Too late for that.
25
STARFIRE
Elwen pinned another flower on my head.
I shifted, wincing as the movement tugged at where the rune burned.
“Perfect.” She stepped back, admiring her work.
If only she knew I’d be dead in days if I didn’t escape tonight.
My hair was teased into a braid, strung with flowers, and my lips dabbed with a bright red color. And the dress—I’d never seen anything so gorgeous. The bodice was midnight silk with black embroidery. The skirt flared from the hips, the colors rippling like firelight.
A stunning neckline, if completely impractical. The lack of straps left my shoulders bare, and the fabric dipped low in the front. So low, it made running an impossible task. Exactly the kind of thing Kairos would pick to make sure I stayed put.
Gods, he was good.
I met Elwen’s gaze. “You didn’t have to do all this, but…thank you.”
“Do you like it?”
I sighed. “I love it.”
Rheya wouldn’t have lasted five minutes in this chair before squirming, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Let them fuss over me. The warm water, the gentle hands, being treated like I mattered—it felt like something I’d lost a long time ago. Maybe I should’ve hated being dolled up like a prize. I didn’t.
Elwen’s face lit up. “I’m glad. You deserve to feel beautiful.”
“It’s almost too much.”
“Not at all. Kairos picked it out.”
I played with a strand on my neck. “Really?”
“Yes. He said he wanted you to look like the night sky swallowed a flame.”
“He did?”
She grinned. “Of course not. He pointed at a swatch of fabric and grunted, but I’ve known him long enough to translate.”
I chuckled, warmth blooming in my chest. He’d chosen this for me. I touched the fabric, picturing his hands on it. Had he been thinking about tonight? Anticipating what I’d look like?
Stop.
“What was Kairos like before he got captured?”
“Kairos was a male we followed without question. The people adored him. Even before Father married Kairos’s mother.”
“So…you and Kairos aren’t related by blood.”
“No. He came with his mother when they fled Caelir. He didn’t speak for weeks. Not until Father handed him a blade and made him earn his place.”
“And he did?”
“Faster than anyone expected.”
“Then how did Skaldir capture him?”
