Page 6

CHAPTER SIX

T he moment they returned to Lucius’s estate, Tavia excused herself and hurried upstairs to the guest room where she stored her trusted weapons and leathers.

As soon as she entered the room, she closed the door, locked it, and began pulling at the strings of the dress.

This was not what Tavia wanted.

She wanted a big score, but to play dress-up, pretend to be a wife, learn how to dance, and go to a ball? Those things were so far removed from anything she knew.

The idea of dancing surrounded by strangers was suffocating.

She slipped out of the dress, carefully laying it across the dresser, and began putting on her familiar leathers. Once she clasped the last button, she let out a long sigh.

A sudden chittering noise from the closet caught her attention. She walked over to find Wiley, her squirrel companion, busy storing nuts in one of her boots. He held a nut in his tiny hands, looking up at her with wide, innocent eyes.

“I can’t do this,” she whispered, sinking to her knees on the floor. She stared at her trusted companion. “I can’t do any of this. We should go. We’ll figure something out like we always do.”

Wiley chirped in response, scampering around in circles before pointing excitedly at his stash of nuts as if proud of his accomplishment.

“We can’t stay here,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I can’t stay here.”

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she knew it could only be one person. Rising to her feet, she walked over and unlocked the door.

Lucius stood there, having removed his black velvet jacket. He wore only black trousers and a white shirt, the fabric clinging to his frame .

“Everything all right?” he asked, his gaze drifting to her leathers.

“I just wanted to get out of that dress and into something that felt normal.” She stepped back into the room, unsure of what to do with herself.

“We haven’t discussed terms,” he said, leaning casually against the doorframe. “You’ve agreed to assist me in retrieving something important to me, but I haven’t yet said exactly what I’d offer in return.”

Tavia folded her arms, realizing through all the bustle and hunger that she’d forgotten about that part of their deal.

Lucius reached into his pocket, pulled out a coin purse, and tossed it to her. She caught it mid-air, the heavy weight settling in her palm.

“Half now, half when the job’s complete,” he said.

She opened the purse and saw only gold—more gold than she’d ever held in her life. Half of it would be more than enough to return home with plenty left over.

Two purses of this much gold?

She could buy her parents a new home closer to the village, where her father wouldn’t have to travel for days. She could buy her mother the kind of dresses they deserved, and the food . . . she’d be happy to never eat mushroom soup again.

Just thinking about the log pile where her mother grew them made Tavi cringe.

“Tavia.” Lucius’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Agreed,” she said, tucking the purse close to her chest. “But we need to set some boundaries.”

“Go on.” He slipped his hands into his pockets, lounging like a cat, a sly smile playing on his lips.

“We may pretend to be married. I’ll dance with you. I’ll hold your arm when necessary. But under no circumstances may you kiss me.”

His smile widened. “And what happens when you want to kiss me?”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. This is a job, and as soon as it’s over, I’m going home.”

“Very well.” He straightened and walked toward her, the shift in his demeanor making her step back instinctively.

“Easy, dove,” he said softly. “I won’t do anything you don’t ask of me. But know this: I have no such boundaries. ”

The way he said those words, the way his eyes lingered on hers, sent a strange warmth through her—a mix of excitement and fear.

This was a job, nothing more. She wouldn’t let her own insecurities get in the way of what was truly important. She couldn’t let herself be swayed by this dashing vampyre.

She needed to remember what he was: not just a fae aristocrat but a creature twisted into something darker.

“What do we do now?” she asked, still clutching the coin purse.

“We leave. Make sure to grab your squirrel friend—we won’t be coming back.”

“Leave here?”

“Yes. And don’t worry about gowns. I’ll buy you new clothes in the Golden City.”

He spoke as if buying her clothes was an easy matter, but the idea unsettled her. This fae lived alone, yet he had an entire wardrobe of women’s clothes.

What kind of life had he led?

“I’ll be right down,” Tavia said, needing a moment to compose herself without his overwhelming presence clouding her thoughts.

Lucius nodded, closing the door behind him.

Tavia slumped onto the bed, ignoring the dust that kicked up around her. She was getting farther from home, but the coin he promised was worth the risk. She just had to remember why she was doing this and not get lost in the strangeness of it all.

Wiley scampered onto the bed beside her, and she reached out to scratch his furry, russet-colored head. He rolled onto his back, urging Tavia to rub his white belly.

“I’m not ready for this,” she murmured.

Wiley nuzzled against her hand, his tiny warmth grounding her. He pointed toward the closet, reminding her they couldn’t leave without his precious nuts.

Shaking her head, she retrieved the boot with his stash, attached her weapons, and headed downstairs.

Lucius waited at the bottom of the steps, staring off into the distance. The moment her footsteps echoed on the wooden floor, he looked up and smiled.

She wished he didn’t smile so much—it made him entirely too endearing.

“Remember your place, Tavia,” she muttered to herself. “Don’t get lost. Not in him, not in the clothes, and definitely not in the chocolate.”

But it was hard.

She knew that, the moment she walked through that portal into the Golden City, luxuries she'd only dreamed of would be revealed to her.

Her parents deserved a better life, and she would give it to them. They’d been kind, supportive, and selfless—letting her leave even though it broke their hearts.

“Everything all right?” Lucius asked, his tone unexpectedly soft.

Tavia nodded. This time, Lucius didn’t offer his hand. He simply stepped aside, allowing her to stand beside him. With a press of his thumb, he activated the transport rod and opened a portal.

She couldn't make out where they were headed. It was dark, and only some shapes were visible. It looked like a room, with a little bit of light filtering in to reveal a wooden chair and a table, but nothing else .

