Page 59 of Crown of Slumber

It didn’t take long for Mera to bring out several fabrics for me to try. She seemed to have overcome her initial shock and chatted away merrily about the Harvest Festival and the latest gossip at court as she took my measurements. She found a midnight black suit with a hunter green vest that complimented Fenn’s eyes. It fit him almost perfectly, though it was a bit short on his legs.

When she took the clothes behind the curtain to make the finishing touches, I slumped against the wall, my head throbbing from keeping up my persona for so long. At least at Dreya’s inn, we’d had frequent breaks where we could remove our masks and be ourselves. This was the longest stretch of time I’d had to keep up the charade.

“Can you handle this?” Fenn asked quietly. I hadn’t realized he’d leaned against the wall alongside me, his eyes uncharacteristically somber. “We don’t have to announce ourselves at court.”

My eyes closed. “Yes we do. We’ve already told too many people, and I’ve already sent word to the royal family. To not make an appearance would be a grave insult, especially after—” My mouth clamped shut.

“After what?” Fenn prompted.

I said nothing, my brows scrunching together as I tried to ward off memories.

“To hell with this, Aurelia.” His voice was low and closer than before. I opened my eyes to find he’d moved directly in front of me, his face inches away from mine. “If I am to play the part of your betrothed, I need to know what history you have with this Court. If I show up and someone mentions it and Idon’t knowwhat they are talking about, it will give everything away.”

My stomach was in knots. I swallowed around the hard lump in my throat. “Prince Tyrone and I were once betrothed.”

His head reared back. “You and the Autumn Prince?”

I nodded. “Well, the AutumnKingnow. His father recently passed.”

“I see.” His jaw ticked back and forth. “How long ago was this betrothal?”

“Three years ago. Nothing official was announced, but everyone expected it with how often we were seen together.”

Silence fell between us. I couldn’t look at Fenn, but I knew hewas expecting more. My eyes closed again. “I ended the arrangement. My father smoothed things over. And I haven’t returned since.”

This time, the silence was thick with tension, a palpable thing drifting between us like smoke.

“That’s why we have to maintain good relations with them,” I went on, if only to fill the awkward silence. “To travel through the court without a formal announcement would strain things even further, and right now, we can’t afford to make an enemy of Autumn.”

“Aurelia,” Fenn said slowly. “What actually happened?”

“I’m not obligated to answer your question.”

“Aurelia.” His tone was impatient.

Fortunately, at that moment, Mera returned with my burgundy dress draped over her arm. She beamed at us both. “Some of my finest work, I think. Come, my lady. Let’s make sure it fits.” She gestured that I go behind the curtain with her.

I followed, then paused and glanced at Fenn over my shoulder. “Prince Fenn should come, too.”

Fenn blinked and Mera looked uncertainly between us.

“But I’ll be fitting you into your dress, my lady,” Mera said hesitantly. “It isn’t proper.”

I leaned close to her and whispered conspiratorially, “It won’t be anything he hasn’t seen before.” This was technically true, given our state of undress while the healer tended to us at Fellspar Inn.

Mera’s blush returned, her cheeks coloring so vividly she looked like her skin had been burned.

“Besides, he will need to dress too, won’t he?” I continued. I felt Fenn’s amused gaze on me, but I fiddled with the silk fabric of my dress in Mera’s arms. “It will be more efficient for us to get dressed together.”

Mera shifted her weight and cleared her throat. “Erm. Well. If—If that is what you wish, my lady.”

I nodded tersely and strode for the curtain, the heavy footfalls of Fenn following behind me. After a moment of muttering to herself, Mera came along as well.

“Naughty little firebird,” Fenn murmured in my ear, making my skin pebble.

“You would have done the same thing,” I whispered back.

He merely chuckled in response.

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