Shit. The promise I made to Marus. One I have no intention of keeping.
I promise that if your Miss Montgomery returns to Selene Palace, and I am made aware of her presence, I’ll return her to you…
This is bad.
My lungs begin to tighten, and it takes all my effort to leap from the bed and grab my trousers.
“Franco, please don’t be upset.”
“It’s not you,” I say, voice strained. I pull on my pants, my shirt, gathering the rest of my clothing as fast as I can. “I promise, it isn’t you. There’s something I need to do.”
Ember reaches for me, but my vision is already growing dark at the edges. It pains me to flee like this, but I’m running out of time.
A broken promise is akin to a broken bargain. A lie.
And for a fae, that means death.
I reach for the door. “I’ll be back. I’m sorry.” On unsteady legs, I run down the hall.
* * *
EMBER
I stare at the closed door, perplexed. While I knew he might be surprised by what I had to tell him, his hasty exit was not what I’d been expecting. And yet, he promised it wasn’t me he was upset with. He said he’d be back.
Brow furrowed, I stalk the room, then finally throw open the curtains. The morning light is bright despite the Lunar Court’s perpetual haze, suggesting we slept in quite late. Well, perhapssleepisn’t the most accurate word…
A small smile comes to my lips, and thoughts of his mouth, his body, the pounding of his heart, helps alleviate some of my worry. With a sigh, I open the balcony doors and step between them. It’s my first time standing on my balcony like this with my own face. Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back and breathe in the fresh air, delighting in the absence of bargains. There’s nothing to weigh me down. Nothing to restrain me.
“She has her old face back,” squeals a teasing feminine voice.
I open my eyes, knowing exactly what I’ll find. My three menacing wisp friends dart around me, giggling and pointing.
“She found her destination. I can tell,” says the second female.
“She did, she did!” says the male. “But not his bedroom. Hers! He came to hers! You owe me ten moonstone chips, Deloise.”
“No,” says Deloise, “I’m the one who said he’d come to her last night.”
“Lies!”
“Not a lie. You’re just remembering wrong.”
“We helped, didn’t we?” says the other female. “It was the dance. The dance! I told you we are excellent navigators.”
I shake my head with amusement. “If you’re going to harass me all the time, at least tell me your names.”
“Deloise,” says the first wisp, pointing at herself. Then she points to the other two. “And they are Lila and Jack.”
The male shakes his fist. “It’s Jacque.”
“Jock.”
He draws out the name slower, longer. “Jacque.”
Deloise shrugs. “I don’t see the difference.”
I chuckle. “Well, it’s nice to formally meet you.”
