Page 2

CHAPTER TWO

N arissa gripped the edge of the porcelain sink, her stomach churning violently, her nails tapping a restless rhythm that echoed softly through the empty bathing suite.

She blew out a low, shallow breath, struggling to maintain her composure, while dreamy music floated from the ballroom beyond.

She dared a hesitant look at herself in the gilded mirror encrusted with bits of aqua sea glass and met the watery gaze of her own reflection.

For a brief moment, she worried she might be horribly ill.

She’d done it.

She’d married Lord Solarius Starstorm, the one male she had pined after for years, yet instead of feeling overcome with joy and elation, her nerves were coiled tightly with dread.

The constant swell of anxiety left her unwell.

Narissa lowered her chin and sucked in another greedy gulp of air.

Her wedding gown was suffocating.

The soft and decadent chiffon stuck to her skin, smothering her.

She’d needed a moment to collect herself after their vows, to keep herself from crying in front of him.

Humiliation spread through her once more, a ruthless blush staining her cheeks.

Solarius had every intention of dropping her, of letting her topple into the sand without a care.

She’d seen it in his eyes a second before he let her go.

Lucky for her, his eldest brother Ariesian had seen his intent as well and caught her by the elbow.

Despite wanting to slap him across the face for such churlish behavior, Narissa couldn’t be furious with him.

Not really.

She was the one who had offered him her cheek instead of her lips when he attempted to seal their vows with a kiss.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to kiss him.

In fact, her desires were quite the opposite.

But she was absolutely terrified.

Solarius had been the epitome of an honorable lord during their courtship a few years prior—he’d been attentive, chivalrous, and exceptionally refined.

So much so, that he never kissed her then, either.

But Narissa told herself that the moment their lips met, their magic would claim one another, and Solarius would be her mate.

Her perfect match in every sense of the word.

For how could he possibly be anything else?

The enchanting moon and the alluring tides called to one another, such a fate was designed before even the rise of stars.

And Solarius, he had moonlight running through his veins.

She’d witnessed his power firsthand, the forceful yet wondrous sphere he called the lunarstorm.

When he was engulfed in the magic of the moon and all of her phases, when he’d been doused in that glow of silvery light, Narissa’s blood stirred.

Her tidal magic awoke, beckoned to the surface by Solarius’s unintentional summons.

She’d known then, if she were to ever kiss him, they would be bound together for an eternity.

But kissing Solarius was something she could never bring herself to do.

Not after…

not after all she’d endured from him.

Not after he stole her heart, then crushed it with a vengeful fist.

He’d done the unthinkable, the callous and cruel.

And the wound he’d left behind on her soul had never fully healed.

She was wed to a male who used her to get what he wanted, then abandoned her without a second thought.

So, she’d been left with no choice and had refused to kiss him at their wedding.

She’d insulted him plainly in front of their families and friends, and perhaps worse, before most of Aeramere’s nobles.

There was no doubt rumors would circulate through all five houses and reach every corner of the realm, as most of the lords and ladies loved nothing more than to gossip.

It was bad enough Queen Elowyn had failed to make an appearance at their wedding, especially considering she and Lady Trysta Starstorm, Solarius’s mother, had been friends for a number of years.

Now, the whispers would only strengthen.

They would call her a tease for denying him a kiss.

He would be offered pity and sympathy for marrying such a snobbish wife, and Narissa had no doubt it was only a matter of time before Solarius received propositions from plenty of other females who were ready and willing to warm his bed.

Her stomach soured at the thought.

She sniffled then, the tingling sensation in her nose building until a single tear slipped from her eye.

She watched in the mirror as it rolled down her cheek, forming a perfect, opalescent pearl.

Narissa let it fall.

Only when her tears were tied to an emotion did they turn to pearls, otherwise they remained simple beads of saltwater.

And that particular teardrop was bound to sorrow.

The pearl hit the ground at her feet, bouncing and tinkling like faerie bells, before it rolled across the smooth teal floor into a forgotten corner.

She sucked in another shuddering breath, her insides seizing against the crush of despair that refused to relinquish its hold.

