Brielle. I would talk to Brielle. I lifted up the medallion. “Ephaltes has been using this to control people, to make them disagree with Bylur. In the meetings, it only worked on the people sitting closest to him, but today he bought something that let it reach more people, everyone in the room.”
“Almost everyone,” Bylur corrected. He took the medallion from my hands and probed it with shadows, then nodded. “Yes. It is an artifact designed to sway the opinion of fae. It did not affect Auria because she is human. The magnifying artifact he acquired, as well as the portal artifact both remain problematic. But we will not let them interrupt our evening any longer.”
He waved at the orchestra, the music started, and the chatter on the floor rose like nothing had happened.
Fae were strange.
* **
The ball finally ended well after midnight, and Bylur walked to our rooms with me. A thick, rolling thunder shook through the open window in our bedroom, making my arms shiver without permission.
Bylur stepped in front of me and wrapped his arms around my back. I leaned against his chest. “I can’t hide in your arms for the entire thunderstorm.”
“Why not?” He rubbed my back. “We have nowhere else to be, and you just saved my council.” His voice lowered, and he bent closer to my ear. “Fae balls usually go until dawn, but I ended ours early because I was hoping to hold you before I turned into a bear.”
Thunder shook the air again, and I burrowed against his chest. “I don’t even have a good reason to be upset by thunderstorms. They just feel like extra horrible darkness.”
His featherlight shadows wrapped around us, like a blanket, filling all the spaces where he wasn’t hugging me. “I thought we agreeddarkwasn’t so bad.”
I shook my head. “Your darkness isn’t bad. Your shadows feel safe now. But a dark sky?” I shuddered as the thunder hit again.
He rubbed my arms. “Let me take off this mask and hold you in the bed. As a nightmare prevention tactic. You don’t want to dream about dark places.”
I nodded and stepped away from him. When he let go of me, I assumed he took off his mask, so I did the same. He kept his shadows close enough to me that they brushed against my arms every time I moved. The storm had blocked any light that normally came infrom the moon or stars, but Bylur’s shadows made me feel bolder than normal. “If you’re going to declare war on my nightmares, maybe we should try some more tactics.”
He was at my side again, cradling my face in his hand and brushing my cheek with his thumb. “You don’t think holding you while you fall asleep will be enough?”
I leaned into his hand. “I… wouldn’t mind adding some more tools to our arsenal. Would you go to war with only one tactic?”
“No,” he whispered, bending closer and kissing the corner of my mouth. “Should we try something… like this?” He breathed the words against my cheek.
“Yes,” I whispered against his skin. I turned my lips to find his, relaxing into his gentle touch and warm hold.
As we kissed, the last pieces of my own fears about Bylur melted away. I trusted him entirely, and I wanted so much more for us than the original contract we’d made. And the way he held me, the way his shadows sang in my heart, the way he’d told everyone he cared about me—I knew he wanted more too.
The key he’d given me warmed against my chest, and I felt a rush of emotion from Bylur. Love, hope, appreciation, hesitation, a desire to protect, and a desire to keep—it was all there, just waiting for me to accept. No criticism. No judgement. No annoyance. Ifeltit all, felt it in my heart and lungs and whatever soul I possessed. For a moment, I was as connected to Bylur’semotions as my own. I relaxed into them, into the feeling of being wanted and seen and calm and comforted.
I was so relaxed in his arms that I forgot about the storm. When the next round of thunder shook the very shadows that swirled around us, I jumped. Literally. The thick sound rocked me, violently bringing me back to the thunderous reality outside.
My eyes flew open as a streak of lightning shot across the sky and filled our room.
And I saw Bylur.
Not just Bylur.
No. I saw his face.
I clenched my eyes shut and threw a hand to my mouth. Was it all over now?
He wrapped one hand around the side of my face, and tugged my hand away from my mouth. His thumb pads gently brushed my eyelids. “Open your eyes, Auria. Look at me.”
My eyes found his—bright blue orbs filled with… with love.
“I’ve ruined everything,” I whispered, “haven’t I?” One terrible, startling sound, and I forgot to keep my eyes closed.
“No,” he whispered. “It wasn’t your fault the lightning came when it did. This was always a fool’s hope, but in risking it, I’ve had the most wonderful moments of my life.” A tear leaked out of my eye, and he wiped it off my cheek with his thumb. “I hope—” His voice turned hoarse. “I hope it hasn’t been bad for you.”
I shook my head. “Youare the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I was so, so sure I could break your curse. I wanted—”
