ChapterThirty-Six
“They’ve reached a decision.” It was Coral at the door. She folded her arms and leaned in the doorway as her eyes rolled in slow horror over my rumpled, day-old clothes. “You’llobviouslywant to change first.”
I didn’t care how I looked, but the truth was, I’d just woken, and my thoughts still felt scattered. I could use a few moments to center my head before facing the others. The dream was still so fresh.Black Ember’s face. The sunlight warmth that still reverberated in my body from his touch.
“Right,” I choked out. “Give me a minute.”
She started to protest as I swung the door closed in her face, but it shut before I could see her total indignation. I’m sure she was already mentally sifting through my wardrobe and planning to dress me up like a doll, but I was tired of being a plaything to the fae.
I pulled out the first thing I found in the overnight bag the Sun Court fae had packed for me, which turned out to be a golden sleeveless gown with a gathered pattern around the chest. I tugged it on over my bra and panties, then took a few moments in the bathroom to run my fingers through my tangled hair. The fae had packed a makeup bag for me, too, which said a lot about their skewed priorities.A hostage in a tense rivalry between fae courts…naturally, she’ll want eyeliner.
I rubbed a little blush into my cheeks and swiped on some mascara in an attempt to make myself look more awake. I didn’t want SevernorBlack Ember to take one look at my flushed cheeks and guess that I’d woken up drenched in lust after an alarmingly sexy dream.
When I opened the door, Coral gave me a more approving look. “They’re waiting on the back deck.”
The back deck, it turned out, was a sprawling pavilion overlooking the valley, complete with two fire pits, an entire outdoor kitchen, and sumptuous wooden furniture with woven cushions. Jack and several members of his werewolf pack sat around one of the fire pits, sipping coffee; for as casual as they looked, I could feel the tension rippling off of them. They were hosting a dangerous parlay that could break into violence at any moment.
Severn and Black Ember sat at either end of an outdoor dining table that could accommodate at least fourteen people. Puck rested at Black Ember’s feet, which instantly made me feel uneasy again. It was wrong—he was supposed to be loyal toSevern.
When Coral and I stepped out onto the deck, the fae princes both stood.
A memory of my dream flashed behind my eyes, mirroring Black Ember’s face, but I shoved it out of mind and sought out Severn. I frantically scanned the lines of his face, the papers and books on the table, anxious for any clues about what had happened with the negotiations.
I took a hesitant step forward in the sky-high heels the fae had packed for me, wobbling slightly, betraying my nerves. Puck barked happily and ran to wind around my ankles.
Severn pushed his chair back and strode across the deck with all the determination of a hungry wolf. When he reached me, he swept me into his arms with an almost violent strength. His lips crashed down on mine, less a sign of affection and more a declaration to everyone that I washis.
After the kiss, I eased back slightly from his grasp to search his eyes. “The negotiations…?”
“Done,” he said tightly. I had no idea what he’d had to sacrifice to get me back, and he didn’t seem inclined to tell me. “It’s over. We leave for New York immediately.”
A shuddering wave of relief rippled through me, threatening to steal the strength from my legs. But a second before I stumbled, Severn supported me with one arm around the waist.
“You mean it?” I said, voice rising. I hadn’t realized until that moment how tightly wound my muscles had been. It was only now that I had this glimmer of hope that they eased their tight hold. “It’s really over?”
Severn’s eyes shifted imperceptibly over my shoulder to where Black Ember stood. “I’ve agreed not to remove the iron chain around my wrist until we board my plane. They fear what I’ll do if I have my magic back. But yes, it’s over. You’re free.”
I felt myself angling toward Black Ember almost as though pulled by an invisible string. I’d hardly exchanged five words with him, and yet he held so much power over both Severn and me.
“It’s over,” I repeated aloud, not sure if I was reassuring myself or asking a question to Black Ember.
The deck roof shadowed black Ember’s gray eyes. Light from the nearby fire pit flickered over his body, casting him half in that warm light, the other in deep shade. “Severn and I reached an agreement,” he said. “You are no longer bound to me by force.” He seemed to choose his words carefully.
There was no malice in his words. No sign of deception—and in fact, as a fae, hecouldn’tlie. So why did I feel like there was more he wasn’t saying?
My body felt uncomfortably warm.
Something is wrong. It’s too easy.
I tilted up my chin to face Severn, letting my fears spill across my features. Then, in a whisper, I said, “I don’t trust him.”
“That’s wise,” Severn said in an equally quiet voice. “But you don’t need to trust him. You only need to trust the deal we struck.”
Hesitantly, I asked, “What exactly did you agree to?”
He shook his head, though I saw the flash of apprehension in his eyes. “Don’t worry yourself about that. We’ll discuss it later.”
His hand found the small of my back, his touch more tender now and less a proclamation of his relationship to me. His turquoise eyes turned a softer shade of blue, and I felt myself melting into the reassurances he was offering.
