Page 99 of A Witch and Her Dragon
I laugh and wave them in after me. “I was just about to get dressed.” They trail into the sitting room, dresses swishing about their legs, and I call back to the maid, “Could we please have some tea? And some cakes if the kitchen can spare them?”
The young woman curtsies, then gives me a smile. “Of course, Your Highness.”
I quickly introduce my roommates to Ms. Fairhaven, who then waves for me to return to my bedchamber.
“Time to get dressed,” she says, and I swear there’s a twinkle in her eye as she leads me into the room and closes the door behind me.
WHEN I STEP BACK INTO the sitting room twenty minutes later, I find Lyra, Maeve, and Poppy sipping tea from hand-painted teacups and trying not to get crumbs on their beautiful Yule dresses. I have a shawl draped over my shoulders and hold it tight over my dress. Their eyes all turn to me.
“Ready to see it?” I ask, a twinge of nervousness going through me. From far off, somewhere on the castle grounds, Raelan sends a hint of curiosity through our bond. Knowing he’s always with me like this, always connected to me, brings me deep comfort.
With our bond, I’m never truly alone. He’s here with me, whenever I need him.
Lyra groans. “Gods, yes. Let us see.”
Maeve and Poppy stand from the couch, and they all look at me expectantly.
“Okay. Here goes.”
Slipping the shawl from my shoulders, I let the light material ripple to the floor. And three pairs of eyes go wide.
The dress Ms. Fairhaven picked for the occasion is unlike anything I’ve worn before. It clings to me like a second skin, the material so soft I feel I could tear it simply by taking too deep a breath. But when Ms. Fairhaven was helping me into it, tugging it up over my hips, it held firm, much stronger than it appears—like perhaps its enchanted with magic. It’s the color of smoky quartz, bejeweled along the plunging neckline with little shimmering crystals, and the skirt is gauzy and soft, with a slit up one side that reveals my leg and the heels my lady-in-waiting selected for me.
My roommates are momentarily speechless.
They blink. Then blink again.
Yuki lets out a soft whine.
I bite my lip and ask, “Well? Is it too much?”
Maeve’s lips, which are painted dark purple to match her hair and eyes, quirk up on one side. “I mean, is your goal toactuallykill Raelan tonight?”
“Of course not,” Poppy says from beside her. She reaches up to tuck a short strand of lavender hair behind her ear. “She just means to give him a little death.”
Lyra, Maeve, and I exchange surprised glances, then stare at Poppy.
Then Lyra cants her head and says, “Poppy Waverly, did you just make asex joke?”
Poppy’s light brown cheeks flare bright pink, and we all burst into laughter—along with Ms. Fairhaven. Yuki shakes his head like he wishes he could unhear that.
“I mean, she’s not wrong,” Maeve says as she dabs a tear from her kohl-lined eyed.
“I have to be there to see his reaction when he first sees you.” Lyra glances at Poppy and Maeve. “I think we all do.”
I cross the firelit room to stand with them, pausing along the way to pour myself a cup of dragon-fruit tea. “Well, the ball starts in”—I glance at the clock above the mantel—“about an hour. Think you can wait until then?”
“Hmm. Depends.” Lyra holds up a tiny plate dotted in crumbs. “Think we can get any more of those cakes while we wait?”
My lips tug into a smile, and I roll my eyes. “Yes, dear Lyra. I think that can be arranged.”
Chapter 45
Raelan
THE BALLROOM TWINKLES WITH CANDLELIGHT cast from the chandeliers overhead, and bodies move across the dance floor, accompanied by a string orchestra. Tables hug the edges of the wide room, and food and drink are in no short supply. From across the room, I watch my mother laughing at something a man seated beside her is saying. Meanwhile, my sisters scurry across the room with a handful of other children, giggling and high on sugar and Yuletide cheer.
I could join my family—I’m not on duty tonight, after all. Rather than armor, I wear my formal regalia: fitted trousers, polished boots, and a crisp long-sleeve shirt and jacket with gleaming buttons and a sharp collar. A pin shines on my chest, a single emerald embedded in a silver housing in the shape of an eye.