“Where is this? I thought you said we were going to the Golden City.”

“Easy, dove,” Lucius said. “This is my home.”

“Another home?”

“Yes, as an art dealer and collector, many of my clients reside in the Golden City, so it only made sense that I had a home there. It's not as grand as this one, but it has some nice amenities, and it will allow us a place to return to while we find out more about this ball and prepare.”

“All right,” Tavia said, making the daring move to step through the portal.

Lucius followed her, and when the portal winked out, they stood in a dark room.

“One moment, stay right there,” Lucius said.

He shuffled around, and then, slowly, one by one, candles lit the place.

This home was so different from where they had been before.

The large room contained a dining area with a round wooden table and chairs, a simple kitchenette with only a black oven and a sink for washing dishes, and cabinets to the right.

A living area with a stone fireplace, a massive white fur rug on the floor, and two oversized soft couches the color of coffee.

“Down here is the washroom,” he said, leading her.

There were only two doors in the tiny home. The one on the left opened into a large washroom, tiled in white with a white porcelain tub on gold feet. The tub sat in the middle of the room with a large pipe that went from the floor to the ceiling with faucets attached to it.

“I paid a lot of money to have running water in this place,” Lucius said. “I highly recommend a bath.”

Before Tavia could ask a question, he opened another room.

This was a master bedroom with a raised bed almost built into the room, a sitting area with a settee and a low rectangular table, a window that overlooked the town, and a large fireplace.

“There's only one bed, but no worries. I won't let my wife sleep on the floor. You can take the room, and I'll sleep on the couch. Make yourself comfortable,” he said, but she didn't know how to do that.

She took the boot of nuts and placed it in the kitchen.

Wiley jumped off her shoulder, flying and gliding toward the table, inspecting every corner of this new home.

There was a musty smell, so she went to open the window in the bedroom.

Because the house was on the second floor, when she opened the wooden hatch and let in the sunlight, she overlooked the town, mesmerized by its decor.

Unlike the cobblestoned village they had eaten in, the streets of the Golden City were a rustic red. Gold lined the archways and speckled the various structures below them. Golden and red roof tiles glinted in the sun, creating a rich and robust aesthetic. They reminded her of dragon scales.

Though she had never seen a dragon in real life, she imagined their scales held the same rich beauty.

The sound of running water caught her attention, and she left the window open to see what Lucius was doing.

He was in the bathroom, sleeves rolled up, water funneling into the bath. He was taking different vials and jars off the shelf in the wall. He popped the top of one and smelled it.

“Beautiful,” he said softly, almost to himself, before dumping the pinkish liquid into the tub. Suddenly, white foam began filling it.

“What is that?” she asked .

“A bubble bath.”

Tavia didn’t know what a bubble bath was. The only bath she had was maybe once a week, when her father filled the tub and heated it. She was always allowed to wash first before her mother, and then her father last. Sometimes, her mother put rose oil in it, but there were never any bubbles.

“Unlike my estate, I don't have much for you to change into, but I do have something.” He ushered her out of the washroom and into the main bedroom. “It may be a little big, but it should fit you.”

He walked back out with a red robe. It was soft on the inside, the trim furred around it in black.

“I’m going to do some shopping. Haven’t been here in years, and there's absolutely nothing.”

“Should I come with you?”

“No. Take the bath. Relax. If you're bored, I’m sure there are some tomes you could read. And if you want to start a fire, make sure to open the chute. Do you know how to do that?”

Tavia nodded.

“Help yourself to anything you find in the kitchen. I’m not sure what’s there, but you may find some chocolate in some of the tins.”

“Wait,” Tavia said. “When will you be back? What if something happens?”

She didn’t know where she was, and she was in the city—not just a house in the woods. What if someone came, or what if he didn’t return?

He took the transporter rod out and placed it on the table.

“If anything happens to me, take the coin I've given you and go back home.”

She looked at the transporter rod and back up at him. “Are you in danger?”

He scratched the back of his head, trying to laugh off the question. “Well, the Brotherhood did have me in a coffin, and their vault is here.”

“Is that where you think your item is?”

He shrugged. “Possibly. I’ve been gone a long time, and I don’t know much, so, as I’m shopping, I’ll gather information and get us tickets to this masquerade.”

“Maybe I should go with you,” Tavia said, uncertain about lounging in this house alone.

“Take the bath,” Lucius said, “and stop worrying. We're partners, and I can be extremely cautious.”

“When will you be back?” Tavia asked, feeling extremely hesitant about him disappearing.

“Sunset, maybe a little after, but I’ll be back, and I promise to bring you a treat. Is there anything you want?”

“What do I want?” The question threw Tavia off guard. What did she want? “Like, to eat?”

Lucius chuckled. “To eat, to drink, to wear, anything.”

Tavia couldn’t think of just one thing. There were too many delectable choices, but she knew she wanted more of the hot chocolate drink, more of the scones, more of the berries, and more of the cream.

But instead of listing everything, she simply said, “I’ve really enjoyed everything I ate and drank today, so I'd like to have more of that.”

He nodded. “That I can do.”

“Keep the doors locked,” he said with a flourish and left through the front door. “And when the tub is full, press the handle down to stop the water.”

Tavia locked the door behind him and hesitantly went to the washroom, taking the robe with her .

She wasn’t sure how safe this location was, but if she sensed any danger or Lucius didn’t return, she would do as he said.

But part of her hoped he would in fact return.

Because she had no idea what she would do if he didn’t.