Page 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

A fter what felt like an eternity, Solarius finally found his way back to Narissa’s rooms.

Balancing the plate of food with one hand, he hesitated on the other side of the bedroom door.

He debated knocking to announce his arrival, then thought better of it and nudged the door open.

If there was one thing for certain, he never knew what to expect with her.

But he realized fairly quickly that he better get used to her taking his breath away.

Because that’s exactly what she did.

Solarius walked right in, then drew up short, nearly tripping over his own two feet.

Narissa was seated upon the bed with her knees pulled up and feet bare, a day dress spilling around her like sun glinting off the crystalline sea.

Her ruffled skirts were a shade of pale turquoise that glinted gold in the light, and the white bodice billowed like cresting waves off her shoulders.

The sleeves were long and loose, and though her garments were completely unadorned, Solarius swore he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

She wore her sunlit hair down in wild waves, and with the exception of the gold rings on almost every finger, she wore no other jewels.

A book was splayed open in her lap, and she scraped her teeth along her bottom lip while she read, a habit he found oddly endearing.

When she licked her finger to turn the page, he almost dropped the entire plate of food on the floor.

His muttered curse drew her attention and she glanced up, slamming the book closed.

“My lord.” She shoved the book into the pearlescent drawer of her nightstand and sat up, crossing her legs beneath her.

“You’re back.”

“Yes.” He cleared his throat and slowly moved toward the bed, carefully setting the plate between them.

“I brought food.”

Solarius inwardly cringed.

I brought food.

What a stupidly obvious thing to say.

“I can see that.” Narissa tilted her head, her waves tumbling over one shoulder and he had half a mind to sweep them back, just for an excuse to touch her.

His throat worked, but words would not form.

There was something different about her, something so inexplicably eye-catching that he couldn’t quite name what held him utterly captivated.

She blinked, those frosty green eyes watching him stare at her, and he realized they were not lined with kohl.

She wore no shimmering powder or paint, yet her lips were a natural rosy pink.

There were no ornaments or charms in her hair, no excessive glamour or fabrics with dazzling designs meant to draw a male’s eye.

This was the real Narissa, in her purest form.

The one she kept hidden from the rest of society.

The one she may have inadvertently revealed only to him.

And he fucking loved it.

“You look beautiful.” He shook his head once and sat down on the opposite side of the bed.

“Are. You are beautiful. My lady.”

Stars above, he could not even speak properly around her today.

She had affected him somehow, her very presence made him feel as though he was lost in an ocean of wonder, and for her he would gladly drown.

“Thank you.” Her voice was soft yet clipped, as though she wasn’t entirely sure if she should accept his compliment or not.

Like perhaps she didn’t truly believe him.

Not that he could blame her, their relationship was built off stony insults and harsh insinuations.

It had been forged in the fires of disparagement, honeyed words and flattery were lost between them.

They ate together in mostly companionable silence, with a few casual remarks about the weather and Narissa’s fondness for sweets.

“Are you going to open that?” she asked, nodding to the letter in his hand.

She popped her thumb into her mouth, sucking off a bit of icing.

Solarius swallowed a groan of desire and spared her a glance.

“I was…” His voice trailed off when he realized she had a smear of creamy blue icing clinging to her bottom lip.

He grinned.

“You’ve got something just there.”

He tapped his own lip, then reached out, his gaze flicking to hers.

“May I?”

She nodded once, her pale green eyes darting to his mouth.

Solarius gently cupped the right side of her face with his fingertips, then dragged his thumb across her lip, swiping away the remnants of the sugary residue.

When he licked the icing from his thumb, wishing he was tasting something else, her eyes rounded and a distinctive blush flooded her cheeks.

She edged back, away from him, and blew out a harsh breath.

She hates me , he reminded himself.

And damn it, he should hate her as well.

Narissa had been the one to play him for a fool, to lead him into thinking there was something good and wonderful between them before seeking solace in the arms of Calfair Skyhelm.

Solarius was the one who’d been humiliated, the one deemed an “unlovable rake” by society, because he couldn’t manage to hold the interest of one of Aeramere’s sweetest souls.

Sweet, indeed.

Solarius had been on the receiving end of Narissa’s venomous mouth more times than he could count.

So why then could he not quit thinking of her?

He shouldn’t be imagining her writhing beneath him while he teased and taunted her into oblivion.

He shouldn’t want to die from the poison of her velvety lips or melt into the satin of her skin.

It would be unusually cruel to coerce her into thinking there was attraction between them just to what, pretend they were happily married?

Eventually, he would have to bed Narissa, but it would not be done out of obligation.

No, the first time he filled her, he wanted her wet and willing.

And he would claim her in such a way, no other male would ever compare.

He plucked the envelope from Ariesian off the plate and tore it open.

Solarius unfolded the piece of parchment and skimmed his brother’s bold, clean script.

