Page 41 of Blood of the Fairest

I blame it on the fact that I've only had the queen's company for years. I should really go look for other beings who can see me. Maybe once I do, I'll lose this bewildering infatuation I'm developing for Verena.

"What were you dreaming of, to weep so?" I ask.

She finishes drying her face and wrinkles her nose. It's unclear whether or not she's aware of how adorable that is on such a striking face.

"It's not something I talk about. I mean, I used to. I went through years of therapy to work through things. Talking about it kind of helped for a while, but…you know what I really want?"

"What?" I ask, already wondering if it's something I can acquire for her.

Or more accurately, I would convince the Huntsman to acquire it—since apparently he can see me, but he's lucky enough to be in the physical world with her.

"I want that little flashy gadget thing from Men in Black."

I sigh. "Again, you already know that I have not the slightest concept of what you're talking about, but go on."

"It erases memories from a specific timeframe. It's not actually real, but god, I wish it was. Do you have memories you wish you could cut out of your head?" she asks.

"No."

I don't have memories. Not really. At some point, I simply found myself in this mirror realm exactly as I am. I've only ever been here, aside from the full moon nights when I step out and feel as if I may have been someone, once upon a time.

Abruptly, I realize the last full moon was a couple of nights before Verena showed up in this world, meaning the next is less than four weeks away. It will be the first time I step out of the glass in far too long.

And unless she finds a way to send her soul back to her true domain, Verena will still be here.

Suddenly, I very much want that.

Her, still in this world. Me, on the other side of the glass with her.

My heart begins to pound.

Crones, I think this is the first time in my diluted existence that I've ever really wanted something, outside of my freedom. Even if it's just one moonlit night of lounging on the bed, chatting with Verena—perhaps touching her warm hand, or…her face.

Her lips.

I've never touched another being before, let alone kissed them. Considering how obsessed everyone outside the mirror realm seems to be with sex and pleasure, I'm suddenly aching to know what it feels like—even just once.

Even just a taste.

With her.

Too late, I realize I've started to rapidly stiffen in my pants. The timing couldn't be worse, as Verena is wandering back to the mirror after rummaging through the queen's wardrobe again.

She holds up a dress. "Hey, what do you think about⁠—"

Before she can look up and see the proof of this unexpected arousal or how flustered I've become, I step back several paces from the mirror. It makes it so we can no longer see one another.

"Mirror, mirror? Eris?" her watery voice echoes throughout the mirror realm just as voices always do when I'm summoned.

I drag fingers through my hair, baffled by this urge I have to step back up to the glass for another glimpse of her.

What has this otherworldly woman done to me?

"Fine, fine. Far be it from me to cut in on your very busy schedule of drooling over all the other unwashed women of this world. Go enjoy smelly armpits, swampy asses, and oily hair to your heart's content, you kinky fucking Peeping Tom."

I bark a laugh.

At the very least, the vivid mental imagery of her small rant has killed the budding arousal that was beginning to pain me, leaving me nothing but perplexed by this newfound desire.