Page 137 of House of Embers
“Titania?” Kerrigan all but whispered. “We got your letter.”
The cottage room was warm and cozy. The fire had clearly been tended. An embroidery hoop sat abandoned nearby. A tray of tarts was untouched. Tea still had steam swirling out of the top of a kettle. Someone had been here recently.
“Hello, darlings,” a voice said from the door.
Kerrigan whipped around to find Titania with a pile of firewood in her thin arms. Fordham hastened forward to take it out of her hands.
“Please allow me,” he said.
“That is very kind of you,” Titania said, offering him a smile.
Kerrigan felt faint at the look. Titania was otherworldly beautiful, as if she had been cast out of stars and made out of jewels. She was almost hard to look at, her smile so precious that tears nearly came to Kerrigan’s eyes at the sight.
Fordham placed the firewood in a rack next to the fireplace. He tended the fire almost absentmindedly, as if he too needed to get Titania’s smile out of his vision.
Titania dusted debris off her slender arms. She was in a simple dress, especially in comparison to what her magic had attired Kerrigan and Fordham in, but she didn’t need anything to showcase her beauty. She justwas. In every way. Her hair was the color of goldenrod, her irises a clear summer sky, her mouth the pouty red of a rose bloom, her skin as fair as fresh snow, her voice melodic and hypnotizing.
“Can you pour the tea, dear?” Titania said.
Kerrigan nodded. There were three cups. She hadn’t noticed that before. Titania had already known they were coming and would be here any moment. How had she known?
Titania sank into a seat as Kerrigan poured the tea for the three of them. She passed her a cup and then poured tea into the other two. She took one to Fordham and had the other in her hand when Titania motioned for them to sit. There was another seat just large enough for two to sit in across from her.
“You received my letter,” Titania said pleasantly as she sipped her tea.
“We did,” Fordham said with a head bob. “It was most generous of you to invite us.”
“Would you like a tart?” Titania asked.
Kerrigan looked at the beautiful tarts. Each had a little rose cut out of the center, revealing the red filling beneath. She reached for one almost without her own free will, even though she knew eating or drinking from Titania had had disastrous effects last time.
Fordham placed a hand on her arm before she brought it to her lips. “Are these safe to eat?”
Titania laughed, a tinkling sound that made them both lean forward. “Why yes, of course. I made them myself.”
Kerrigan relaxed and bit into the pastry, which crumbled into hermouth with a burst of flavor. It was the most incredible thing she had ever tasted—buttery and strawberry with a hint of rose. Decadent and delicious.
“While we are honored—” Fordham began.
“It is an honor,” Kerrigan agreed.
“You wish to know why I summoned you here.”
“Yes,” they said together.
“I have come to right a wrong. There is debt between us,” Titania confessed. “I wish to rectify this.”
Kerrigan and Fordham exchanged a glance in confusion. What debt could they possibly be owed by the mother of the Fae?
“I wish to host your wedding.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
The Debt
They were silent at Titania’s proclamation. Not that Kerrigan didn’t want Titania to host their wedding. That was easily the most incredible thing someone had ever offered her, but her mind couldn’t seem to catch up to what Titania was offering…and why.
“What?” Kerrigan managed to get out.
