She holds a stunning, floor-length gown made from the finest fabric. I take the dress, gazing at it with reverence, before slipping it on and stepping out to show Fen. The black gown hugs my body perfectly—as if it were tailored just for me—with nearly invisible swirls that sit upon the fabric. The flowing fabric catches each ray of light as it moves. Two golden serpents adorn the dress; the snakes’ tails start above the chest and wind their way up the fabric. The neckline features the snake's bodies dramatically entwined with their heads resting delicately on my throat.
“My fucking Gods.” Fen smiles. “You could win over an entire kingdom in that dress.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” I sweep my hair over my shoulders to really show off the neckline.
Another knock sounds on the door.
“What?” Fen shouts harshly, and I bust out laughing.
Silas steps into the room, and my whole body tenses, anticipating his reaction. His lips part slightly, and his brows lift.
I smile and curtsey, the long dress pooling around me.
“She looks fucking spectacular, doesn’t she?” Fen points toward me and jokes, “Can I date her?”
I look at her with a dramatic eye roll.
“Fen,” Silas says. “Can you give us a minute? Alone.”
“Of course,” she says with a nod. “But, we need to leave soon. I’ll prepare the others.”
Fen moves across the room quickly, reaching the door to exit, but not before she gives me a smile.
“Thank you, Briar, for the talk.”
I return the smile and dip my head.
She closes the door behind her, and I turn my head to Silas. He stands before me, frozen, and I can’t decipher the expression on his face just yet.
“If beauty could kill,” he rasps, “I’d be fucking dead on the spot.”
I move toward him and chuckle, letting the dress trail behind me—a shadow of black fog. I pause, and we stand pressed together for a moment, neither of us speaking. He tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. My eyes are level with his chest, and I pull his shirt down, revealing all the aged, white scars. I trace my fingers along each one, a new understanding of the pain behind them.
Every scar is an agonizing memory, forever marked on his body, that he lives with every single day. For an instant, I feel the same pain. Pain for what he endured, pain for the challenges he faced, and pain that I can never erase those memories for him.
He slowly slides his hand up to meet mine and holds it against his muscled chest. I close my eyes and feel his heart's strong, steady beats against my hand. His chest rises and falls in a rhythmic motion. Silas kisses my forehead and lingers there momentarily, inhaling my scent and savoring this moment for as long as possible.
We both know our time is limited.
I gaze up through my lashes, and he’s smiling. The world is quiet around us, with the exception of crashing waves against the cliff-face, the gentle breeze, and the beating of our hearts. Together. Connected. Deeper than we can put into words right now.
“You ready?” he asks.
“I am.”
“I need to talk to you about Malachi.”
His face changes, and the soft expression fades as his father’s name leaves his lips. Our hands are still connected, and he guides me to the sitting area. We sit facing each other on the small couch, and anticipation fills me as I wait for him to begin.
“There are many things I still need to tell you.” Silas takes a long breath. “We don’t have time for everything right now, but I promise you will soon know all there is to know about me and my world.”
I nod.
“Malachi cannot be trusted, Briar. No matter what he says, he is deceitful, manipulative, and will haunt you. Do not believe a word he says.”
I angle my head, gazing at him questioningly. “Haunt? Truly?”
“He has powers we don’t understand. Powers and abilities I’ve been searching for my whole life. He...he can appear to people like mist—a spirit sent from the darkest realm to haunt you.”
