I tried to force myself to sleep but my mind wouldn’t allow it. It kept replaying their mouths colliding and his door slamming shut—kiss-lock, kiss-lock, kiss-lock—and the million different possibilities of what happened after that.
CHAPTER 30
Come morning, Aegir did not answer the door.
Was he still with her? Were they cuddling in bed as I stood by the door like an idiot?
I stormed my way to Semuel’s stable. I needed to see Cinnamon, and I needed to shoot or throw something. I found Eldric sitting next to a pile of clothes on one of the side benches that he and Aegir had installed the week before.
With widened eyes, I barked, “Tell me thoseare notwhat I think they are!”
Eldric shrugged. “Well, that depends on what you think they are.”
My eyes reached the back of my head. “Clearly they’re uniforms.Sand Warrioruniforms,” I hissed.
He shrugged again, the gesture getting very much on my nerves. “I’m only following orders.” Then he tilted his head and lifted a brow at me. “I thought you’d be in a much better mood considering last night.”
My brows creased. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know, the date.”
“What date?”
“You didn’t notice the fancy setup? The flowers? I assumed you were the reason he shooed me away.”
I reddened neck to head. “Well, I wasn’t. Now can we start already?”
I was about to reach for my training clothes when Aegir decided to show up, looking…well rested. My stomach’s acid rumbled, desperately in need of a base to balance its fervour.
“Finally, you’re here. There’s something I need to tell you,” Eldric said from behind me. I could tell he stood by the way the wood creaked beneath the release of his weight.
“Did you order him to steal uniforms from the Sand Warriors of Princess Yosefa?” I snapped.
“Good morning to you too…and no, I asked him to steal them from the seamstress. They’re a bit torn here and there, but don’t worry, I know someone very talented who can get them fixed for you,” he added with a wink. Then he looked somewhere behind me and asked, “Did you get what I asked you to?”
Eldric moved past me and closed in on Aegir. “Yes, now listen, this morning—”
“If I get caught wearing one of those, they would—”
“Oh, come on, no one’s going to see you here,” Aegir said, arms open. “Warded, remember? Think of them as your new training uniforms. Isn’t that what you normally do anyway? Wearing your training clothes here, then later changing back into your usual dress pattern?”
I blinked at him, flinching a little. “I’m sorry, change into my what?”
“You know, alternating every two days between the brown one and the grey one. Then the white one on Sundays and other important days. Oh, and the red one, once.”
My cheeks flushed and my jaw locked. My hands turned into fists at my sides.
Eldric shifted and flew away.
Then I lifted the back of my hand to my forehead and spoke in the most sarcastic tone ever. “Oh my gods, you’re right! I forgot to inform my servant that I will now be swapping to myunusual dress patternwhere I wear a brand-new tailored dress every day!”
Aegir stiffened at my borderline tantrum. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, of course not.” I snatched my training clothes—the old ones, not the ones Eldric was told to steal—and marched into one of the stalls, slamming the door shut. I started stripping off my dress, one snapped button at a time.
Aegir’s voice sounded close. I imagined his face almost touching the wooden door as he spoke. “You’re upset. Have I done something to upset you?…Is it because of the uniforms? I can return them if you don’t want them.”
I draped my dress over the door and reached for my trousers. “The uniforms are fine. As you said, no one will see me here.”
