Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
“Well, you were turning green at the edges, so I thought I’d save you.”
They stepped out of the hallway and into a private garden off the west side of the property. Kerrigan opened her mouth to comment on how beautiful it was when another figure appeared before them. She brought her magic to her close, preparing for an attack, but dropped it almost instantly as she recognized the shape of the man.
“Dozan,” she whispered.
Kerrigan looked to Clover accusingly.
She held her hands up. “I still work for him.” And then slunk off back into the house.
“Hello, princess,” he said, his voice low and musical.
“I sent you an invitation.” She took another step toward him. “You could have used the front door.”
“Not my style.”
She shook her head. “Why am I not surprised that you’d rather meet me in the shadows?”
He brushed a straight lock of hair from her face. “I like it better curly.”
“Well, that’s good because this takes entirely too long.”
The red shone bright through his dark hair in the lit gardens, and he was dressed as ever in a black suit with a blood-red cravat. The Rook R pin revealing the king of the Wastes for who he truly was. And he was undeniably attractive. She’d dreamed of nights like this back when she was so obsessed with Dozan that she thought of giving up her entire world for this one man. Everything had changed, and now, she was choked with what could have been.
“Do I get a dance then?” he asked, holding out a hand.
“We have no music.”
“Our bodies have never needed music before.”
Her cheeks flushed as she put her hand in his and let him sway her side to side. She’d never loved Dozan. Could never love a man like this. He had his own aims to consider. The dance felt more like a good-bye than a rekindling of what they had once been. Obsession, infatuation, lust. None of it had been enough.
After a few moments, Dozan whispered into her ear, “I have your name day gift.”
“I don’t need anything from you, Dozan. I am already too far in your debt.”
“Ah, that is true. I will have you forever in my debt if I can help it,” he said, easing her out of his embrace as he reached into his suit pocket. “But this, I give for free.”
She took the small black box out of his hand. She shot him one last wary look before opening it. Nestled inside was a thin band of dark metal. She looked closer and saw a few ancient Fae characters, almost completely obscured around the ring. She’d seen it on his littlest finger for years.
Her eyes shot up to him in surprise. “Why are you giving me this?”
He plucked the small band from inside, took her hand in his, and slid it onto her thumb, where it fit perfectly. “Because you need it more than I do.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s a magical artifact made out of solid Tendrille,” he said, tapping the ring once. “It makes the wearer immune to magic.”
Her eyes widened. “But, Dozan …”
He pressed a finger to her lips. “For you, Red. Happy name day.”
Then he replaced his fingers with his own lips. He leaned into her hungrily, devouring her with every ounce of pent-up need between them. Her head was dizzy with it when he pulled back. He smiled down at her, a look of deep regret in his amber irises. A good-bye on his lips.
But all he said was, “Don’t ever take it off.”
Then, his eyes snapped up, and Kerrigan startled, turning to find someone watching from the shadows. She looked on in horror as Ashby March entered the gardens.
24
THE ARGUMENT
“I can still gut him if you’d like,” Dozan drawled beside her.
“No, I can handle this.” She didn’t take her eyes off of March as she stepped in front of Dozan. “You should go.”
“I’m not leaving you here to deal with him alone.”
“And I’m telling you to let me handle this.”
She could feel Dozan tremble with rage behind her, but he wasn’t stupid. Kerrigan could handle one male alone. She had handled much worse than him. And if the look in March’s face was any indication, she no longer had to bullshit him about her true feelings. The masks were down. Neither of them was lying any longer.
“Go,” she ground out.
And Dozan left. She didn’t doubt that he clung to the shadows, prepared to step in if need be, but she wouldn’t need his help. She was done pretending to be less for this male.
“Hello, March,” she said evenly. “Lovely night.”
He strolled forward, one hand in his pocket, the other lighting a flame to further illuminate the darkened garden. “Quite.”
“Funny running into you here.”
“I saw my betrothed fleeing to the gardens and had to follow her.”
“Of course,” Kerrigan said flatly. “As you’ve been following me since we both returned from Lethbridge.”