“You’ll not use her things!” Though he half-shouted it, it was clear the anger had gone out of him. For the first time since the night I’d met him, he looked truly tired.
“If you want me to attend this ball with you, I’ll need something suitable to wear, won’t I? Wouldn’t want to shameCarabosse’s lord captain,“ I said, mocking the Lady de Gorm’s earlier words. I patted his chest as I walked by him, headed out of the room and back into the vast, cool maze of the halls. “Don’t worry,husband. It’s just a bit of harmless enchanting. I’ll even use my own dress, since it matters so much. Kidnapping me has turned out to be terribly convenient for you, hasn’t it?”
I left him in Amarylis’s room, hoping he felt even an ounce of the shame he ought to, but doubting he would. At the very least, once Safira hurried after me he’d be alone with his memories. He might even contemplate what he had done. Was that too much to ask for?
I could not change him, or make him see me, or shake him out of the past when there was averyurgent present toattend to. But neither would I tolerate his bad behavior, nor his interference.
If he wanted a sorceress who could rival the Bride and her death magic, he was getting one.
“Show me to my room, please,” I repeated to a servant. The place was crawling with them, and more than a few looked to be ex-pirates of some kind.
It was time for this fairy godmother to get to work.
Chapter twelve
Jax
PalazzoPrevarianawasresplendenttonight. Every exterior sconce burned with a merry, warm light, every lantern on the sand-swept boulevard lighting the sunken cobbles. Behind the grand whitewashed stucco and gabled roof of the palazzo, a sunset so golden, it was as if the king of pirates had arranged for it, dipped toward the sea.
A cool evening breeze ruffled the fur on Sofie’s collar, the purple velvet cape flowing behind her. She had refused to walk on my arm, keeping her cape pinned close so that I could see no more than the hem of her supposedly enchanted dress.
I reached out, smoothing the fur. Predictably, Sofie jerked her head away, as if afraid I would graze her neck.
I was ashamed of my earlier conduct. Even I hadn’t known how visceral my reaction would be. A gentleman would apologize, profusely.
But I was no gentleman, no matter what I’d promised Sofie.
I wanted to blame it on irritability from a growing megrim, but I knew it was so much more than that.
Sofie was here with me because Amarylis was dead. And that had happened because of me. I could’ve drowned in my shame and regret. But as usual, I would not let myself.
There were so many more adventures to be had. For that is what Sofie had restored in me since the day she made her bargain with me: a sense of adventure as we pursued the treasure and tried to thwart the Bride.
So I should’ve apologized now, and treated her better then. I should have. But instead…
“Is this some kind of Aeglean fashion?” I questioned her, hoping she’d sense the olive branch.
Her sidelong glance was withering. “Aegleans raid to survive and to keep their enemies in check. We’re hardly stealing madder by the vatful and making the color of kings. We aren’t greedypirates.”
“Careful, wife. While I am above your petty insults, you are surrounded by pirates, and not all of them will have such a generous temperament.” I tried to keep my tone even, but truthfully, I was elated we were still on speaking terms after my outburst.
“I’d like to see them try me. Really, I would,” she grumbled. She clutched her cloak a little tighter. “Purple is the Cottage color of Dewspell’s balancers.”
“Cottage? As in, you have a little purple house somewhere?” I knew from her inflection this wasn’t what she meant, but the opportunity to willfully misunderstand her was too entertaining to miss.
As expected, Sofie’s nostrils flared in annoyance. “A Cottage is a sub-house of Dewspell Academy. I belong to House Fairwill. Better known as the fairy godmothers.”
“Naturally.”
Her lids lowered. “It’s not as though we named ourselves that.”
“Simply took up the mantle others appointed. A clear sign you disapprove of the title.”
Sofie rolled her eyes.
“So you know,” I continued cheerily, “I wasn’t asking about textile dyes. I was simply curious whether it’s common in Aegle to overdress for the weather. That must be the cause of that becoming pink flush on your cheeks, and surely not because I look so dashing tonight.”
The color I’d noted on her cheeks darkened to red. If Sofie clasped her cloak any tighter, she’d trip herself.
