“It was quite the undertaking. I almost abandoned it. But I didn’t want to do something scandalous. Humans seem to have stricter rules for clothing than elves do.”
Mother’s words from before the wedding about the elven delegation’s scandalous clothing fill Rominy’s head, and he sighs. “You’re not wrong.”
He studies the hooks. There’s no way to do this without touching her. Does she want him to touch her?
“The maid usually loosens the laces first,” Elowyn says as she turns her back toward him.
That makes sense. He reaches for the laces running from her upper back to her waist. His fingers barely cooperate as he loosens the ties and tugs at the strings.
It’s like unlacing a boot. That’s all. No big deal.
Stars above.
How can she be so hot? It’s as if the warmth is emanating from her entire body.
“That’s loose enough,” she says over her shoulder.
Now what? Can she undo the hooks herself?
Before he can ask her, she grits her teeth and pulls the top hooks apart. Her breathing is shallow, and pain fills her eyes.
“Elowyn, stop. Let me.”
Swaying, she nods, and he makes quick work of the remaining hooks. With the laces loosened, he manages not to touch her as he does it. Soon, all that’s left is her shift. She can probably sleep in that, right?
He’s about to ask her when she mumbles something in Elvish. Thank you, perhaps? Her eyes are glassy, and she looks pale.
Her arm shouldn’t hurt that badly. This doesn’t seem normal.
When she stumbles forward, he tosses the corset aside and catches her, lifting her to his chest.
“Elowyn, what’s going on?”
“I’m fine. Just a bit dizzy.”
She feels like fire in his arms, and he eyes her skeptically. “Maybe I should send for the doctor.”
She shakes her head. “I’m just tired. I’ll be myself again after a good night’s sleep. Thank you for catching me.” Her voice is breathy and pained, with the occasional Elvish word mixed with the Nunian.
She doesn’t sound fine, but he doesn’t argue.
“Let’s get you to bed,” he says. He carries her across the room and gently lowers her to the mattress, pulling back the covers before drawing them over her. Her normallyvibrant skin has a grayish cast, but maybe that’s just from the poor lighting.
He sits at the edge of the bed and gazes down at her, and she sends him a weak smile as her eyelids flutter against her cheeks. In no time at all, she’s asleep.
What in the world just happened? Should he send for the doctor?
Maybe she’s right and she just needs sleep. It was an eventful day, and she did lose all that blood.
Unsure what else to do, Rominy strips to his own underclothes, not bothering to find the nightclothes he wore on the train, and crawls into bed beside Elowyn.
For a while, he watches her slumber, but when his eyes droop, he gives in to his own need for sleep.
What Is This Place?
Episode 53
Theblaringofatrain whistle startles Cerian awake, and he flails at the velvet bench.
