Page 37 of Blooms of Darkness

I caught a few murmurs through the crowd at the obvious way we’d stayed together after the music stopped. What on earth had I been thinking?

“Need a cold shower?” Kalliah snorted before she burst into laughter.

My head snapped toward her. “It’s not funny. More like awful, I thought I would never have to see his arrogant ass again.”

“Oh, Lana, ‘awful’ is not the word I think anyone would use,” Kalliah countered. “He’s even sexier than I imagined from when you described him.”

“I did not describe him as sexy,” I hissed.

She always saw right through me. She handed me a cup of lemon-infused water, and I tilted it back, finishing in one gulp, wishing for something much stronger.

“More importantly than Kade, what did Leif have to say?” I asked.

Kalliah frowned. “Nothing of importance.”

It was my turn to laugh, as I set my cup down on the round serving tray passing by. “Liar.” I stood next to her at the wall. “I saw you. If I hadn’t been trapped on the dance floor, I would have been able to see what happened when you put your hand on our dear, innocent Leif’s chest.”

“Does it matter?” Kalliah scoffed.

“I’m just wondering.” I tugged at her arm. “Are you all right?”

“I don’t know anything about him. Nor do I care to. He said something about a message for Ian. I can’t recall.” She turned her head away from me.

Kalliah was more reserved with her emotions more than Ian and I. I knew when to tease her and when she wanted space, and right now for some reason, she wanted space.

Valuing someone meant honoring their boundaries, and while she had many, they were worth recognizing.

I changed the subject, desperate to appear busy enough with her so I wouldn’t be stolen away again. “Did you know what Ian was planning?”

She sucked in a breath. “No,” she said. “Not at all. But are you surprised? He’d die for you. What’s a marriage?”

“Kalliah, he’s like my brother. You do know what married people are expected todo, right?” I stared straight into her green eyes, hoping she understood my hesitancy.

She laughed again. “Well, you certainly are entertaining this evening. If you think you’ll convince him otherwise, you’ve lost it.”

“I have to try.” I rubbed my arms, cooler now since I wasn’t on the dance floor, spinning and surrounded by bodies. Or perhaps it had more to do with coming down from the high of dancing with mylastpartner, specifically.

“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t say that,” Kalliah said softly. “He left toward the barracks. I’m sure you can catch him.”

I squeezed her arm. “Thank you.”

Regardless of what happened in the coming months, one of us had to live a life of freedom. Since it sure as hell couldn’t be me, I refused to give up until I convinced Ian it would be him.

Even if I hadn’t planned to hunt down Ian, I endured enough revelry and attention for one night. I had done my duty. Danced and smiled, and with the amount of wine and drink flowing freely, at this point I’d hardly be missed.

I quickly scanned the throne room. For once this evening, not one Fae paid any attention to me. If I wanted to escape unnoticed, I had to do it now.

Moving along the outer walls, I continued toward one of the doors, walking slowly without any sudden movements so I wouldn’t bring any attention to myself. An exit to one of the smaller, lesser-used, staff hallways, lay just within reach. It would be an escape allowing me to move unseen through the palace.

I slipped through the large, wood-framed door and closed it quietly behind me. The short corridor ahead would pop me out into one of the main passages in the palace. One with vast windows and ledges to sit on every few steps. The design of the palace, and everything inside of it, allowed us to view the beauty of nature.

Footsteps clopped behind me before I could leave the servants’ corridor. Bleeding hell, it better not be one of the contenders.

Unfortunately, it was worse.

The Royal Seer, Vivienne Nazar, stood with her head tilted to the side, staring at me while appearing lost and confused. Although the same age as my mother, her body revealed more signs of wear.

Her wiry grey hair could never be tamed with all the random kinks and curls throughout. She often wore robes, only found centuries ago, always declining the new styles and fabrics the king offered.

---