Page 92 of Bride of the Midnight Prince

“A chocolate strawberry!” she blurts. “It was delicious. I went to get you another one, but they were all gone. I’m afraid I am not sorry. I really loved eating that strawberry.”

I cannot help my laugh. Several people startle, turning to stare at me, as though they never thought a fae capable of laughter. I hold the plate out to Kat, offering her choice of the dainties.

“You may select another tax,” I say.

She eagerly inspects the plate. I watch her gaze swivel between a morsel of sweet meat and a tiny cranberry biscuit. She chooses the meat and closes her eyes to enjoy its flavor. My mouth tilts in a smile. When she opens her eyes, I hold out the cranberry biscuit to her lips.

“Another tax?” she asks.

“Only because I feel generous.”

She glances a little uneasily around to make sure no one is watching us when she opens her mouth and lets me feed her the biscuit. Her enjoyment is deeply satisfying to me.

I pull the plate back to myself and eat without tasting. Every piece of food is so small it barely counts as a real bite. I will need a substantive meal after this—unless they want me to eat entire trays of tiny sandwiches and biscuits.

Kat stands at my side, bouncing on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped behind her back. No one gives her a second glance and it baffles me. What do they see when they look at her? Not what I see—they could never look past her if they saw what I saw.

My ribs suddenly feel squeezed tight in this doublet. I do not know what to make of these thoughts that keep invading my mind. Or, rather, I know what they mean, but their meaning is so preposterous I decide they must have some other meaning. Something that has nothing to do with how quickly my eyes are drawn back to my attendant.

I cannot court Lady Vandermore.

The realization is so sudden, so stark, I can do nothing but surrender to it. I will find some other way to win the queen’s favor.

I need to meet with Lady Duxbury Vandermore and withdraw my suit.

WeleaveforAshbourneafter the luncheon and travel well into the night before we arrive home. Kat is stretched across the opposite bench inside the carriage, fast asleep. For the thousandth time, I wonder what I’m going to do with her. Her pleasant scent fills the carriage to the point it is impossible to ignore it. Not that Iwantto ignore it.

The carriage pulls to a stop, but Kat doesn’t stir. I lean close and lay a hand on her shoulder. Still, she does not wake.

I sigh and lift her gently into my arms.

“My lord!” cries Edvear, rushing out to greet us. “What can I—oh! What has happened?”

“Hush!”I mouth at him with a glare.“Nat is asleep.”

Edvear’s jaw sags. “Why . . .?”

“Because it’s in the middle of the night,” I reply through my gritted teeth.

“No, why are you—” He wisely cuts himself off and goes to take care of our luggage instead.

Kat’s arm hangs limply from her shoulder as I move carefully. Now that I’ve chosen this route instead of waking her up in the carriage, I’d rather she didn’t wake at all.

Quietly, I lay her on her own cot and tug the covers over her. She lets out a soft moan and rolls to her side, toward me. I withdraw my hands and mutter, “Don’t fall off your bed.”

Then I leave, breathing harder than I should.

Edvear brings the luggage inside. I had originally planned to visit the border tonight, but I’m tired as well—and I have this prickling sense that I will want to be rested tomorrow night. Since I’ve placed wards around the estate to alert me of people I don’t know stepping onto the grounds, I am comfortable letting my guard down for a few hours. So I stretch out on my own bed and let my exhaustion claim me.

The next evening, my intuition proves true.

I am at my desk, staring into space instead of tending to my work, when an invisible thread, pulling taut against me, snaps in half.

I’m on my feet in an instant. The Ivy Mask is back on the prowl.

My swords are strapped to my back within minutes. I don’t bother to check in on Kat or inform Edvear that I’ll be gone. Instead, I open the window and leap into the night.

Tonight, I’ll get him. Tonight, I’ll make him my ally and find some way to make him rescue Pavi from Nothril. And then the rest of my plan will fall into motion.

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