CHAPTER25
SAGE
Sage woketo the sound of hushed voices passing by their door.He’d slept fitfully, waking several times throughout the night but never long enough to force him away from Conrad’s side.Despite their closeness under the layers of blankets and the other man’s warmth, Sage found that his toes and fingers were still cold.In all the madness, nobody had lit a fire in Roger’s study or in the bedroom.The chill had well and truly sunk in all the way to his bones.
To his surprise, it appeared that the murmuring in the hallway was what woke his companion, as well.Conrad drew in a sharp breath and stretched his entire body at once, producing a satisfied little grunt as he let it out and settled back into his pillow.Sage shifted his cheek against Conrad’s shoulder to gaze up at him.
“Good morning,” Conrad said, his voice a bit raspy.He was rubbing at one eye with the hand not resting easily over Sage’s back.He opened the other and squinted at the window, where the curtains had been drawn.“Is it still morning?”
“I’m not sure.”Reluctantly, Sage turned onto his back with his head on his own pillow, freeing the man.“What time do the Ladies Fitzhugh usually arrive for breakfast?I think I heard them just now.”
“Difficult to say.Sometimes they’ve already gone out for a brisk walk or something of the like before any of us have sat down.”
Conrad was out of the bed already.Sage carefully did not allow himself to imagine rolling over into the warm spot he left behind before it was gone.
“That sounds like a dreadful start to the day,” he grumbled.
“Yes, I am learning it’s one of the largest differences between humans and fae.Keelan seems to be the only one of you who cares to be seen before noon.”
“Keelan has far too much energy for his own good.”
“A fair assessment,” Conrad said as he tugged his shirt over his head.
“Besides, you cannot give off an air of refinement with dark circles under your eyes.Beauty sleep is extremely important.”
Conrad chuckled.“I suppose so.Is it the same in London?”
“We do our best.Social obligations sometimes require that we wake early, but any fae event is quite the opposite.It remains a point of contention between both sides of society.”
“Something for everyone, then,” Conrad said brightly.“That’s what I always imagined it to be like in the city.Excitement at any time of the day, as long as you’re willing to look for it.Back home, we were lucky to attend one dance a month.”
Sage’s brows went up slightly.“Do you enjoy dancing?”
“Oh, er…I only know one or two country dances well, to be honest,” Conrad hedged.“Nothing like what you’re accustomed to.I’m sure you dance beautifully.”
For the first time since submerging himself in the lake, Sage felt a trickle of warmth in his chest that spread out in slow, gossamer curls.Conrad had finished dressing and sat on the edge of the bed as they talked, supporting his weight on one outstretched arm with one knee bent across the mussed blanket.On any other morning, he would’ve already been out the door.
“Country dances are often requested in London, as well.One can only dance the cotillion so many times over the course of an evening.”
Conrad’s smile grew as he slid his palm over the blanket until he was propped on his side across the bed.He gave Sage’s ankle a playful, almost affectionate squeeze through the sheets before he sat up again and started for the door.“I’ll meet you in the study after breakfast.”
“Wait.”
Sage pressed his lips together as Conrad turned back around.
“Yes?”
Unspoken words burned on his tongue.
“I…thought I might join you.If you do not mind.”
Conrad’s answering grin was achingly sweet.“For breakfast?”
Sage pushed himself up so he was propped against his pillow.
“I am still rather chilled from last night, I’m afraid.”His toes were curled tightly under the sheets.
Conrad hummed.“A nice, hot cup of tea is exactly what you need, then.”Without hesitation, he trotted over to the wardrobe and opened the doors wide, staring up at Sage’s rainbow of clothes.“What are you going to wear?”
