Page 52 of Enchanted Kisses
“Maybe we should rummage while we talk.” She eyed the bags on the floor, then cleared a space in the middle of them for us to sit. “I got you quite a bit of goodies.”
Uh-oh. Raysa only brought goodies when she had bad news. What could she possibly shock me with now? Did Caiden have a harem? Or wait, maybe he’d gone back to the Realm of Death?
Raysa made herself comfortable on the rug. She folded her white skirt over her knees and held my gaze, waiting for me to join her.
When I did, she sent a black-and-white-striped bag my way.
I stared over it, keeping my eyes on her, afraid of what she was about to dish. The room grew so quiet, the scrape of a match would sound loud.
“It’s not just me who needs you at the celebration. Caiden does, too.” Her brows tightened with concern. “Do you want to tell me what happened last night between the two of you?”
Not the question I was expecting. “Nothing happened. Why? What did he say?”
“He didn’t tell me anything, but when he returned to the manor, he seemed agitated more than usual.”
“Really? He seemed fine when he left. Maybe a little upset, but not agitated.”
Raysa sighed and puckered her lips with thought. “It must be your rejection of him, then. That, in combination with all he’s dealing with, is making him rather explosive.”
“He said I rejected him?” I pushed the bag away.
“It’s not the gift’s fault.” Raysa moved the bag back to me. “And no, he didn’t say you rejected him. But you haven’t exactly opened up to him or confessed your love, either.”
“I don’t lo—lo—” I couldn’t get out the word.
A knowing grin tilted Raysa’s lips.
“Why can’t I say it?” I sat in shock.
“You can’t lie anymore. Not even to yourself.”
“But I don’t lo—” Wow, this was annoying.
Raysa moved close and placed her hands on my knees. “Lily, it’s me. Even if you could lie, I know you well enough to know the truth. However, I didn’t know that you didn’t know. And since you don’t know, I’m guessing Caiden doesn’t know, either.”
“Is it weird that I understood everything you just said?”
“Not at all.” She grinned. “And as fun as it would be to tease you and say it’s a supernatural thing, I can’t. It would be a lie.”
“Not being able to lie really blows.” Something occurred to me then, and I gasped. “What if Caiden asks me if I love him? Do I have to answer? I mean, I don’t even know how it can be true. I don’t know him. How can I love someone I don’t know?”
“You know him.”
“No, I don’t. I know a guy who never existed. Not the ex-prince of the Realm of Death, who partied and slept around with who knows how many girls. Do you know how many girls?”
“No.” Her features scrunched. “And I don’t see how you knowing that number will help anything.”
“I know.” I raised a hand and let it fall to my lap with a smack. “It’s just…things would be so much easier if he was more likemyCaiden…the old Caiden.”
“Heislike the old Caiden.” Raysa moved back and pushed more bags near me. “When he met you, he stopped partying and started transforming into the Caiden you know. Besides, he was never as bad as the other sentries of his realm. His mother’s early influence kept him from fully immersing in all the Realm of Death had to offer.”
I raised doubtful brows.
“Truthfully,” she said, not that she had to. “Caiden is mild in comparison to most Death Sentries. You’ve met Dagan and all his crazy, frightening, yet alluring charm. Female Death Sentries are worse.”
“How can they be worse?”
“It’s the manipulation tactics they use. Not very tasteful, if you ask me, but effective.” She glanced at the bags. “If we don’t start going through these, we’ll be at it all night. Open that one.” She pointed to the white-and-black bag.
