Page 60 of The Curse of a Kingdom
Even though she didn’t remember her father, who had clearly taught her the art of potion-making, she still had fractured memories of working in her shop. Her roughened hands chopping herbs, of her sniffing oils and boiling potions.
Simone had brought fresh-baked bread in exchange for migraine medicine. She had spent a whole summer trying to teach Cameron the proper way to extract carmine from the cochineal insects. And her shop—it had green walls the color of sage behind the counter.
Nava remembered the imagery and the ingredients were familiar, but she couldn’t remember why she had used them. The purpose of it all was lost, much like her father’s smiles. It was like watching a dream but failing to understand the meaning behind it all.
Potion-making had been such a large part of her identity. However, she had to keep moving forward. It mattered not what she might be unable to recover, and she needed to focus on what mattered most.
How to get Arkimedes back had to be what occupied most of her thoughts. The rest . . . she could figure it out later.
The entrance to the seamstress’s store was an impressive twelve-foot-high archway, framed by decorative sand-colored bricks and a heavy wooden door with glass panels that distorted the inside. A wooden sign hung from a swirling metal arm.
Marni’s Woven Magic
Tailored to you
“This is it, miss.” Leela’s nose scrunched as her sky-blue eyes glared at the seamstress’s door. “Don’t let her get to you.”
“Don’t worry, Leela. I’m not a damsel in distress. I know how to handle myself.”
Nava lifted her hand to knock on the door, but it swung open before she even made contact. A chime of bells sang as she came face to face with the man she had been dreaming of the entire day.
Her body reacted in kind, burning up just at the sight of him. She focused on the muscles that weren’t covered by his light tunic. Black silk tugged over his wide shoulders, and charcoal threads that depicted naked branches. His eyes blazed over her, bright and self-illuminating, and a wave of something warm ran through her, making her dizzy.
Heat. Lust. Want . . . Longing.
That emotion wasn’t coming from her alone, but it was being enhanced through their bond by him.
Was this all related to what the solstice would bring for the both of them? It was like she had become starved for his touch even more than normal.
“Nava,” he breathed, his gaze lingering momentarily on her lips before shifting to Devon, who approached them from his back.
He wore a light blue double-piece tunic, belted with wider fabric, and dark indigo pants. He seemed less pale than the last time she had seen him, his hair cropped shorter and pulled back behind his ears, allowing his sharp cheekbones to catch the morning light.
“Fiancée, fancy seeing you here.” Devon approached her with wicked bright eyes, the side smirk on his face growing under her glare.
“Stop with that,” Nava said in between teeth, and Arkimedes stirred next to Devon. It was hard to discern if he looked guilty or plain uncomfortable.
Had they talked? Had Devon poisoned Arkimedes’s mind with more lies that would bring on his rejection of her? What if the Crow told him they were mated?
The crawl of panic began to take over her body and mind, her chest tightening and making it hard to breathe. She was going to murder Devon and this stupid charade he had put them on. He was doing this to torment Arkimedesandher.
“I would have loved to come with the both of you.” Maybe that way, she would avoid the possibility of being bullied by a hostile seamstress, if what Leela said was true.
Devon shrugged. “We wanted to spend some time with just the two of us, like the good ol’ days before we were split up by . . . destiny.” His eyes flamed.
Nava crossed her arms over her chest, meeting his gaze with equal intensity. “Catching him up on what you have been up to, by any chance?” she asked in a fake sweet tone. “Were you able to tell him all the wicked activities you engaged in while he was away?” She hadn’t forgotten that both Leela and Fael stood near them, undoubtedly listening to every word the three of them exchanged.
“We were too busy talking about the future to focus on the past.” His hand landed on her shoulder. “Have fun in there!”
The future? What future was he speaking of? One where she wasn’t in the picture and would be forced to move to be near but never close to the man she loved? Would she be able to put Cameron through this?
Anxiety took hold of her windpipe, and if it wasn’t for her mother’s stern voice echoing in her mind to get herself together, she would have allowed panic to burst free and pull her down in its attack.
Nava glared at Devon as he sauntered out of the shop, enjoying himself too much for her liking. She turned to Arkimedes, who walked past her, one hand burying inside the pocket of his tunic.
“I have told Marni to take care of you. I—will see you later.” His other hand went through his hair, the way he always did when he was nervous.
“Yes . . .” She looked behind her to see if her escorts were close, but they were far enough away and chatting by the carriage. She drifted closer. “Did you ask him?”