“Narissa?” a delicate, feminine voice called out quietly.

Turning around quickly, Narissa swiped at her eyes to prevent any more tears or pearls from escaping, and came face to face with Lady Sarelle Starstorm.

Her beautiful midnight hair was twisted into a thick plait over one shoulder with moonstone charms woven through the inky strands.

Her gown was simple yet svelte, the cobalt satin swept off her shoulders and hugged her waist before pooling at her feet in a sea of evening blue.

Diamonds studded the long sleeves and a small constellation tattoo outlining three mountain peaks was formed over her heart.

When she tilted her head, the stardust smearing her cheeks sparkled like the night sky.

“Are you well?” Sarelle asked, her deep sapphire eyes darkening with concern.

Sarelle was one of Solarius’s four sisters.

There were eight Starstorm siblings in total, and Narissa always found herself oddly jealous of the large, lovely, and welcoming family.

She had no brothers or sisters and had been orphaned at a young age.

When her parents died, it was her eldest cousin Reif Marintide who took her in and cared for her, who ensured she had a home and a place in society.

Unfortunately, it was also Reif who agreed with Lord Ariesian Starstorm to marry her off to Solarius.

Narissa clasped her hands before her, fiddling with the dozens of gold rings wrapped around her thumbs and fingers.

“I’m not entirely sure. I worry I won’t be well ever again.”

Sarelle’s features softened, and a ghost of a smile graced her lips.

“It’s going to be okay, you’ll see. I know Solarius can be difficult and frustrating, but I promise, his heart is good.”

Narissa once thought so, too.

But that was before…

“How can I possibly face him?” She ducked her head, her golden waves tumbling around her like a gilded waterfall.

“Solarius cannot stand me. My very presence infuriates him. You saw the look on his face when I gave him my cheek.”

“It was a bit harsh to deny him.” Sarelle winced and pressed her painted red lips together.

“Why didn’t you kiss him?”

“Because…” Narissa opened her mouth but words, the right words, failed her.

“Because I didn’t want to imagine something that might not be there.”

Because she didn’t want to fall in love with him.

She didn’t want to be fated to him, not after what he did to her.

“I understand.” Sarelle reached out and looped their arms together.

Slowly and with practiced confidence, she guided Narissa back out into the ballroom of House Azurvend, where it looked as though a seaside wonderland had been kissed by winter.

Mosaic tiles the color of ocean mist and shimmering sand swirled across the floor, shaping crashing waves and winding shorelines.

Sprigs of holly wrapped around golden pillars, the tips of their prickly evergreen leaves dusted with frost.

Icy blue waterfalls cascaded down the circular balconies, flowing into serpentine streams that surrounded the main floor where couples danced and twirled to a jovial tune.

Sea glass snowflakes floated overhead, each one in varying shades of turquoise, soft rose, pale green, and light blue.

Faerie fire glinted from carved sconces of driftwood lining the walls, musicians were seated on a small dais, their beautiful melody echoing through the vast ballroom, and the air was scented with stunning bouquets of winterblooms and lush berries.

“Sometimes,” Sarelle whispered, pulling Narissa close to her side as they passed a group of haughty nobles with Prince Aspen Willowblade standing among them.

“We have no choice but to pretend.”

The prince’s cold green gaze tracked Sarelle’s every movement.

Narissa was well aware of what her friend was implying, of course.

Sarelle was trying to catch Prince Aspen’s eye in an effort to learn of his rather secretive plans.

There were rumors he intended to overthrow his mother and take the throne for himself, but Narissa knew very little about the matter.

She did, however, know that Sarelle agreed to be part of a grand scheme to woo the prince and feign interest in him to earn his favor and, thus, his confidence.

It was a dangerous game she was playing, one that could possibly end in a lashing or worse, if she got found out.

Especially since the prince was considered cruel beyond measure and in possession of a rather wretched personality.

But given the way Prince Aspen’s eyes followed Sarelle through the room, Narissa suspected her plan was working.

Sarelle would gain the prince’s affection, and Ariesian would put a stop to their relationship before an engagement could come to fruition.

