Rocking back on my heels, I wondered what the heck he could’ve gotten me—and why. Why get me anything?
Laken, smug with tight lips, strutted in with hands behind his back. My eyes narrowed, and I tilted my head as he revealed his gift.
Overalls.
Just like I’d said I wanted.
My laugh burst through the air. “You didn’t,” I exclaimed, smiling too wide as I grabbed them from him. Real overalls with real pockets… my very own overalls. I felt the brown fabric in my hand, ran my fingers over the metal buckles. “When did you”—I faced him—“this is why it took you so long to get back from tying Moon?”
Laken nodded, his cheeks flushing pink. “You said you wanted them and—”
I ran. “I have to try them on right now!” I’d say thank you later; my excitement buzzed in my bones. I had overalls!
Market day was averygood day.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Blaze perched on the corner of my wooden dresser, facing the mirror as I held up dress after dress. As each option was weighed carefully, he stuffed his mouth with snacks from his pouch and batted those huge round baxlin eyes of his.Such a help.
I anxiously chattered my teeth while contemplating my choices. Wearing the overalls Laken had gotten at the market last week was an option, but not a very good one. This was the Augustuses’ anniversary party; the whole town would attend, along with friends and comrades from their pasts—meaning some of the Wraiths, or ex-Wraiths, would be there. And Faye. And Leanora, Laken’s sister who lived out of town.Gods.I cursed myself mindlessly. I’d spoken with them a thousand times over the past twenty-something yearsof my life. What racked my brain? What made it impossible to choose an outfit?
Laken and I were great, everything felt right. It felt perfect. Maybe too perfect? Did I miss something? No, of course not; I was being paranoid. But Faye, for heaven’s sake… she’d probably already begun the wedding plans and had a list of baby names to suggest. My stomach churned like butter.
But Laken wasn’t Faye, and I knew that.
I took a deep breath and grabbed a pale-blue corset dress. Blaze seemed to agree with a little jump of his legs.
Next—hair. Pinning my fingers between the loops of the rubber bands, I tugged and slid a loop around it. But because I hadn’t brushed it before feeding this morning and had instead immediately tossed it up, it got stuck. Panting, with sore arms from teasing strands of hair out one by one, I took a quick glimpse at the mess I reflected in the mirror.
And a knock came to my door, followed by the golden son himself. Laken stood in the threshold with a look that said,I’ve got you, come here. Closing the distance between us, I sighed as I turned away and felt him gently pull the rubber from my tangled mess.
Under the trim of the blue, my frilly pink socks stuck out, and I kept them on. Tucking them into my boots, they hardly peeked out from the top, and my dress covered them anyway. It wasn’t until I’d tamed my hair, sprayed perfume, added a necklace, and told Blaze goodbye that I took in Laken and his outfit.
Having exchanged his brown pants and worn tunics, he sported an all-black outfit featuring a doublet embroidered withsilver threads. Remembering that current and retired Wraiths would be in attendance explained the fancier dressing, but I wondered if it was also responsible for the hollowness of his eyes.
My lips parted. “I like this look.”
His eyes narrowed at my words as he lifted his chin. “Do you, now?”
I moved toward him with anMm-hmm. “Maybe later I’ll take it back off of you.”
Slipping past him, I darted downstairs, as we were already running late. I didn’t wait to see his reaction but knew he most likely grinned with those dimples and shook his head as though I were a storm of trouble.
The creatures were attended to, the gates locked, and the back door shut. Laken opened the door with a hand on my back, and outside awaited Moon. With no cart nor saddle.
Shutting the door behind me, Laken met me at my side. “Your carriage awaits.”
“We’re riding like this?” My nose turned up. “What even is this considered? Is this rawdogging horseback riding?”
I hadn’t even begun to debate how I’d mount the horse when hands gripped my waist and lifted. Dumping me onto the bumpy spine, I swallowed my discomfort as he tossed his leg over with an easy little jump up. “Not rawdogging,” he said. “It’s called riding bareback.”
I laughed. “I’ll show you riding bareback.”
Peeking over my shoulder, I saw a mischievous spark glinting in his devilish eyes. “Do you need me to take you back inside so we can settle this thing?”
“No.” My cheeks burned. “We’re already late; go.”
I turned around and Moon shifted underneath us. “Could always be later,” he said, but we were already on our way.