“What’s it say?” Narissa asked as she drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

Narissa was privy to a good bit of knowledge where the possible coup of Queen Elowyn by Prince Aspen was concerned.

After all, she’d been there when those wretched creatures attacked House Celestine during Novalise and Asher’s wedding.

She’d witnessed firsthand the destruction they’d caused, just as she’d seen how Queen Elowyn’s magic failed to assist them in their time of need.

Shockingly enough, it had been Prince Aspen who sent the fiends back to whatever earthly hell in which they belonged—though some believed he created them as a diversion to distract from his intent to overthrow his mother.

If the prince painted himself in a good light by saving Celestine from those foul beings born of tainted magic, then he would no longer look suspect.

But Solarius wasn’t about to be deceived by such tactics.

Prince Aspen had come to their aid, yes, but he’d also done so in the form of the Eyrewolfe, a massive wolf-like beast with a skull for a head and large curving horns.

If the prince could keep that a secret from his subjects, there was no telling what other matters remained undisclosed.

“Ariesian is reminding me that we’re invited to House Celestine for the annual Yuletide Ball.” Which Solarius knew meant they would go not only to make an appearance, but that it would also be one of the first times he and Narissa were seen out by society.

Their behavior would be telling.

“And he has asked me to join him in a game of starshoot.”

Her brow quirked, a flicker of amusement passing over her face.

“Starshoot?”

Solarius grinned, the fondness of the memory flooding him.

“It was a game we played with my father when we were younger. He could create anything from the stars, so he would make constellations in different animal forms and we would shoot them with bows and arrows made of stardust. But that was before?—”

Before he died.

Before Lord Zenos Starstorm Celestine, who was strong, powerful, and exceptionally brilliant, had fallen asleep one night and never awoken.

Queen Elowyn had carried out a brief investigation into his cause of death, but the royal healers declared there was no foul play within a few days, and so he was buried beneath the stars, leaving behind a wife and eight children.

Already his legacy was forgotten by everyone, save for those born of his blood.

But Solarius did not believe his father had left this life due to natural causes.

Fae did not simply go to sleep and never wake up.

That was an affliction in the mortal realms, something suffered by humans.

For a fae to fall into an eternal slumber, it would have to be forced or sought out with precise intention.

A charm, perhaps.

A poison or tonic.

Lord Asher Firebane’s mother came to mind, as she willingly ended her own life after her bastard of a husband died.

Yet Solarius knew without a doubt that Zenos Starstorm would never in the span of centuries take his own life.

If anything, his father was far too stubborn for such a demise.

Something warm and soft covered Solarius’s hand and his mind quieted.

“Sol?” Narissa’s lulling voice summoned him from the chaos of his thoughts.

He glanced down to see her hand covering his own, where he clenched the bed linens so tightly his fingers curled into fists.

She stroked the pad of her fingers across his knuckles.

It was a gentle sweep, back and forth, and he found it oddly soothing.

“Apologies, my lady.” He forced his hand to relax beneath her touch.

“Would you like to talk about it?” Her tone was achingly tender, and his heart strained in response.

Solarius shook his head, not wanting to discuss his demons.

Even if she was showing him a kindness, he had no desire to share his inner turmoil with Narissa.

At least not until they explored whatever personal tension was brewing between them.

It would seem their past courtship was not quite how either of them remembered, and he had every intention of having that conversation with her soon, even if that meant she would show her claws and teeth.

“Another time.” He eased away from her and shoved off the bed.

“Anyway, Tovian is the one who possesses such magic now. Since he and Nyxian have returned and settled after their seafaring travels, I imagine Ariesian is keen to have us all together for some sort of brotherly bonding.”

“You’re leaving then.” It wasn’t quite a question as it was a statement, and Narissa refused to meet his gaze, busying herself with the glistening ruffles of her skirt instead.

“Yes, only for a short while.” When she failed to look at him again, he shifted his weight and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Do you not have any dalliances or social gatherings of your own to attend? I would assume you have any number of ladylike matters requiring your attention.”

“I…of course.” Narissa snapped off each word, and when she finally lifted her face, her eyes were shadowed and her full lips were pressed into a hard line.

“Of course.”

Something about the look on her face set him on edge, almost worried him.

But he shrugged off his concern.

Knowing Narissa, she was probably contemplating his death.

“I shall return in time for dinner. I promise.”

Her smile was pinched.

Part of him wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss that cross look right off her face.

The other part of him knew better.

Best to wait for her fury to calm, lest he try to kiss her and end up drowning in the wave of her wrath.

“I’ll be back before nightfall.” Solarius took one more long look at her before leaving.

Her legs were pulled to her chest, her chin resting upon her knees.

She was staring at the stained glass window, the depiction of the sirens and their separate desires holding her captive.

Narissa sighed and refused to look his direction.

Solarius accepted his dismissal with the grace of a scorned lord.

He turned on one heel and walked out of her bedchamber without another word.