But Narissa didn’t want to pretend to be in love with Solarius.

She wanted a love match.

Or better yet, she wanted the one to whom she was fated to love her in return.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she muttered, more to herself than Sarelle as her gaze flicked around the ballroom, refusing to linger in one place too long for fear of meeting any knowing stares.

Sarelle clamped Narissa’s hand where it rested in the crook of her arm as they continued their methodical walk about the ballroom.

She squeezed gently, offering quiet encouragement.

“I was supposed to fall in love.” Narissa wouldn’t mention that she had fallen in love and had never quite fallen out, which was why it made Solarius’s betrayal of her heart all the more painful.

“I was supposed to marry someone whose soul spoke to mine, whose magic chose mine.”

A sigh escaped from her pinched lungs, like a harbored, fading daydream.

“I was supposed to be happy.”

Narissa’s voice broke on the last word, and Sarelle stumbled to a stop as Solarius stepped directly into their path.

Again, Narissa’s breath caught.

For an entirely different reason.

It simply was not fair that someone who despised her should be so devastatingly handsome.

Solarius stood before them with his hands shoved into the pockets of his sleek black pants.

He wore a slim black coat that accentuated his lean, muscular frame.

Beneath the coat was a crisp white shirt and the top three buttons were undone, revealing a glimpse of the constellation tattoo shaped like a trident marking his heart.

His hair was mussed, the silver strands with inky black tips were haphazard and windblown, like he’d just stepped in from the beach.

He angled his head, his sharp jawline drawing her gaze as he watched her beneath a pair of drawn brows, his eyes molten like liquid silver.

Breaking tides, it would be far easier to continue to loathe him if he wasn’t so ridiculously perfect to look upon.

But of course, he would choose that moment to appear, to overhear her distress.

She wouldn’t be at all surprised if he attempted to exploit her feelings later.

Besides, he’d done far worse already.

“Narissa.” Solarius’s smooth, rich voice caused her stomach to flip and the way he spoke her full name softened her knees.

He slipped one hand from his pocket and held it out to her, palm up.

“Would you dance with me?”

Before Narissa could object, before she could muster a plausible excuse, Sarelle was already removing Narissa’s hand from her elbow and placing it in Solarius’s offered one.

Her smile was kind and reassuring, but it did little to ease the gnawing anxiety that was devouring Narissa from the inside out.

Solarius’s thumb grazed the back of her hand as he led her out onto the ballroom’s main floor, and Narissa bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.

He lifted her arm with ease, twirling her once as the beginning strings of a new song hummed through the room.

Spinning her into him, his left hand claimed her waist while his right hand clasped her own, extending their arms in preparation for a waltz.

He pressed her in close, until her breasts were crushed against the solid wall of his chest, until their bodies were molded to one another, until their breaths mingled.

His commanding touch sent a wave of warmth coursing through her veins, a wonderfully splendid sensation, and one she wouldn’t allow herself to enjoy.

For it was just as Sarelle had said, sometimes they had no choice but to pretend.

And Solarius Starstorm was putting on one hell of a show.

He guided her into the dance, each step fluid and graceful like they were meant to be in one another’s arms.

She ignored the way he wove their fingers together, the way every spin left her lightheaded and longing for an emotion she could never claim.

Her gown flowed around them like a sea of aquamarine, and for one fleeting moment, she felt weightless, like Solarius could carry her and she would never have to let go.

But then his hand slid to the small of her back, diminishing every shred of space between them, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

Narissa immediately regretted it.

His scent overwhelmed her.

He smelled of delicious citrus, warm spices, and a splash of bay rum.

Every so often, she caught a hint of it on the air, whether it be a sifting breeze along Azurvend’s seaside village or lingering in a room long after Solarius had departed.

His scent haunted her.

Tormented her.

Having to spend the remainder of her days with him would be agony.

Raw, torturous agony.

His lips grazed her temple as he maneuvered her around the ballroom, and the way his whisper caressed her skin sent her pulse skittering wildly.

“Are you unhappy?”

So, she’d been correct in her assumption.

