ask… what do you intend to wear to the ball?”
“That’s random.” I dropped my leg from the edge of the tub and scrutinized him. All emotion had been locked behind a stoic wall. I couldn’t read him. “Why does that matter?”
“Simple curiosity.” He waved his hand. “Now, enlighten me. Is it the same suit as the autumn ball or something new? A blue suit? Or perhaps ivory?”
“Briar had an ivory one tailored for me,” I answered, confusion deepening. “Why are you so interested in my clothes?”
“As I said. Only curiosity.” He offered me a smile that revealed a glimmer of something tender in his eyes. “Ivory will suit you quite well. Be sure to add a pop of color with a pocket square. It adds a touch of finesse.”
“Um.” I blinked a few times. “Okay. Thanks for the tip?”
“Take care of yourself, Evander. I mean that with my entire heart.” Lupin flipped open the silver watch. “And remember, should you ever find yourself lost, look to the lilies.”
“The lilies? What’s that supposed to—”
He vanished, leaving me alone in the bathroom once again.
“Never fails.” I rubbed at my temples. “He appears, and so does a headache.”
A knock came at the door. “Is all well in there, sir?”
Sounded like Benny.
“Yep!” I scrambled to my feet and quickly flipped on the faucet to fill the tub. “Just, uh, having trouble deciding which soap to use. So many smells to choose from.”
There was a slight pause. “I believe an earthy scent suits you best, sir.”
I smiled and grabbed one of the bottles. “Thanks. I’ll be right out.”
“Of course, sir,” he said from the other side of the door. “Your suit just arrived from the tailor and will be waiting for you.”
Benny then continued down the hall.
My conversation with Lupin replayed in my head as I soaked in the hot water, adding enough soap to create a tub of bubbles. My parents were mages, one light and one dark. And for some reason, it made me special. Well, made my blood special.
Most importantly, I’d learned King Silas really was the one who hired Nocturne. One mystery solved… but so many other questions unlocked.
“No sense in obsessing over it right now.” I gently patted the bubbles. “I’ll get through tonight and worry about that tomorrow.”
If I didn’t fall face-first into one of my many possible doom endings, anyway.
“Having fun, little treasure?”
I squeaked and karate-chopped the bubbles on impulse. “Dammit, Ro. You’ll give me a heart attack one day.”
Chuckling low and sexy, Rowan stepped from the dark corner. “So that was the infamous Lupin. The one who helped bring you back to this world.” He tugged off his tunic and tossed it to join mine on the floor. “He’s prettier than I thought he’d be.”
No surprise he’d been eavesdropping from the shadows. I had to face facts that I was probably never actually alone. My feisty redhead was always close by, watching over me. That thought came with relief, now more than ever.
“Don’t let his looks fool you. Lupin is rotten to his core. A total butthole.”
“Seemed to me like he cares for you.” Rowan stopped at the edge of the tub and unbuckled his belt, sliding it off. “I had my dagger at the ready just in case though.”
