Page 3 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

“Or what?” she gritted out.

“Or it is just with me.”

“It is neither of those things.”

“Ah, now you are lying,” he said, his lips finally turning up into a small smile.

She frowned. “I really should be getting back. I’m sure the Selection is about to start at any moment.”

“It likely is.”

“And I should be in there. So should you. To see your future Lord or Lady select their Source,” she added, worrying her bottom lip. His eyes dipped to the movement.

“We definitely should be,” he agreed, amusement seeming to flit across his features. “Be in there, that is.”

“So…”

For a long moment, he didn’t move, then he finally stepped back from her. She could have sagged with relief, but the surprise flooding through her was more overwhelming at the moment. As a Fae, she didn’t really have the right to deny a Legacy. Fae could not deny a Legacy anything unless they were claimed and Marked. She could say no, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything to them.

She slipped past the male and into the empty hall, pulling up the sides of her dress so she wouldn’t trip on it. Her black heels clicked on the marble floor that was kept in immaculate condition, and she concentrated on not tripping yet again.

“It was a pleasure, Tessalyn,” he called after her, and she knew she should turn and acknowledge him. She knew it would be seen as incredibly disrespectful not to do so, but she didn’t. She hurried down to the small side door she’d found to slip out here and rushed back into the grand hall where the Opening Selections would be held. Fae and Legacy alike filled the vast space, although none of them mingled together.

“Where have you been?”

Tessa jumped at the familiar voice in her ear, spinning to find a tall male glaring at her with eyes such a dark shade of brown they were almost black.

Dex.

She pushed out a breath when he slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, and she relaxed into him.

“After the Selection is done, we’re still sneaking out, right?” Tessa asked, scanning the other Fae who were of age for Selection as they milled about the grand hall.

“As long as we’re not Selected,” Dex replied, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Tessa huffed a laugh. “We both know we’re not going to be Selected. We can sneak off as soon as the Selection is done. The gods know it’ll be hours before we’re offered any food, and I’m starving.”

“I told you to eat before we left.”

“I tried,” she protested with a pout, shoving him off of her. Moving him wasn’t the easiest thing she’d ever done. He was a good eight inches taller than she was, and while his muscles weren’t as defined as some of the other Fae, they were definitely there. “Some Legacy prick took my chocolate.”

“Wait, what? When?” Dex demanded, spinning her to face him and gripping her shoulders. The sleeves of his suit jacket pulled up just enough that a Mark was visible on the inside of his right wrist, the Celeste Estate symbol declaring which estate he was raised at. It matched the one on the inside of her own wrist. Eventually, two more Marks would join that one. One to declare their element and one to declare which kingdom they were assigned to serve.

“Five minutes ago,” Tessa groused. “I was out in the corridor with a piece of chocolate I snagged off a passing tray—”

“The trays of food for the Legacy,” Dex clarified.

“Yes, those trays,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, I was caught, and he took my chocolate.”

“He?” His eyes widened. “Are you all right? Did he—”

“I’m fine,” she said, cutting him off.

“You shouldn’t have gone off without me,” he said tightly.

She sighed. “I know.”

There was a tense moment of silence between them before he released her shoulders. “Who’s sneaking out with us? Oralia and Brecken?”

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