Page 30 of The Light Falls
Hmm.The possibilities.
I chuckle. “I can come back later to see it.”
Where would she have put it? Somewhere hidden. Is that the reason for the sweet smile on her lips or something else?
“I won’t be here later,” she says breathlessly. “Lorn’s taking me to dinner.”
The nonchalant façade instantly evaporates. “Who the fuck is Lorn?” My tone is hard, and she rolls her eyes.
“Lord Lorn, from the Autumn Court. He and Allandra, his sister, had a wonderful party at his house last night,” she blithely informs me. “He hand fed me the most delicious dessert and asked me on a date.”
An image of a suave Fae feeding chocolate-dipped strawberries to Meri crosses my mind, and I slam my teeth together.
She walks over and taps me on the chest. “Do you remember the rune behind my ear? The one Rivan gave me a few hundred years ago.”
Unable to trust my voice, I nod.
“Did you know its purpose?” she asks pointedly.
Treading carefully across the quicksand under my feet, I consider how to answer her question. “I did. She told me after it was done. You were there. Don’t you remember?”
Her brow furrows. “No.”
Someone knocks on the door. “Queen Meri, are you ready to go?”
“We’ll talk soon,” I murmur. Staring into her turquoise eyes, I see the questions in her eyes, but I can’t tell her what she wants to hear. She has to remember the past on her own. “Go to your luncheon.” Hating the fact that she’s going on a romantic date with someone else, I bend down to kiss her on the cheek, but she turns her head, and the quick kiss lands on her lips.
Inhaling sharply, I stare down at the mouth I’ve been avoiding for so long. Her plump bottom lip disappears in between her teeth, and I lose all sense of reason. My lips capture hers and feast like the starving man I am. For hundreds of years, I’ve dreamed of nothing but tasting these lips again and again until my kiss is imprinted into her very bones.
She jerks her head back. “What the hell are you doing?” The whispered words fall between us. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. Take a long look at these lips. Think about how good they feel under yours, then stand by and watch while I offer them to Lorn later tonight.” With a toss of her head, she strides out the door.
Taking back what’s mine,I silently snarl. That’s what I’m doing.
Harshly exhaling the breath I’ve been holding, a sliver of satisfaction burns through me. She may not remember the past, but tonight, she’ll feel my lips on hers, not his. With a grim smile, I step into the shadow behind me. The guard will have to wait. Lord Lorn just moved to the top of my list. How have I not heard of him?
More importantly, how do I get rid of him?
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
MERI
Slightly puffy lips and a tinge of pink on my cheekbones. Nothing that can’t be attributed to makeup. Relieved, I run a trembling finger under my lip to erase the slight smear and step away from the mirror. Shoving the kiss to the back of my mind, I smile and enter the sitting room.
“Please excuse me. I’m running a little late today.”
Solandis narrows her eyes but says nothing, only motions to the seat beside her.
I swear that woman has the intuition of a seer. “Did I miss anything?”
The blond from last night is sitting across from me. “I was telling Solandis about the party. It was spectacular, wasn’t it? Asena is a magnificent performer.” A predatory smile graces her lips. “Too bad it was ruined by your refusal to talk about ladies-in-waiting.”
Irritated with her snarky attitude, I look at her in confusion. “I don’t recall meeting you last night, but there were so many people in attendance. What is your name?”
Her cheekbones flush with embarrassment. “We didn’t formally meet, but I spoke to you on the rooftop.”
“Ah, that explains it. I don’t speak to strangers about my business,” I say lightly, looking around the room. “Besides Solandis, I know Lady Estrella.” The red-haired lady winks and bows her head. “And, of course, Lady Allandra.”
Allandra is sitting on the chair next to me with a cup of tea in her hand. She smiles at the other ladies.
