Page 11 of Joined By Magic

Anotherday,anothercostume.I examined my latest outfit, the height of Ataran fashion. The long, loose dress cinched in at the waist and left my arms bare, and the cheerful banded colors stood out against my pale skin. Everything in this place was so bright. To contrast with the washed-out desert, perhaps? I smoothed the dress across my hips and tried to calm my nerves with the gesture.

“Stop messing with it. You look great.” Atalie smiled. “Get over here and I’ll fix your hair and makeup.”

I returned the smile and seated myself on a spindly chair so Atalie could work. She was a genius at this sort of thing. The only female member of Peter’s gang, she seemed to love female companionship and was fast becoming a close friend of Hex and me.

Leo’s rise from unacknowledged bastard to crown prince had granted us an upgraded suite. Our new rooms sprawled, filled with opulent touches and loaded with magic-fueled gadgets, most of which remained a mystery.

“Look at this,” Hex called from across the room, where she reclined on a low couch draped in vivid red-and-gold fabric, long legs stretched out in front of her. She pressed a button on a device, and the view in the floor-to-ceiling picture windows gradually changed from the palace grounds to a rushing river, the bank lined with thick pines.

I stared. The image was so real, I could almost feel the spray from the fast-flowing water. “That’s amazing. Too bad we can’t take it home.”

Atalie snorted. “As if. Leo will have this place stripped bare before you go back, rules be damned. He’s fascinated by all this stuff. I wonder how much of it his brother invented?”

The mention of Adante sent fear spiraling across my nerves. It was a good question. How much of this was his work? The idea of using something he’d invented made my skin crawl. “Switch it off.”

Hex grinned, stood, and dropped into a low bow. “Of course, my lady. Whatever you desire.”

I sighed. Hex wouldn’t let the royal jokes drop. Her way of dealing with the strangeness of it all, maybe? Either way, it was annoying. “Give it a rest.”

“Your wish is my command, my—”

“Shut up or get out,” Atalie cut in. “I’m concentrating.”

Hex flopped back onto the sofa with a huff. “Just trying to have some fun. What’s crawled up your ass?”

“Liv’s nervous, and you’re—”

“I’m fine,” I snapped.

“Stay still,” Atalie chided. “You’ll make me smudge you.”

I forced myself to freeze as Atalie applied my makeup. I needed to look my best. Luncheon today would be my first public appearance as Leo’s romantic partner rather than his prisoner. By Ataran law our mixed relationship was illegal, punishable by death should a pregnancy result. But the rules didn’t seem to apply to royalty, and so far, no one had dared raise the issue with Leo.

I caught my foot tapping a staccato rhythm on the floor and stilled it. Atalie was right. I was nervous.

“You’re done.” Atalie stood back and examined me. “A perfect Ataran beauty. I love these clothes, and this whole place is so pretty. Maybe I’ll see if I can stay.”

“You’re mad,” said Hex. “This place is a fucking nightmare. I can’t wait to get home.”

We agreed on that, at least. “Me neither. What should we do first? I vote cocktails at Aviris.” I turned to Atalie. “You’ll have to come! It’s so cool. They set them on fire, and there’s ones that give off curls of freezing smoke—”

Hex and Atalie exchanged a look that knocked me out of my flow. “What?”

Hex sat up straight and fixed me with a searching stare. “You’re talking like life is going to go back to normal, but it won’t. You don’t really think he’ll let you out in the city by yourself? What if someone kidnaps you? You’ve got to be a bit more realistic.”

“But . . .” I fell silent. Hex was right, of course. I dropped my gaze and traced the pattern of cheerful mosaic tiles with my toe. What was my life going to be like? During my captivity in the palace, I’d daydreamed every day about all the parts of my old life I missed. How much of it was gone forever?

“Don’t worry.” Atalie pulled up a chair next to me. “Mention it to Leo. He might do something flash like book the whole place out for the two of you. You can be a bit more demanding, you know, now you’re official. He can’t have everything his own way anymore.”

Couldn’t he? Everything had been such a whirlwind, we hadn’t discussed how things would be in any meaningful way. My fingers drifted to the symbol on my palm, the stylizedLandRof Leo’s initials. He’d moved it yesterday, before the ceremony where the king recognized him as the Ataran heir. Not as obvious as my cheekbone, but still very much present. I touched it and felt the familiar zing of the magic linking us. Was it comforting, or oppressive? I hadn’t decided yet.

I forced a smile. “Maybe I’ll get him to book the whole place for the three of us. That’d be fun.”

“That’s the spirit. Anyway, stop moping and put your shoes on. It’s almost time to go.”

At least the Atarans had a sensible attitude to footwear. I slipped my feet into the low sandals and stood just as a knock sounded at the door. Hex strode over to answer it. She’d continued to act as my bodyguard, and I liked her playing the role. It suited her.

One of the black-liveried servants waited in the doorway and gave me an awkward nod. The servants didn’t know how to deal with me, and I didn’t blame them. Two days ago, they’d seen me treated as a slave. My face still burned when I replayed my humiliation, lifting my skirt for Leo. It had to be confusing for the staff.

---