“Thank you, Laini.”
Plum flits over to the wall of tunics and dresses. She pulls out a blue dress with a wheat border and hands it to Laini, then she tucks a tunic and trousers in my arms.
“There is one dressing room down that hallway,” she says. “Please come out when you’re dressed so I can pin your alterations in place and get them fixed for you as soon as possible.”
She begins shoving the both of us into the hallway, but Laini stops.
“Wait. We will need cloaks.”
“You won’t. It’s hot as a summer’s day at the festival. I have been every year of my life, and those bonfires they light are serious about heating the area.”
“But we prefer to have cloaks. If you don’t think Rustion wouldmind the cost?”
He was covering the clothing costs since he had pushed me into going. “I don’t think he would mind at all,” I say.
I give Laini a grateful smile. She knows I don’t feel comfortable without the covering of a heavy garment. It’s amazing how this woman who just met me knows me better than anyone else. And she cares enough to speak up for me. It’s not that I worry about speaking up because I don’t have a spine; it’s only that I don’t want to scare anyone. When I raise my voice above a whisper, it is rather deep and loud. I’ve seen the effect it has on others. Plus, if I let a situation get too tense, my stone magic breaks free. That’s how the tragedy occurred in the last place I lived.
Plum hurries to another row of hanging clothing. While we wait, I look down at Laini, wanting to thank her but unsure of what exactly to say. She doesn’t return my glance, but she steps closer to me. It feels like she understands me. I don’t think she’s an empath, so perhaps she just reads people’s body language easily. Whatever the answer, I’m in awe at her level of kindness.
“Here you are!” Plum hands Laini two cloaks in the same blue as the other clothing.
Laini disappears into the dressing room, and Ionly have time to imagine her baring her curves just beyond the door for a few moments before she returns.
She’s stunning. The blue sets off the gorgeous hue of her eyes, and the plunging neckline makes her breasts even more alluring.
“Beautiful!” Plum says beside me. “What do you think, big fellow?” She elbows me.
“I, um, I. Good.”
Plum snorts. “Well, if that isn’t the best compliment a gal can get. He’s speechless!”
Laini blushes fiercely. “We aren’t… It’s not like that. We are only attending the party as friends.”
I swallow. “Yes. Friends.”
Too bad I want to suckle those breasts of hers, to lick my way up one and down the other, to make her gasp with pleasure. Damn it. I have to stop thinking like this. She’s too sweet to endanger with my emotions and subsequent stone magic, a power I can’t always control. I refuse to put her at risk of being injured.
“Is the neckline too low, though?” Laini says quietly in Plum’s direction.
I take my cue and retreat a few steps back to give her privacy.
“No, love. That’s how itshould be. You don’t even need any alterations. Plus, you’ll have a cloak if you feel too exposed.”
“True. All right. I’ll change back, and then you can have the dressing room, Romulus.”
“Please call me Rom. No need for the whole mouthful.”
Why did I say mouth? Heat creeps up my neck and into my ears. I can’t stop staring at Laini’s lips now. I’m an idiot.
Chuckling to herself, Plum mutters something and leaves us in the hallway. Laini whirls and returns to the dressing room to change back into her regular clothing. She joins Plum in the back room, and soon, I’m taking my turn changing.
“You’re sweet for agreeing to go with him to the party,” Plum says quietly to Laini.
She is whispering very quietly, but because I’m an Allysium gargoyle, one of the ancient lines, my hearing is better than most monsters’.
Plum goes on. “Some people are cruel to him. I hate that.”
“He’s great to talk to,” Laini answers.
