Page 74 of A Court Bright and Broken

It started slowly, but after a few seconds, Stellon slid both arms around me and pulled me against him.

When I reached up and sank my hands into his hair, he made a growly, gruff sound and held me tighter, running his hands over my back and waist. To my surprise, I liked it.

Loved it actually.

Our mouths moved together as if it were pre-planned, luscious, heated, stroke-for-stroke contact that escalated until my breath was puffing from my nose, and my head was spinning.

Then abruptly our lips parted. Stellon let his hands fall from my waist and blew out a long breath.

“This might be the longest fortnight of my life.”

He bent again and kissed my forehead carefully.

“Goodnight, sweet lady. Sleep well. Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to the rest of your staff and show you around your new home.”

Then he turned and walked down the hall, pausing to look back to shake his head and smile at me before stepping into the lift.

My eyes went to the top of the staircase, and I shook my own head to try to restore some sense to it. I needed to think.

How long should I wait before going to the stairs and descending into the entry hall where I could slip out the front doors?

I didn’t have much time left in my contrived Fae form, but I needed to give Stellon time to reach the first floor and go back inside the ballroom.

Two minutes should be enough. I hope.I began counting the seconds, poised and ready to make my dash.

Unfortunately, by the time my count reached fifteen, the guards returned. Noticing me standing behind my cracked door, Ser Quillen gave me a bow.

“Is there something the lady needs?” he asked. “We can send a servant to fetch whatever you may be lacking for your comfort.”

“No, there’s nothing, thank you.” I quickly shut and locked my door, turning and pressing my back to it.

What was I going to do now?

Opening my eyes to survey the opulent suite, I dashed from room to room, checking the sitting room, then the private washroom, and finally the bedroom, praying there was another door somewhere.

There was not, except for the double doors leading out to the balcony from the adjoining sitting room.

Shaded stars.

My hands came up to my head, grasping my hair and destroying whatever style it might have left. I was trapped.

Which meant I was dead.

Noticing an ornate golden clock on the bedside table, I lifted it and looked at its face. Ten minutes till midnight.

My beautiful dress and shoes were still intact, but soon they would dissolve like salt in a rainstorm, along with my Elven features.

As I was behind a locked door, no one would know until morning, but then my last hope would vanish as thoroughly as my Fae disguise.

Whoever opened that door tomorrow would discover my real identity, and any chance of returning to my family would go out the window.

Chapter 20

Only One Way to Find Out

Raewyn

Wait a minute.Out the window!

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