“But Stellon said you are both of bonding age now, and that’s what the First Night Ball and all those socials that followed it were for—finding suitable Elven noblewomen to marry.”
“Got Fae high society all figured out, have you?” he asked.
I didn’t respond, chastened. Right. None of my business.
I had to know one more thing though.
“I suppose he’s getting married today… to the daughter of that lord—I can’t remember which one.”
“Degan Lalor. Lord of Windros.”
“Is she beautiful?” I asked, though really, was the answer going to make me feel any better?
“Lady Glenna? Of course,” Pharis said. “She’s Elven.”
A sudden hollowness in my chest made it difficult to breathe.
After a pause he said, “But not as beautiful as you.”
The hollowness filled with tingling shock. My head jerked around, but all I could see looking back over my shoulder was the underside of his jaw.
Pharis didn’t look down at me, and he didn’t laugh to indicate that he was joking, just kept his eyes trained on the horizon.
Weird.A strange, fluttery sensation raced across my midsection.
“You said Stellon knows where I am?” I asked.
Pharis’ tone hardened and darkened. “I didn’t say that. I said my brother and sister know what I’m doing. He doesn’t know where you are, and he never will.”
Softening his tone again, he said, “Stellon made me promise not to tell him where you were, so he—”
I cut him off, saying it before he could. “So he can get over me. I know.”
It was over. It was really and truly over.
Blinking rapidly, I tried to stem the flow of tears I felt threatening to overrun my eyelids. I wouldnotlet Pharis see me cry.
Already, I was so far in his debt it made my stomach ache—I didn’t want to also humiliate myself in front of him.
We were quiet for a while as he searched the untamed terrain for a hiding spot. Pointing to a tight clump of trees, he said, “There. That’ll do,” and urged Cimmerian in that direction.
Ruby followed until we reached it.
“But won’t the search party be able to spot us in here?” I asked.
“Not as easily as they would if we stay out in the open any longer.”
He dismounted and helped me from the horse then pulled something from the saddle bag.
“And not with this.”
It was a large piece of fabric. When he shook it, there was a slight popping noise, and it formed itself into a triangular shape. He set it on the ground between the trees.
“It’s a tent,” I said in surprise.
“Not just a tent,” he said. “A camouflaged tent. It’s made of a special weave that allows it to blend in with the surroundings. You’ll wait inside it with your family until nightfall.”
“And you? And the horses?”
