Page 69 of Crown of Roses
Maeve broke their kiss and leaned back, away from him. She absorbed his appearance. He was wearing something similar in style to what Tiernan had been wearing. Fur draped over one shoulder, and his rippling abdomen and chest were dusted in shimmering bronze. Mahogany feathers hung from his pointed ears. Kohl lined his beautiful eyes, and his teal hair swept over one half of his face. His pants were smooth and supple, with another swatch of fur draped at his waist. It was there he strained for her.
“You look…nice.” Her eyes lingered over every inch of him and she didn’t miss the way he smiled when she finally lifted her gaze to his face. “Are you going to the party thing, too?”
He eased her back down to the ground. “The Autumn Ceilie? Yes, I’m going.”
“What’s the Autumn Ceilie?”
“It’s an annual event the Autumn Court hosts after Midsummer. The seasons never change in the Courts, but the years continue to pass.” He gestured to his outfit. “The Ceilie is more or less a celebration of the upcoming autumn season, after the longest day of the year.”
“Oh. I see.” Maeve dropped onto the bed. The Autumn Ceilie sounded terribly exciting; back in Kells, the fall had always been her favorite season. She loved nothing more than feeling the crisp change in the air, the jewel-toned coloring of leaves, and the delicious scents of apple cider, pumpkin tarts, and other treats that wafted up from the city's center below the Ridge.
A twinge of jealousy spiked through her.
“Do you want to come with me?” Rowan asked.
“Yes.” She was nearly breathless.
Yes, she wanted to go with him to the Autumn Court. It didn’t matter if it was wild, and full of trooping and solitary fae whose allegiances varied given their mood. It got her out of Niahvess. And it would give her an opportunity to search for the will ó wisp, the rarest of all fae, instead of sitting around and waiting to be attacked again.
“Mm,” Rowan murmured and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Not even an ounce of hesitation. How incredibly attractive.”
She looked up at him. “You don’t mind taking me with you?”
He grinned. “Never. It would be my pleasure.”
Magic settled upon her, soft and silky. His glamour draped itself around her, and her clothing transformed. A crimson skirt of velvet fell from her waist, and a slit ran up one side to her upper thigh. A tufted cape of soft fur fell down her back. The top was soft black lace, and though it disguised her cuffs well, it left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her nipples popped through the intricately sheer fabric. Rubies dripped from her ears, like droplets of blood. The low and steady thrum of her blood helped the tension flee from her body.
But it evaporated when Rowan’s expression grew grim. “There are a few things you need to understand before you come with me.”
“Okay.” Unease slithered down her spine.
“The Autumn Court is dangerous. Its Crown City, Kyol, has been in turmoil since…well, since Aran’s exile. Once their High Prince was relegated to live the remainder of his life as a Dorai, his other brother took over.” An eerie shadow fell across Rowan’s features. “And things haven't been the same since.”
Maeve sucked in a sharp inhale. She knew Aran had been banished for some unthinkable crime, but she didn’t realize he’d been the High Prince of the Autumn Court.
“You didn’t tell me he was a High Prince.” Maeve shoved her curls from her face. “I didn’t think…I mean, I didn’t realize he…”
Rowan simply lifted his shoulders, then let them fall. “It’s not my story to tell.”
Right. She should’ve known as much. “So, is there anything else I should know?”
“Yes.” He reached out, ran his thumb along her bottom lip, and she leaned into his touch. “Don’t eat or drink anything. Stay close to me. And keep your mask on, no matter what.”
“What mask?”
“This one.” His fingers coasted across her face, and a mask the same color as her skirt molded to her face. The decadent whorls felt like ink. Soft and subtle. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“I think so.” She hoped so. She had no idea what she was getting herself into, but it was a chance, a possibility, to save Kells. She would have to rely on everything she’d learned, everything she’d read, to keep herself safe.
“Don’t worry, Princess.” Rowan offered his hand and she took it. Then he bent down and planted a kiss on her forehead. The action was gentle. Intimate. And it sent her stomach fluttering. “I’ll have you home before midnight.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Maeve didn’t think to ask how they would get to Kyol for the Autumn Ceilie.
“Hold tight, Princess,” Rowan whispered, and he pulled her against him. She wrapped her arms around him, and her surroundings slipped away as she was engulfed in a wave of spiraling magic. All the air pulled from her lungs in one sharp, crushing breath. The sensation squeezed her body, nausea rolled in her stomach, and she closed her eyes shut to stop the world from spinning.
It was the same sensation that overtook her when Lir brought her from her room to the courtyard the night Summer was attacked.
