Ru could have stayed in that lamplit gazebo, wrapped in Taryel’s arms, for a lifetime. But the night chill had begun to numb her fingers, and even enveloped in his body heat, she shivered.
“It’s late,” he said, taking her hand, “and you’re cold.”
They made their way back to the palace, winding through the brightly lit garden party, and Ru felt that she might have done anything to make the night last forever. From a distance, she caught sight of Archie and Gwyneth laughing, the massive black and white shapes of a chess set behind them. Simon’s lute sang a soft melody in the night.
Soon enough, she and Taryel were back inside, awash in the light and warmth of the palace, along with other couples and groups of courtiers, all moving slowly and with the air of people caught in a dream. As if the magic of that snow-bright night might follow them if they allowed it to.
Lyr had peeled away from the wall to join them when they re-entered the palace, and the shadow of his presence brought Ru back to reality. She was under guard, and this was a beautiful prison.
They made their way back to her room, and Taryel bade her good night with a deep bow and a sweet kiss on her knuckles. She wanted more, ached for it, but Lyr was there. And it was late.
She watched him stride down the hall, a tall black shadow, and when he spun around to wink at her before turning the corner, she smiled.
“Damn,” said Lyr. “I owe Rosylla a drink.”
Ru turned on him. “Excuse me?”
“Said I owe Rosylla a drink. She bet me you’d be in love with that bastard by the end of the first month.”
“Lyr!”
He shrugged. “I said you’d never take him back. Joke’s on me.”
Ru scoffed indignantly. “Good night. Stop making bets about me.”
“No promises,” said the King's Guard.
CHAPTER 26
At some small hour of the morning, Ru finally accepted that she wasn’t going to fall asleep any time soon. She had tossed and turned for hours, her nightgown clinging to her limbs uncomfortably, her pillow not soft enough, the blankets too hot. Worst of all, she couldn’t stop thinking about grey eyes, dark hair, and purposeful hands.
Before she had time to talk herself out of it, she was slipping out of bed and pulling on her dressing gown, shoving her feet into slippers. Then, hoping she wouldn’t regret this, she rang for Pearl.
The maid was there within minutes, looking bleary-eyed.
“I’m sorry to wake you,” Ru said hurriedly, before she lost her nerve “But…I need to go somewhere. Using your hidden servants’ passages.”
The maid took on a knowing expression. “Where are you hoping to sneak at this hour?”
Ru hesitated.
Pearl smiled as if she knew exactly where Ru wanted to go. “Well, Miss?”
“Taryel’s rooms?”
The maid grinned. “You can count on me, Miss Delara.”
As they made their way through narrow corridors, well-lit and warm, and with more foot traffic than Ru would have expected, the artifact rippled in her chest. It somehow knew where she was going, urging her. She needed this release. To let go, fully. If only for a moment.
At last, after several twists and turns and flights of stairs, Pearl stopped before a nondescript door. They had passed countless others like it, each marked with a brass number. Pearl had explained that when someone rang for a servant, a bell next to the room’s number would ring further down in the palace where the servants lived.
“This is Taryel’s room,” Pearl said when Ru made no move to open the door. “He’s always awake. Rings for tea at all hours of the night.” She smiled. “Do you need anything else, Miss?”
“No,” Ru said. “Thank you, Pearl.”
Feeling suddenly shy and foolish, all alone now in this part of the servants’ corridors, Ru hesitated. What would he think of her showing up like this? She swallowed, pushing away her anxieties. Then she lifted her hand and knocked.
If it weren’t for the artifact’s insistence, its warm bloom of comfort within her, Ru might have bolted.
