An hour passed before I gave up entirely and made my way upstairs. Col had given me free rein of the residence and encouraged me to lose myself in a book from his personal library on the third floor. I’d kept to the common areas on the first floor and my bedroom and bathing room on the second. But with nothing else to do and nobody around, I climbed upwards, hopeful of finding a book to help in my endeavors.
At the top of the stairs, a single black-stained door stared at me, and my stomach fluttered. I’d gotten to know Col better, but going into his room felt profoundly personal, especially when doing so in his absence. Nerves nearly made me retreat, but I turned the silver knob and pushed the door open.
The room was massive, taking up the entire floor. Large glass windows adorned the ceiling, opening the space to thenight sky. The hanging moon cast lines and shadows, my vision adjusting to the low-lit area. An attached bathing room lay partially exposed behind a half-opened door.
The floor creaked as I walked in; I hesitated, my heart racing. A large bed sat on the right, with wenge wood side tables flanking it. Partially melted candles and several books decorated one table, while the other remained empty. I stepped to the bed and ran my hand over the fluffy gray bedding, picking up a thick silk-covered pillow. Bringing it to my nose, I breathed in Col’s familiar salty wood scent that I’d started to crave when he was away.
I roamed the cavernous space, finding an L-shaped library of bookcases on the far side of the room. Some of the leather spines were in pristine condition, while others stood frayed and discolored. Their wear showed their history and perhaps the miles they traveled to make their way into his hands. A wide gray chair, similar to the one downstairs, sat in the adjacent corner near a tall window.
The room wasn’t overly decorated, with the walls nearly bare. A red brick fireplace took up a portion of the wall across from the bed, and a large map hung over a long rectangular desk. Stacks of books littered the room, some sat open while others lay closed with placeholders sticking out between pages. A book on Rivale caught my eye, and I considered whether it was a current read or something he’d started prior to his most recent trip to the kingdom.
I slid my finger under the front leather cover and flipped it open. My eyes went wide seeing a single pink peony hidden within. The flower lay flat and dried, its petals pristine and intact.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” Col’s gravelly voice breathed behind me.
My body went rigid. I was caught not only in his room, but snooping through his belongings, and there was no way toexplain my way out of it. Ryder had thrown me into the hall naked when I’d done the same; thank the Divine I at least had my clothes on this time.
“I’m sorry.” I turned, the front of our bodies meeting and knocking me back against the desk. “I was bored and came up here to look for a book and?—”
“Why are you apologizing?” Col scanned my face. “You’re welcome to all I have, here or otherwise.”
My breath picked up as we remained motionless. I was sure he could hear my heart pounding in my chest. “You kept the peony from the garden at Sutton Castle,” I said, putting my hand on the desk behind me to balance.
“Yes.” His voice was nearly a whisper. “Ask me why.”
I swallowed and looked away.
The warmth of his hand cupped my cheek as he gently brought my gaze back to him. “Please don’t look away from me—ask why.”
“Why?” I murmured, nearly losing the ability to hold myself up under his weighted gaze.
“Because from the moment you turned around, I knew you were special. Not only because you’d conjured something so beautiful from rotted land, but because I too found something beautiful among a castle of corruption.”
My dry throat ached as breath struggled to find its way to my lungs.
“I had to know you, and I wasn’t sure I’d get the opportunity in Rivale.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “Coming to Kuroden’s aid wasn’t the only reason I brought you here. I needed you here. Needed to know you.”
I waited for his lips to meet mine, but he merely grazed them over my mouth and then stepped back.
“I want to show you something,” he said, interlacing his fingers with mine.
The townhouse was quiet as he led me down the stairs andto the entryway. Amalee and the others still hadn’t returned, and I'd seen less and less of Fisher. Col handed me a flight jacket and pulled me outside, where Zalzre and Dysis waited in the street.
“Ride with me?” He guided me to Zalzre and gestured to my wyvern. “She’s along for the company—unless you’d rather ride on your own?”
I shook my head and climbed up, with Col settling in behind me a moment later. Not waiting, I reached for his hand and pressed it into my stomach. A low, approving hum rumbled in his chest.
The air was chilly, but with the heat of the man behind me, I stayed perfectly warm. A blanket of stars shone so bright, some looked close enough to reach out and touch. Dysis stayed at our side as we descended into the void.
A blackened cave provided an eerie welcome as we dismounted. The scent of damp rock filled my nose as we stood at a looming entrance. Col reached into a rusted trunk and retrieved a torch. Striking a piece of flint, he brought embers to life and illuminated a tall, narrow path.
He took my hand in his and led me forward. “There was a moment I saw you in the workshop,” he said. The flickering flame illuminated the amber hue in his eyes. “It was the first time I truly saw you smile, and I knew I needed to bring you here.”
I flinched and stopped walking, recalling Ryder’s demands that day. Shame washed over me as I remembered how I’d acted. The moment my mother died, I vowed to fight against everything the royals stood for, yet crumbled the instant I felt actual pressure from one.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Col asked, as my hand slipped from his. “What—” He turned and faced me. “Shit, I didn’t even think my words through.”
I shook my head. “It’s fine.”
