I open my door wide, and she sweeps inside with a smile, her gaze falling to the thin slip of a night dress I wear.
“Are you receiving all your visitors dressed like that?” she teases with a knowing smile, as she falls into a large chair by the fire, turning to peak over its back at me.
My cheeks heat for what feels like the thousandth time since dawn when I deflect, “Only you.” And I turn on my heel to gather my robe from the floor.
“And Xeyvian?” She quirks an eyebrow at me as I cinch the robe tightly around my waist. “I passed him in the hall on my way here.”
“He was just here to check that Caden’s work met with his exactingstandards,” I say, wishing I felt as annoyed as I try to sound, but my head is still spinning from everything that occurred between us.
“Are you fully healed?” she asks, a bit of concern reaching her brow as she looks me over.
“It certainly seems that way. Does the healing always hurt like that?”
I have never been healed by a feyn before, nor have I heard tales by others who had. While the pain hadn’t been unbearable, I would certainly think twice about using it for anything unnecessary.
“Not always,” she says, “the pain often correlates to the severity of the wound. But not all bodies react to gifts the same way. If you’d been of Caden’s bloodline, you’d likely have felt nothing at all.”
“Excellent,” I snark, “As I have no feyn blood in me I’ll expect it to hurt like haliel every time.”
“Maybe you could simply avoid the necessity of a healer,” she quips with a small laugh.
“I’ll try that,” I chuckle.
The fire crackles behind her and her brow dips speculatively when she says, “I wouldn’t fault you, you know? If you and Xeyvian become something more. I’d even encourage it.”
My feet move of their own accord across the room, without any thought or destination. This isn’t the visit I expected to have with her. Though I suppose none of my visits have gone as expected this evening.
“I have wondered if there was something between the two of you,” she continues even as I begin to protest. “I wasn’t sure until I saw the look on Xey’s face when you ran off into the forest.”
“What look?” I ask, drawing the latch from one of the large windows on the southern wall, pushing it open, and breathing in a lungful of much needed air.
“Fear,” she says, and my gut twists. “He was afraid of what might happen to you in the forest. If I had any doubts after that, they were all gone when I saw how angry he became at Caden for letting you ride in pain when he could have healed you. That and the fact that he wouldn’t let you out of his sight on the way back to the palace. Very unlike him. He’s never been the type to fuss unnecessarily.”
I fan myself with my hand, leaning into the cool spring breeze blowing in from the sea when I say, “I suppose you think I should be flattered that he’d like me as a lover for the season?”
“Did he say that?” she asks, and I turn to find a look of shock on her face that matches her tone.
“Not in so many words.”
“It would surprise me if he had,” she says, “Xey has never been the type to fall into fleeting friendships.”
“Only fleeting bedfellows?” I quirk an eyebrow at her, and she shrugs.
“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never known the male to take a lover. Stars know plenty have tried, and failed, in pursuit of him. Though I can’t pretend to know everything about him. We all have secrets of our own.”
I don’t tell her just how aware I am of that simple fact.
“Call me cynical,” I say, “but I can’t help but wonder what interest a high-ranking, powerful feyn could have inme.”
“Handsome,” Awri adds with a cheeky smile, “You forgot handsome and well-connected.”
“I’m sure you’re only helping prove my point,” I sigh.
She hoists herself out of the chair and strides over to the window to stand by my side.
“I didn’t come to convince you of his character,” she says, taking my hand in her own. “Only to check on you and tell you a little of what I know of him. And to give you my blessing.” She gives my hand a gentle squeeze before letting it fall back to my side. “I like you, and I think you would be good for him.”
With that, Awri walks toward the door, looking over her shoulder as she says, “He’s a good male, and if you decide to accept him, I hope you don’t prove me wrong.”
