“She might think I am.”
I scratch him under the chin. “If so, then she doesn’t deserve you.”
He releases a heavy sigh. “Bad things could happen.”
“Like what?”
He remains quiet for a few moments, hesitating. Finally, he says, “My kind don’t shift often. Very rarely do fungus sprites take humanoid form. But my parents…” His beady eyes grow haunted.
My heart sinks with dread.
“They shifted regularly and enjoyed their seelie bodies. I was still very young when it happened, but I remember the shark attack. They were swimming in seelie form. All I saw was teeth and blood. The shark never saw me, though. I was left alone.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me this?”
“It’s not a memory I liked to relive. Besides, as I grew older, I realized the fear was unfounded. Seelie form doesn’t always equate to bad things happening. Accidents can occur to anyone.”
“You still should have told me.”
He shrugs. “Now it seems we’ve both landed on subjects neither of us want to talk about.”
I give him a sad smile.
“We should get dinner,” he says. “Let’s get out of the theater for a while, breathe fresh air.”
My stomach plummets. There’s a reason I’ve stayed in my room all day, and I intend to do the same until well after midnight. I want to avoid any chance that I could hear word from Salvation Street, the spread of rumors that Brother Dorian has selected his beautiful bride. Tonight is the last night of the competition. I made the mistake of venturing outdoors earlier this morning only to overhear strains of conversation that included the wordsBrother DorianandBlessing Ceremony. That’s all it took to send me darting back to the theater. I don’t want to know who was sent home last night. It doesn’t matter. There’s no doubt about who he’ll choose.
For a while, I stupidly thought Dorian might cancel the competition. He heard what Zara said about him being welcome on the isle. He doesn’t need a bride or religious sanctuary. He’s free to apply for citizenship, and the Alpha Council is prepared to grant it. Well, aside from Nimue.
Then again, he made a promise to Father Viktor. Took vows as a brother of Saint Lazaro. As wary as he may have been to join their ranks, I know he feels beholden to the church now. They saved his sisters from the workhouse. They secured the girls’ place as his heirs.
Dorian will do the honorable thing.
He’ll finish the pageant and marry Vanessa.
And I will do my best to harbor no resentment as I meet my fate at sunrise.
Podaxis lets out a grumbling sigh. “You’re really going to shut yourself in here all night?”
I nod.
“Then at least let me bring you some food.”
I haven’t had much of an appetite, but if it gets Podaxis to stop pacing and staring at me for a short time, then I suppose I can humor him. “Sure. See if Nadia wants anything too. Maybe the two of you can go together.”
He brightens at that and tries to sound nonchalant as he says, “Oh, all right.”
After he leaves, I slump back in bed, enjoying the aching solitude. Being alone conjures far too many thoughts in my mind. Good and bad. Memories of the past and fears over my future.
I know what I must do tomorrow, but—
A knock sounds at my door. It isn’t Podaxis, for he would leap for the handle and turn it himself. I wait for whoever is on the other side to either announce themselves or leave, but the knock sounds again. With a frown, I slip from my bed and stride across the tiny bedroom to my door. My breath catches in my throat as I open it to reveal the last face I thought I’d see on the other side.
Dorian.
41
My heart does a flip in my chest as I stare at the man before me. Dorian is dressed the same as he was when I took him to the boxing match—dark trousers, shirtsleeves, and cap—which makes me question if his presence is all in my head. Surely, he wouldn’t really be here.