Solarius had overheard her conversation with Sarelle.

No matter.

Her words were nothing to be ashamed of, and she was allowed to wallow in her feelings of misery and misfortune.

She would not, however, express such sentiments to her new husband.

“My happiness was not written into our marriage contract, my lord.” Narissa spoke with an air of indifference, refusing to meet his penetrating gaze.

“Therefore, it matters not what I feel, as my emotions are no longer relevant.”

Solarius’s grip on her tightened so severely that she was left gasping.

Her eyes flew to his, only to find him glowering with that same kind of disdain she’d seen from him every time they were forced into the company of one another.

“You are mistaken, my lady.” His voice dropped so low she almost couldn’t hear him over the whimsical music.

“Your happiness matters greatly, and your emotions will always be relevant.”

“Just not to you,” she snapped, shoving another unbidden memory from her mind.

She glared up at him, shielding her heart from his pretty little promises.

She’d made that mistake once, she would not do so again.

“Do not act as though my feelings matter to you, not when we both know it is the furthest thing from the truth.”

Solarius stilled then, drawing up short in the middle of the ballroom and keeping her firmly in his hold.

They were so close to one another, the rise and fall of their chests matched a steady rhythm, and she was certain his heartbeat was a perfect echo of her own.

His dark brows narrowed, and she didn’t miss the way his eyes flitted over her face as though he was searching for something that was missing.

He pressed two fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up to him.

“If you have a mind to say something, then speak now and freely, my lady.” His thumb dragged across her bottom lip, tugging lightly.

“Otherwise, I would suggest you hold your tongue until we are in the privacy of our chambers.”

“Why?” Narissa asked, vaguely aware of the other lords and ladies who were now feigning a dance while circling around them like vultures.

“Afraid they’ll see you for the insufferable scoundrel you are?”

“My reputation is already well-known.” He flashed a wicked smile.

“It is you who will finally be seen for what you are.”

“And what’s that?” she taunted, ready to absorb whatever barb he threw at her.

Solarius hesitated.

His irritated gaze dipped to her mouth as though he was tracing the lines and committing the curves to his memory.

Her tongue darted out, the gloss she wore tasted faintly of vanilla, and he tracked the movement.

He leaned in, lips slightly parted, and a spike of fear left her frozen in his arms.

If he kissed her, she would never survive.

But then he blinked and drew back, as though coming to his senses.

“Nothing, Narissa.” He released her as the final chords of an enchanting melody faded away in the background.

“Absolutely nothing.”

Narissa stared at him, unable to form words, her mind emptying of every sharpened retort.

She could have handled an insult, could have brushed off any number of offenses.

Yet to be so singularly diminished, to be relegated to nothing , carved open some long-buried wound inside of her.

Solarius didn’t deserve her tears.

Or the pearls that would inevitably form from them.

“If you’d excuse me, my lord.” She dipped into a formal curtsy, holding his tense gaze the entire time.

“I suddenly find myself no longer in want of your company.”

He opened his mouth to object, but she spun on one heel, her gown billowing around her as she moved toward the refreshments table positioned along the opposite wall of the ballroom.

She kept her footfalls soft and delicate, offering a practiced smile to any guests who sent questioning looks her way.

Not once did she stumble.

Not once did she falter.

She kept her composure until she reached the table and grabbed a glass of winter berry wine.

Narissa sniffed the burgundy contents and tried not to wince.

While the scent of berries and spice was quite distinct, it was overpowered by the alarmingly strong smell of red wine.

She rarely indulged in libations, but tonight called for an exception.

Lifting the glass to her lips and surveying the decadent ballroom over the crystal rim, she took a hesitant sip.

Bursting flavors of cranberries, orange, cinnamon, and clove danced across her tongue in a surprisingly delicious blend.

The beverage was much more pleasant than she expected, and she drank it far faster than she intended.

Warmth bloomed in her belly and chest, her fingers tingled, and her thoughts went fuzzy.

A lovely numbness spread through her, and she reached for another glass of the warm wine.

Yes, Narissa thought as she smiled to herself, she rather liked the idea of being numb.