I wasn’t just over it now that it was morning and the sun was shining. But I did understand why they did it. I was even partially to blame for asking for a way out of the ball to begin with.
And I was also beyond ready to get out of this damn corset.
Krew didn’t speak a word to me. Not out loud or in my head, he just watched, head against the wall.
“Good morning,” I said quietly.
“Good morning.”
After a quick trip into the lavatory, I sat on the bed across from him, unsure what to say or what to do. What he’d done was not okay, and I was pretty sure he knew that, but I also didn’t want to start the day with an argument either.
“Where are Renna and Owen?” My voice came out at almost a whisper.
“Renna is in her room, though I am not sure she slept much either. Molly and Jo are with her. Owen is likely still asleep on the couch in the other room.”
Realizing that Renna probably assumed I loathed her now, I knew I needed to see her first thing. The issue here wasn’t that I hadn’t believed it was fake. It was just that I was hurting and needed a moment alone, but none of them would even give me space. So my magic had made it happen for me.
My magic.
It had helped me. It’d fed off my emotions and had protected me. It’d given me exactly what I needed.
I stood and looked for the door.
“Where are you going?” he asked quietly, though his voice sounded rough.
“I would like to go see Renna right away, but I was going to ask whatever guard outside the door to send for Silvia.”
His forehead creased.
I gestured to my body. “So I can get out of this damn dress.”
“Let me.”
I moved to shake my head, knowing that we had a lot of talking to do before any undressing of any kind, but he put up a hand. “Only help you out of the dress. I will not touch you until you wish me to.”
The anguish I felt through the bond and saw in his eyes had me nodding.
It wasn’t until I agreed that he finally moved from his position against the wall and approached me.
I turned my back to him so he could undo the lacing. Fortunately for him, the loosening would be less tugging than the tightening had been for Silvia.
He gently lifted my hair and placed it over my shoulder, taking care not to touch my skin as he did.
I fought off a shiver, my back muscles tightening.
Krew started pulling on the strings as quickly and gently as he could. At what I assumed was about the third pull of string, I felt the corset loosen around my lower back.
I let out a sigh of relief.
“How is it possible you slept in this thing?”
I gave my head a slight shake. “I am not entirely sure.”
Four more rows upward, I grabbed at my chest to hold everything in place. I took in huge pulls of air now that my lungs were finally free.
“Can I just cut if off?” Krew asked, sounding rather bewildered. “All that did was loosen. How do I get it off?”
I tried not to smile. “There are some clasps at the front that I will have to undo to finally be rid of it. Loosening it was all I needed.” I spun and looked at him. “I’ll change and be right back.”
