The cool night air brushes against my skin as we walk through the quiet streets. The moon hangs high above, bathing the city in its gentle glow. Shadows dance along the adobe walls while the soft sound of a lute drifts on the breeze from a nearby window.
Jasce walks closely at my side. I glance over at him, taking in his strong profile and the determined set of his jaw. He looks utterly at home here, his posture relaxed yet poised, his footsteps sure and steady along the dusty path.
I wish I could feel the same ease and confidence. Instead, nerves flutter in my stomach with each step that takes me further from home. Home—where Asha must be furious with betrayal. The thought sends a pang through my heart.
After a while of walking, a villa takes shape in front of us, its whitewashed walls and domed rooftops reaching up toward the night sky.
Jasce tightens his grip and leads me through the villa’s grand archway into a tiled courtyard. At its center lies an octagonal pool, its clear blue waters shimmering invitingly.
Jude says something to Jasce then disappears down a corridor with Arian, leaving Jasce and me alone.
Jasce turns to me. “Let me show you to our room.”
I don’t speak as he leads me up a winding staircase. At the top, we enter a long hallway lined with carved wooden doors. He stops before one and pushes it open, gesturing for me to enter.
I step inside and look around. Green drapes hang around an immense bed piled high with pillows and blankets. But it’s the walls that take my breath away. Every inch has been painstakingly painted with colorful seashells—scallops, conchs, cowries.
I step closer to them and run my fingers over the bumpy plaster, tracing the whorls and ridges of the shells.
Jasce moves to stand next to me. “Do you like it?”
I nod, not trusting my voice. No one has ever done something so thoughtful for me before.
I turn to face him after a long moment. “You did all this for me?”
A smile pulls at the edges of Jasce’s mouth, crinkling the skin around his eyes. “Of course.”
I glance around again, taking in the walls. The textures and colors are so realistic, I can almost hear the roar of ocean waves and smell the briny sea air.
“Did you know,” I say as I rotate in a circle, taking in every inch of the walls, “when I was a child, before my father left, he took Asha and I to the ocean?”
Jasce leads me to the bed, where I sit next to him on the edge of the mattress. “How old were you?”
“Seven or eight.” I frown as I try to remember every detail about those days I spent near the sea, but my memory is clouded by the passage of time.
“Is that when you fell in love with shells?”
“Yes.”
Jasce takes my hand in his and curls his fingers around mine. “I will take you to the ocean soon.”
“Jasce...” I lick my lower lip as I gather my thoughts, trying to find the right words. “Why did you bring me here to Narhavva instead of taking me straight to Sharhavva?”
“I wanted us to be able to spend some time alone together before we are surrounded by my people and the chaos of the city.”
Of course. Before they realize he has brought a woman from the enemy House of Silver back with him. The thought hits me, refusing to fade away.
His people will never accept me. I will be seen as a weakness for their strong chieftain.
I turn away from Jasce, staring at the walls instead of him. It was wrong of me to go with him.
My surcoat whips against my legs as I rush to my feet and turn back to face him, my heart pounding in my chest. “Take me back, Jasce.”
His brow lifts, a flicker of surprise crossing his chiseled features.
“Take me back,” I repeat, my voice trembling. “I can’t do this.”
“Why would I do such a thing?”
