Is this a new kind of situation for him? He seems more than capable of wooing me or giving orders, but the courtly pleasantries seem to be as calming to him as a Mentos thrown into a glass of Diet Coke.
The Marquise slides off the table with grace, as if she’s made of liquid. “I thought I should acquaint myself with your promised,” she says with a courteous nod. “He is most charming. I cannot wait until he is introduced to more elves at the hunt. No need to keep him to yourself. I know I would always be happy to spend time with him,” she says, clearly making a point about being fine with some sort of polyamorous arrangement, unlike Kyran’s late mother.
I give a nervous laugh. “I’m still adjusting, but maybe it’s time to see more of your Realm, my prince. I haven’t even set foot in the village close to the castle yet.” And I’m dying to find out where the Dark Companion, Carol, lives. Until I talk to her, making any binding decisions feels impossible. Kyran won’t deny me in front of the Marquise, will he?
He clears his throat, catching my gaze. Is it a trick of the light, or is he blushing? “No, of course, it’s a wonderful, clear day.”
“I hear there is a festival. Shall I accompany you two, Sire?” The Marquise asks, and I cannot miss the tension in Kyran’s shoulders. Is he annoyed that I got to talk with her?
She takes a deep breath, ready to offer her reasons, but Kyran cuts her off. “Maybe another time. I have something to discuss with my promised.”
“As you wish,” she says with a stiff curtsy, but living with a mother who could have been a subject in a study on passive aggression taught me all the signs. The Marquise is raging. She doesn’t even say goodbye as she struts away with a swish of her long sleeves.
Only now I realize that the confrontation has left my heart pounding, and I still don’t know what her real intentions are. Unfortunately, as long as Reiner is here, we can’t discuss what Kyran’s twin brother was up to with her.
We both remain stiff until we can no longer hear the tap of her heels, and Kyran approaches me, reaching for my hand with a deep exhale, as if her departure offered him a bit of relief. “Where is Tristan?”
“Here!” Tristansays from afar, already taking quick steps our way. His pale face is almost as red as his hair. “Luke is always within my sight, cousin!”
I don’t know how long I managed to read the notes before the Marquise accosted me, but it seems to me that Magnus and Tristan didn’t waste any time. Still, I’m not a snitch, so I grin at him before meeting Kyran’s gaze. “He leaves me plenty of space but is always watching.”
Kyran squeezes my fingers, satisfied by my lie. “Did you have a good morning?”
As soon as we touch, the tension in my body recedes even though I’m now plotting to go behind his back in the village. His presence is overwhelming in so many ways. Kyran makes me feel safe, but also horny, but also like I wanna cuddle, but also like he could kill me with ease if he wanted to. The fact I like it all is disconcerting.
I squeeze his fingers when I look up into his dark eyes. Maybe I’m just this shallow and his beauty has me dick-whipped. “Very much so. Reiner got me this new shirt,” I stand back to show off the translucent garment. “And I had bread with a paste made out of sea flowers. I was told they take root in floating islands of moss. It was pink. And delicious.”
Kyran smiles, stroking the chipped polish on my nails with his thumb. “I wish my day so far had been this pleasant. But I wanted to spend the afternoon with you. We could even go to the village, if that’s what you wish for. It’s festival day after all,” he says and kisses my knuckles. I struggle not to fist pump.
It’s still weird to be treated this way as a man, but romance doesn’t seem to have gender in this world of elves and dark beauty. And in this pairing, I amthe pursued. He’s wearing the lobster pin he got from me as if it’s a precious jewel, which tickles my heart every time I spot it.
Kyran smiles and offers me the box he’s been holding all this time. “For you. I figured you might have need for this.”
I’m so greedy for all and any tokens of appreciation I don’t waste time, and snap the box open.
“It’s nail polish.” Black, midnight blue, and a green as deep as my hair.
That seems to wake up Reiner who takes a step closer. “What a magnificent present, Sire, I will immediately learn to master the art of applying this product!”
But I’m baffled as I pick up the rectangular bottle. “This is…Dior.”
Kyran’s lips tighten enough to go a bit pale. “Is that not to your liking? I was reassured it was in good taste. I requested the best kind your world has to offer.” Darkness passes over his face. “I will have those smugglers flayed alive—”
“No, no!” I step in, eyes wide, and put my hand on his chest. “It’ssonice! And the colors… It’s just very expensive. I never used anything like this. Thank you.”
This calms him down, and he smiles, putting his hands on mine. I’m not tiny, or girly, but Kyran is much taller than me, more muscular, broader in the shoulders. Even his hands are larger, and seeing them over mine is weirdly arousing.
“Good. I told them to get something of quality. I want you to always have the best, my sweet,” he declares, watching me with eyes full of happy sparks.
I glance at my chipped nails and can’t get over how thoughtful it was for him to surprise me this way. I get to my toes and kiss him chastely, because people are watching us, but I secretly hope gossip about this reaches the Marquise. I’m sorry she lost Kyranis, but I’m not sharingmyprince.
“Even a prince needs to use smugglers?”
“The rules around travel between realms are far too complicated for such a short-notice dash.”
“I love those. The perfect selection of colors too.”
Kyran pulls me close, his nose against my neck. “Do you want to use them now or—”
