The bedroom was regal but simple. Deep shades of indigo with silver accents caught the fading daylight from tall windows. A massive four-poster bed dominated one wall, its dark wood carved with the same frost-petal motifs I'd seen throughout the castle. The bedding was crisp and perfectly arranged, not a single wrinkle marring the deep blue coverlet.
Bookshelves lined another wall, the books organized with obsessive precision—spines aligned, heights graduated, everything in its proper place. The desk and bureau on the other wall were also perfectly ordered. A trunk sat open near the foot of the bed, partially packed with neatly folded clothing. Kai’s scent permeated everything in this space, wrapping around me like phantom arms and making my stomach twist.
Thea stepped in alongside me. “The servants will be back in a moment to finish the packing. He likes the sleigh completely ready to go before he even goes down to the stable so he can work to the last minute.”
I nodded but didn’t budge. Anger fueled me as I glanced around, deciding exactly what I wanted to take from him.
Thea looped her arm through mine and leaned in close to my ear. “The one good thing about him being so orderly is that he always notices when something is missing or out of alignment. I’ll steal something of his from his study to let him know we aren’t happy with him. Something small. He’ll know why I did it.”
My eyes widened. Was that a Day Fae tradition? What were the chances of someone else having a tradition so similar to my family's? It had to be because of the fae connection.
She smiled as she pulled me back. “Come on. Let’s get you to your room. You’ll feel much better after a hot bath.”
I couldn’t sense my body as I followed her out of the room toward my own. “You don’t have to take something. I don’t want you to get into trouble.”
She shrugged and pushed open the door to my room. "Oh, it won’t be the first time I’ve done it. I steal certain things so he knows that he’s done wrong and that it’s me. He won't punish me. The worst he'll do is grumble and glare. Maybe demand extra precision or something. But honestly, aggravating him is half the fun."
I entered the room and froze.
Softer shades of blue and lavender swept across the space, the colors blending like the sky at twilight. The bed was smaller than Kai's but no less elegant and was dressed in pale violet linens with silver embroidery along the edges. The furniture was simpler, too—a wardrobe of light wood, a writing desk positioned near the window, a cushioned chair by a smallfireplace where flames already crackled. The motifs here were all dusk, with crescent moons and stars carved into the headboard, woven into the rug beneath my feet, etched into the frame of the mirror on the wall. No frost. No ice. Just the gentle promise of evening.
"This is beautiful," I breathed, stepping farther inside.
Thea beamed. "I thought you might like it. The dusk rooms are my favorite. They're warmer somehow, even though the colors are cool." She crossed to a door on the far wall and pushed it open, revealing a washroom beyond. Steam curled through the doorway, carrying the scent of something floral and clean. "The bath is already drawn, but if you need more hot water, just turn the tap on the left. The aqueducts run beneath the castle, and there's an enchantment that heats the water as it flows. Just don’t add sulfur if you happen to have any."
“Why would I have sulfur? Wait.” I stared at her. "You have hot running water?"
"Of course." She laughed a little. "Life would be a wretched misery without it. And I don’t know what minerals and additives are common for you. You aren’t from around here."
A laugh escaped me. "Where I come from, that's considered pretty advanced plumbing. I guess I'm just relieved. I figured we’d have to heat up the water and haul it up here. Don’t worry. I don’t have sulfur.”
“Well, if times become dire, we might. For now though, we are blessed by Fate.” Her expression softened as she studied my face. "Rest. Enjoy the bath. I'll have food sent up, and if you need anything at all, just pull the cord by the bed. Someone will come. And…as far as things you should know, I would tell you that Kai protects those under his care. That includes everyone in this kingdom. He is, however, an enormous ass when it comes to articulating his feelings."
A startled laugh escaped me.
She dipped her head forward and smiled. “Please enjoy your bath. I’m sure I will see you soon.” She squeezed my arm gently before slipping out, the door clicking shut behind her.
I stood alone in the quiet room with the crackle of the fire and the distant murmur of castle activity the only sounds. The steam from the washroom called to me, promising relief for muscles that felt like they'd been beaten with rocks. But there was one thing I needed to do before I could truly relax. Something that tugged at me, and I already knew exactly what it was.
Needing to move before the servants took Kai his trunk, I cracked my door open. Footsteps grew fainter, as if someone had just come and gone. There was no sign of anyone here now.
As much as I appreciated Thea’s offer to steal a little something to let Kai know her feelings, I needed to do something myself. But what I took wouldn’t be something innocuous. I’d do it Aunt Maureen’s way. I needed to make sure he knew it was me and that it stung.
I slipped out of the hallway and past the open double doors of his room. The trunk was still half packed, and I lifted the clothing to check for items inside. I wouldn’t take something that would hurt him, even though he deserved it. As I scanned, I found his weird gray boxers underneath a cloak.
A wicked idea occurred to me.
I removed all his boxers and then darted back to the door and shut it. Then I slid off my boots and pants before shimmying out of my light turquoise panties. I pulled my pants back on and tucked my panties where his boxers had been.
I beamed. That ought to send a message. If he wasn’t going to talk to me, at least I knew he’d be thinking of me. Refusing to talk to me was a bitch move anyway, so he could just wear these panties instead of his boxers.
Cackling inwardly, I scooped up his boxers and my boots, ran back to my room, and closed the door. I shoved his boxers under my mattress and stripped down. Within seconds, I immersed myself in the hot water, soaking up to my neck.
My muscles relaxed, and my anger faded. I’d get justice soon, which made me feel even more settled.
The long soak definitely improved my mood, and Thea was true to her word about sending me up a hot meal: roasted chicken with parsley potatoes and mashed turnips with green herbs that looked like rosemary and tasted like chives. Little hand pies with a red jelly inside that tasted like a mix of blueberries and peaches for dessert.
After the bath and food, I curled up in the bed. Things hadn’t ended the way I’d hoped with Kai today, but I’d gotten some satisfaction.
