Page 41 of Kiss of Fire

“I don’t know half the words you use. But if you mean, are they very beautiful, then yes. They are extraordinary-looking.” Leona regarded Raya and shook her head. “Shadeed must expect me to perform miracles.”

Raya bit back a rude retort.

The next hour was one of the most miserable of her life. Her hair was pulled, primped, and curled to within an inch of its life. She swore repeatedly as her head was yanked back and forth by a succession of torturous styling implements.

Then Leona got out the make-up and Raya’s heart sank even further. She fidgeted as the si’lat applied kohl and powder, finishing with a little rouge on her lips.

“Are you nearly done yet?” she complained.

“Anyone would think you’ve never used cosmetics before,” Leona said tartly.

Raya stayed silent.

When Leona finally proclaimed she was finished, she bolted from her chair and went out through the doors to get some fresh air. Shutting her eyes against the bright sunshine, she filled her lungs and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension.

“Fuck,nothing’sworth this.”

But she was wrong.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Shade had glided down from nowhere and landed silently on the edge of the platform.

For a moment, neither of them moved. The breath caught in Raya’s throat as Shade took in her appearance. His eyes deepened to a shade of sapphire she’d never seen before. It seemed as if he tried to speak, but words failed him.

And in that moment, she knew the suffering hadtotallybeen worth it.

Seventeen

Shade broke the spell by striding past her. She turned and called out.

“So what do you think? How do I look?”

“You look fine,” he answered gruffly.

Fine?

She hurried after him as he reached his bedroom.

“Is it the make-up? It’s too much, isn’t it? I mean, I don’t normally…” she skidded to a halt as she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

She blinked.

Her hair was plaited all about her head but left to fall in long luxurious curls down her back. Tiny diamond-tipped pins were worked into the braids, giving off sparkles every time she moved.

The darkness of her lashes was accentuated with kohl, making her eyes seem huge and exotic. And her lips were dark red, setting off the gold tint of her skin which seemed to glow against the apricot hue of her dress.

She stared at herself wordlessly.

“As I said, you look fine.” The dismissiveness in Shade’s voice jerked her back to reality.

“Yeah, it’s… it’s not bad.”

“Are you pleased, my Lord?” Leona glided between them and Raya was relieved to see she had changed into a long green dress which covered all her important bits. “It took quite some time.”

“She will suffice. I am grateful to you, Leona. You may return to your own quarters now if you wish.”

If Leona was put out at being dismissed this way, she didn’t show it.

“Of course. And the halfling is to stay here?”

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