My lady.
A picture rose in my mind of Scions snarling, of mages from this estate and beyond whispering that a human had become lady. The outrage. At a fancy title. It could never be mine. I had enough clarity of mind to picture the sheer contempt it would provoke and the possible hatred aimed at me from the Order of bastards. I might manage negotiations with practice, but not all of it. And yet, that was what it meant to be with him. To become Lady of Mountheim.
And Malory—gods, Malory would never allow me to stay once my sentence was served.
But for all the reasons Mountheim felt impossibly wrong, it would be infinitely more impressive than Ehrfurt, with its moonlit ballrooms waiting to be danced in, auroras streaking the sky in luminous ribbons, and starlit gowns replacing trench coats. Not all the books in Pember & Quill could compare to what I would witness if I could stay.
I shoved the thought aside. He still needed to finish his sentence, and I should have thought to offer my help.
I’m not in love with just anyone.
Sighing, I pushed myself off the wall and left the alcove. I wove through the crowd, scanning faces, searching for him. The room was bustling. Cerridwen caught my eye in the distance, deep in conversation with a cluster of mages whose faces were drawn with tension.
No one danced. People stood stiffly, their gazes darting around, as if waiting for something.
And then I saw him again. Reagan descended the stairs, muttering something to Gwin as his eyes scanned the crowd, searching. The frown etched into his face softened the moment his gaze found mine. I was already stalking toward him, brushing past muffled conversations and murmured words.
I didn’t stop until my hand curled around his wrist, and I tugged him toward the doors, back out into the cool night air, away from the crowd.
“If you need help tonight speaking to the court mage, tell me,” I said, pausing near a set of stairs. I cast a glance at the others as they nodded towards their lord. “I want to help if I can.”
Reagan’s mouth slackened, his piercing gaze studying mine.
“You’re surprised,” I said, repeating his words. “I should be insulted, considering I’ve helped you before.”
I reached up, threading my fingers through his unruly hair before resting my hand over the steady thrum of his heartbeat.
“Of course you did,” he murmured, the faintest hint of a nervous grin tugging at his lips. “And I can use your help.”
Before I could respond, he kissed me intensely, his tongue parting my lips, one hand cradling the back of my head, the other splayed across my lower back.
When he pulled away, his breath mingling with mine, a wickedly smug smile spread across his lips, and Reagan dragged his tongue slowly along the side of my neck.
I stilled, my gaze flicking to the side as I took in our surroundings. Sure enough, a few lingering eyes watched from the doorway. Heat flooded my cheeks, but Reagan only chuckled, as if their presence was the least of his concerns.
“I’m glad you offered,” he whispered into my ear. “Come. It’s time to get started.”
He took my hand and led me outside. The crisp night air greeted us as we crossed the courtyard. Battle mages stood sentinel, their watchful eyes scanning the grounds. A scattering of guests lingered in the open, but no one paid us much attention as we moved toward the line of pines bordering the castle.
I felt my breath shallow, my stomach tightening with anticipation. The trees closed in around us, their dark silhouettes swaying in the wind. Get started.With what?
I tugged on his hand, pulling him to a stop beneath the thick canopy of pine needles. “Where are we going?” I asked.
He turned to me, his gaze flicking to the shifting shadows around us. “I just wanted some privacy,” Reagan said, though his voice was guarded. “But here is fine.”
“You said you wanted to show me something,” I reminded him, tilting my head as his arms wrapped around me.
The faint strains of music from the grand hall drifted through the trees. I glanced around, realising how truly alone we were.No guests. No battle mages. Just the two of us, swallowed by the dark embrace of the forest.
“Indeed,” he said. But there was something flickering in his ice-blue eyes that I couldn’t name. “I’ll show you, but you can’t tell anyone until it’s time. I need you to hold on to me.”
I breathed in a crisp, nutty scent, letting the silence settle between us for a moment. I studied him closely, taking in every detail of his face. The arch of his dark brows, the sharp, angular cut of his jaw, the slight curve of his fuller bottom lip.
I nodded. His grip on my waist tightened, and the faintest, almost imperceptible smile ghosted across his lips.
“Hold on,” he murmured.
And in the next heartbeat, the woods, the music, the castle behind us vanished.
