“I have no desire to be challenged on a daily basis,” he answered. “I merely wish to complete my work in peace.”
“Ah, yes. Your precious solitude.” Rivenna moved to the pantry door. “Has it occurred to you, my dear grandson, that your insistence on isolation might be less a necessity and more a convenient shield against the messier aspects of human connection?”
“I have responsibilities?—”
“As do we all,” she interrupted smoothly. “Yet most of us manage to fulfill them without retreating entirely from society.” She opened the pantry door and gestured for him to leave. “Lady Iris is due to return at one o’clock. The study is large enough for both of you, and I expect you to make a genuine effort at civility.”
Jasvian recognized the tone—the conversation was over, his grandmother’s decision final. He could continue to protest, but it would accomplish nothing beyond prolonging thisincreasingly uncomfortable exchange. “Very well,” he conceded with poor grace. “I shall endeavor to be civil.”
His grandmother’s mouth curved in a smile that held more knowledge than Jasvian found comfortable. “How magnanimous of you.” She gestured once more toward the door. “Oh, and Jasvian? If you’re planning to filch one of Orrit’s fresh-baked loaves to tide you over until dinner, I suggest the rosemary sourdough in the cloth-covered basket beneath the third shelf. He’s outdone himself with today’s batch.”
Jasvian gave a curt nod of acknowledgment, then moved past his grandmother into the kitchen. He located the basket she had mentioned and helped himself to a generous slice of the still-warm bread before making his way back to the study upstairs, determined to put Lady Iris Starspun out of his mind.
Chapter Twelve
“Here we are!”Charlotte announced as the three girls approached The Petal & Pearl. The enchanted cosmetics shop was nestled between two larger shops on one of Bloomhaven’s winding side streets, its facade adorned with delicate climbing roses and its petite display window featuring an arrangement of crystal bottles in various jewel tones.
A small bell tinkled pleasantly as they stepped inside, and Iris’s senses were immediately enveloped by the intoxicating blend of dozens of different fragrances. The interior was bathed in a soft, rosy light that illuminated displays of elegantly packaged cosmetics arranged on wooden shelves and glass-topped tables.
“Oh, look at these!” Lucie exclaimed, darting toward a collection of little silver-lidded pots. “The new Dewdrop Lip Stains! They’ve added three more shades since we were last here.”
Iris followed, removing her gloves as her gaze swept across the shop. She’d visited similar establishments back home, of course, but nothing quite so magical. Here, mirrors whispered compliments as patrons gazed into them, brushes floated gently to demonstrate the perfect application technique, and thecontents of certain containers changed color to complement the complexion of whoever touched them.
The three girls placed their gloves on the silver tray that sat on a small table near the entrance to the shop, before Charlotte linked her arm through Iris’s and guided her toward a display of shimmering powders. “These are The Petal & Pearl’s signature creations—Wingshine and Dandelion Dust. Even the High Lady herself is said to wear them.”
“They’re beautiful,” Iris murmured.
“Try this one,” Charlotte suggested, lifting a small jar filled with a pale golden powder. “The color is Sunbeam Honey. Perfect for your complexion.”
Iris hesitated, then dipped her finger into the jar. The powder felt cool against her skin, almost like water rather than a dry substance. She approached one of the ornate mirrors mounted on the wall before dabbing it gently onto her cheekbone. The powder seemed to melt into her skin, leaving behind a subtle golden glow that caught the light with every turn of her head. “Oh!” she breathed, leaning closer to the mirror. “It’s lovely.”
“Isn’t it?” Charlotte beamed, already reaching for another jar. “Now try the Foxglove Kiss—it’s a lip stain that changes according to your mood.”
The next several minutes passed in a flurry of giggles and exclamations as the three young women sampled various magical cosmetics. Iris allowed Lucie to apply a smoky eye kohl that made her dark eyes look larger and more mysterious, somehow accentuating their graceful slant, while Charlotte tried a variety of dramatic lip stains.
“I feel like an entirely different person,” Iris admitted, turning her head from side to side to admire the transformation in the mirror. Her features were enhanced in ways that highlighted her fae heritage while softening the aspects that might be considered too human.
“You look absolutely enchanting,” the mirror assured her in a silky voice. “The starlight in your eyes is positively luminous.”
Iris clapped a hand over her mouth before giggling. “Do the mirrors know I’m of the Starspun family?” she whispered to Charlotte
Charlotte shrugged and laughed. “They’re charmed to be effusive with their compliments, though. Good for business, I imagine.”
“Though in your case,” Lucie added, “I believe it’s being entirely truthful.”
Iris smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest that had nothing to do with the cosmetics. After days of feeling scrutinized and judged, the simple pleasure of trying on magical makeup with two girls who seemed to genuinely enjoy her company felt like the purest form of freedom.
“Your turn, Lucie,” Iris insisted, picking up a jar of shimmering purple-blue kohl. “This shade would look spectacular on you.”
As Iris carefully applied the pigment to Lucie’s eyelids, she noticed a group of young fae ladies enter the shop, their silk gowns rustling as they moved between the displays. They were perfectly attired for an afternoon of shopping, with elaborate hairstyles and the subtle magical enhancements that marked them as members of elite fae society.
One of them, a slender girl with a rose-gold circlet nestled in her blue curls, looked in their direction and whispered something to her companions. Muffled laughter followed, along with a poorly concealed glance of disdain that swept over Iris, Charlotte, and Lucie in quick succession.
Iris stiffened, but Charlotte merely rolled her eyes. “Ignore them,” she whispered. “Bloomhaven’s finest young ladies, demonstrating their impeccable breeding through pointed stares and whispered insults. How original.”
Iris managed a smile, though she couldn’t help noticing how the group continued to watch them.
“Is that ahumanapplying cosmetics to another human?” one of them said, her voice carrying deliberately. “How quaint. I suppose they haven’t realized some enhancements simply cannot overcome certain … limitations.”
