Page 77 of Unraveled
“I can’t believe you found an amulet in that shop,” Finley says.
Both men have been very vocal about my ability to sense magic items as we walked past the jewelry stands on our way to the market. The shop manager, an old woman who could have been five-hundred-years-old, was delighted to be rid of such an insignificant item, and for such an exorbitant price.
Ten gold coins. It would have taken me months to save that much with my librarian salary.
“Are you happy with it?” Nera asks from my side as we both examine the rose-shaped pin.
“Yes.” I secure it in the waves of my hair, and I already feel a hundred times better than I did with the ring. “I like that it’s small.”
Much more than that, I love the gentleness of its voice. But I keep that last thought to myself. I’m quickly learning that being able to hear objects isn’t normal, even for magical beings like the fae.
We walk down the busy streets to the address of the lunar dance. It’s the only invitation Marlena saved, and it’s not terribly far from the manor.
Hedrum is even more breathtaking at night than it was through the carriage window. The gas lanterns spill their yellow light onto the paved roads, and people make their way from shop to shop wearing their finest colorful clothing. The buildings change from markets to homes encased behind manicured hedges. Music drifts on the air, drowning out even the shouts of the sellers we leave behind.
Finley fetches the invitation from the pocket of his coat, unrolls the thick parchment, and reads in silence before pointing to our left, where a river of people flows. “Seems that’s our host.”
We stroll past brass gates stained with age, held straight by thick white columns. Greenery spills onto a stonework patio where guests with tall flutes of champagne mingle while a guard checks their invitations.
I know I’ve changed on a deeper level the moment the elaborate crown molding, chandeliers, and curved stairways don’t shock me. I guess next to the castle, this place seems almost mundane. Even a month ago, I would have gawked at the elegant details, or the painting on the ceilings.
The music of multiple violins drifts through the dance floor. There’s no way the sound of these instruments would travel so easily over the loud conversations and the clicking of crystal glasses without the aid of magic.
Nera’s gloved hands wrap around Ash’s bicep. “Come, I’ve been waiting for this for far too long.”
“I thought you hated dancing with me...” he says, but he lets Nera drag him into the crowd of dancers in the middle of the room.
I always dreamed Irene and I would be close enough to be friends, like they are. A part of me is jealous of their relationship. And another part realizes how broken my family was. Full of secrets, snide remarks, and manipulation.
Finley and I remain on the edges, watching the couples twirl around the dance floor. The two fae hide in plain sight as they enjoy this moment away from their curse.
Finley dips his face close to my ear, and his voice is barely loud enough to break through the noise, so not even the crowd behind us can hear our conversation. “I can’t believe all these people are celebrating a fae holiday when we’re struggling in the castle the way we are. It’s not that I think people should never have any fun because fae are fading into madness or turning to statues, but looking the other way while it happens seems cold. I just wish—I wish Ash did more to fight this.”
My heart tightens as I take in Finley’s expression. There’s a lot of anger there—shame too. It’s plain to see as he watches the festivities around us.
I clear my throat, hoping to lighten the mood. “I’ve never been to a lunar celebration before. Were they always like this?”
“No, they were better when everyone could roam without being hunted. Regardless of species. It’s why Nera wanted to come so badly.”
“I’m glad we could come,” I admit, meeting Ash’s gaze as he and Nera cut through the crowd. Time slows and even the music fades. And then, in the quiet that follows, I hear small voices that don’t speak the human language. It’s not my new amulet, but sounds similar. Not a person, then, but a magical object.
He is here... I think the whispers say.
Ours.
He’s here.
Every hair in my body rises. Ash breaks his eye contact and returns his attention to Nera. The music resumes.
I glance around, trying to find the source, but all I can hear are the stringed instruments and my loud breathing. It’s like someone is playing a joke, and I’m failing to find it funny.
“It’s your new amulet working better than my ring?” Finley asks, pulling my attention back to him.
“It’s like night and day,” I say, though the pressure in my stomach is building again.
“How does it work? Does this one also speak to you, but it’s less hostile?”
Wiping my sweaty hands over the skirt of my dress, I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. I don’t want to sound crazy, but then again, Finley doesn’t appear to be judging me. It’s more like he’s actually curious—worried, even.
