Page 29 of Edge of Wonder

“I don’t know what to say.” What if it was all a joke and my reflection vanished from the mirror like it had for all these years?

“You look lovely, Alice.” Tessa clapped her hands together. “Now, I went with something practical that allows for more movement than normal women’s clothes, but that doesn’t mean you have to look drab. I call it fashionable woods wear. I might develop a line. And I’ve packed you a few other items for your trip.” She lowered the mirror. “You should get some sleep. It’s a big day tomorrow. While you were bathing, I prepared your old room for you. Fresh linens and everything. Even spruced up the mattress. You can't save a kingdom with a bad back.”

I laughed. “Sounds perfect.”

Feeling like a new woman, I stepped into the hall. The boards creaked under my feet, and I couldn't resist trying to find the loudest part of the floor. I slowed as I passed Sebastian’s room. His door was closed except for a thin gap. A line of candlelight bled into the hall.

He was still awake.

Nerves fluttered in my belly, and I smoothed damp palms down the front of my skirt. I felt silly for wanting him to see me in my new clothes. It was foolish thinking. But the desire was still there. I wanted him to look at me differently; see past the awkward child who tried to steal his future and the abandoned ghost without one.

A sly smile curled my lips.

I had a plan.

Slowly, I took a few steps back, making sure he heard me as I passed by. I fluffed the hair around my shoulders, pinched my cheeks, and leaned slightly against the wall in what I hoped was an enticing position.

He didn’t open the door.

Was I not loud enough? Frankly, I was used to being the one spying, not getting someone to spy on me.

I straightened and tried again, allowing my boot heels to click against the floor, and this time, I hummed a catchy tune.

Nothing!

My teeth clenched as I considered traipsing past for the third time. What was wrong with this man? I looked positively radiant and someone who I didn’t consider family should see it!

Angling my chin, I made my last attempt, determined to get his attention. I paused in front of his door, but this time when I fluffed my hair, I felt something strange. My fingers clasped around the soft, squishy object, plucking it from the strands. Standing in the line of candlelight from Sebastian’s door, I peered at my hand.

It was a gigantic spider.

I shrieked and flung the eight-legged intruder into the shadows. Frantically, I checked my hair for more, contorting my body, certain I’d find hundreds crawling over my scalp. They were probably everywhere! This house was infested. I shuddered, still consumed in my terror-stricken lurch to remove every last one from my person.

“What are you doing?” Sebastian’s voice broke through my panic.

I froze, bent at the waist with my hair hanging upside down. Tilting my head, I spotted him leaning against the door frame. Amusement glinted in his eyes and a smirk arched his mouth.

Resurrected for mere hours and I already wished I was dead again.

“There was a spider,” I said, my cheeks burning from mortification.

“Yeah. This place is filled with them. Mice, too.”

“And squirrels,” I muttered, trying to regain what was left of my dignity. “None of those creatures bother the dead. It was never a problem before.”

“Here, let me look.” He stepped into the shadowed hall.

My throat constricted as his intense gaze swept over me. I suddenly questioned whether trying to tempt him had been a good idea. What did I know about capturing a man’s attention? Especially one who’d had his pick over the years, and I had—well, literally no one.

At my stilted nod, his fingers delved into my hair. My eyes drifted shut while he sifted through the strands, leisurely, standing far too close. His clean, crisp scent teased my senses.

“New dress?” he asked, the warmth of his breath brushing my ear. His fingers skimmed the base of my neck, making my skin tingle.

“I couldn’t keep wearing the old one. It didn’t fit.”

“No, it didn’t. This one suits you. The color matches your eyes.”

“Ah, Sebastian, what did I tell you about saving your charms?”

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