Page 127 of An Empress of Fire & Steel

“I honestly have no idea what is happening right now.” Emara’s voice was shaky but loud, pulling Breighly from the metallic pools of Artem’s eyes. “You,” she commanded, pointing over at Artem, “I have no idea why you just agreed to wear undergarments made for me, but you need to go further down the hall.”

“I think I should vet—”

“Absolutely not,” she raged. “Do you think Torin would allow you to see what is in this box?”

He fought with a smile but obeyed her, taking his leave. As he moved down the hall, he threw a look over his broad shoulder at Breighly.

She gave him a smile that showed every fang.

It was great to see a six-foot-plus slab of tattooed muscle take orders from a smallish witch.

“You,” Emara snapped towards Breighly, as she closed the door. “I need all the help I can get right now, so you need to be focused.”

Breighly wasn’t sure if the witch had put her under a spell or not, but she also straightened to her command.

Emara looked a little frantic. Breighly didn’t know her well, but she was normally quite poised when she had been in her company. Right now, she looked a little pale.

“What can I help you with?” Breighly offered, walking further into her room.

Emara’s eyes looked over at the box. Her hair was all done in gentle waves, and her face had been painted to make her eyes look shimmery with her cheeks more defined. Her lips were a lovely shade of red, plump and shapely. Classy. And in that moment, just by looking at her, Breighly knew how unaware of her beauty Emara really was.

“I have never done this before,” Emara finally breathed. “I feel a little overwhelmed.”

“Do you mean go to the Winter Solstice Ball? Or wear underwear like this?”

“I have worn underwear like that before.” Emara’s voice was small as she paced in front of the fire. “But it was for me, not for anyone else.”

Ah!

Breighly felt a twinge for Emara.

She understood. “You haven’t done that before.”

Emara halted and then nodded, her silken champagne nightcoat swaying slightly. “Never.”

“And you thought I was the right one to call on for a little sexual education?” Breighly snorted.

“I am not looking for you to give me advice on that.” Her cheeks blushed a little. “You had to pass through Huntswood to get here. And I don’t know of anywhere else in the kingdom that made what I required.” She lowered her head, but her gaze still held Breighly’s. “I didn’t have anyone I could trust. I would have saved myself some embarrassment if I did.”

There was something in that steely gaze of hers, with the cosmic magic that swirled in her irises that allowed Breighly to immediately understand why the Blacksteels had been so intent on fighting for her, why they were both so smitten.

She was clearly stunning and obviously intelligent, but something enchantingly ancient stirred within her, something otherworldly.

Fuck, if the Blacksteels didn’t want her, Breighly would have her.

But she better not admit that just yet.

The Empress of Air looked over at Breighly. “I know I have only really been properly introduced to you once, and I know that what I asked for was a little unconventional since we are only acquaintances, but I feel like we can look out for each other. I truly enjoyed your company that night in La Luna. You took my mind to a place where it needed to be for the night. I had fun for once.”

Emara had lived such a sheltered life, or so the whispers in the market had said, only finding out who she was mere moons ago.

Breighly’s lips pulled together.

However, Emara had a point. Breighly had only been in her company once, but it hadn’t felt that way. They’d partied like best friends. Emara had absolutely been in tow with her, drinking shots, dancing like there was no one watching, like she didn’t have a care in the world.

But Emara was more than a fun convenience. She had healed her brother. She had taken his pain before he passed on. She had saved herself from being taken at the Uplift, and she had shown signs of pure power. Emara Clearwater was a force to be reckoned with.

Maybe Breighly could use a friend like her; a friend who wasn’t a wolf, who didn’t see things the same way the pack did. Breighly had also caught wind of how trained Emara now was in combat. And if anyone could fight with the hunters, it would be her. And that lured Breighly in.

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