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“The navy really complements your new color palette,” Sera remarked, twisting a strand of Elyse’s rich chestnut hair between her fingers.
Elyse glanced in the mirror to see that Sera was right. The deep blue of the silk made her hair and skin seem brighter, more elegant. She didn’t look like a princess—the dress was much too bold for that—but she did look stunning.
“The queen of the witches,” Sera whispered in her ear. Elyse refrained from smiling, though she did like the sound of the title.
Manny returned, looking striking in his suit. The jacket had a long tailcoat, and he’d donned a navy vest that matched Elyse’s dress precisely.
“Mr. Nottingfeld,” Sera crooned, fanning herself for dramatic effect. She sauntered over to him and drew in close, placing a hand on his chest. “You look dashing.”
“Sorry, darling,” he smirked, “but I’m a married man.”
Sera gave him a light shove before returning to Elyse to work on her hair and makeup. She twisted Elyse’s long hair up into a loose chignon, then lined her eyes with kohl and painted her lips a deep red.
A knock sounded at the door, followed by Killian’s voice. “Is everyone decent?”
Despite herself, Elyse’s cheeks burned. She and Killian had been far from decent in the kitchen last night.
“Yes,” Sera replied, and the door to the room swung open.
Killian strode in, his arms full with a basket of bread, meat, and potatoes. He took two steps then stopped abruptly, his gaze darting between Elyse and Manny. He studied Elyse’s face, and then quickly, so quickly it was almost imperceptible, he glanced down at her chest.
“I see the potions worked,” he rasped out. He seemed to come back to his senses as he strode to the table and set the basket atop it. “Eat up. You’ll need to leave soon.”
Chapter 28
- Elyse -
Thirty minutes later, Elyse and Manny departed the inn, dressed in their finery and dodging drunken revelers.
The night air was warm, suffocating Elyse beneath her layers of silk. Fortunately, the mansion was only a short distance away, and walking allowed her to feel the breeze. Still, her movements were stiff, restricted by the tight gown.
Her nerves were frantic, sending jitters through her body. She tried to steel them by going over the details of the night. Jaime had said it was a private auction with only a handful of guests, and that there would be three items for sale. She tried to speculate what the other items might be, but her mind was too agitated to focus. Thoughts of Killian’s hand gripping the hair at the nape of her neck kept stealing her attention, and though part of her ached to live in that moment, she knew it was the last thing she needed to entertain. Turning to Manny, she decided a conversation was the best form of distraction.
“So,” Elyse began with a smirk, “since I’m likely going to die soon, why don’t you entertain me with a story about one of your spy adventures?”
Manny turned on her, a whirl of dark hair and green eyes. “Let’s get one thing straight,” he snarled. “I’m cordial to you out of respect for Sera, but I do not like you.” His face was mere inches from hers, ire radiating from his whole body. “You murdered my king, and you broke my best friend’s heart. Not to mention you let Sera lie for you.”
Elyse froze. It might’ve hurt less if he had just choked her, since her throat seemed to close anyway, and his words stabbed into her chest. She was so stunned by his sudden intensity, the fire in his eyes. She had never seen him so furious before, and now all his hatred was directed at her. She hadn’t thought he liked her. Of course he wouldn’t. Not with everything she’d done. But she had never expected him to ambush her like this.
She wanted to beg for his forgiveness, to explain that she had never meant to hurt him or Sera or Killian, but what was the point? He was clearly heated, his face red and eyes narrowed on her, sizing her up like the criminal she was. So instead, she lifted her chin an inch higher and said, as coolly as she could muster, “I would expect you, of all people, to understand the difficult decisions we make under duress.”
Manny’s brow lowered ever so slightly, his eyes softening a tad. He stared at her, and she let him search her face as he tried to understand her words. She knew Manny had spent time as a thief and a conman. When his mother died, he’d been forced to steal and cheat to get by, up until he was arrested at sixteen and Killian’s father had offered him a position in the Royal Guard.
But his life could have very easily gone in a different direction. If he’d turned down Commander Southwick’s offer, he would have gone to prison. Most prisoners either died or forfeited any remaining morals just to see another day. It wasn’t the same, of course—his being a petty thief and her murdering the king on behalf of a demon—but if it made him think twice about telling her off, then she would take it as a victory.
Manny’s throat bobbed, but he didn’t say anything. Elyse took the opportunity to move past him.
They made the rest of the trek in silence until they finally reached the mansion. An iron fence surrounded the property, but Elyse could still see the enormous residence beyond. A man in all black stood guard outside the gate, watching them as they approached.
“Charles Nottingfeld,” Manny declared once they reached the gate.
The guard nodded. “Mr. and Mrs. Nottingfeld, we’ve been expecting you.” He ceremoniously opened the gate and held it ajar for them. “Enjoy your evening,” he called as they stepped into the vast courtyard.
Fountains and flowers dazzled around them, lining the stone walkway to the front doors. Elyse fought to keep her nerves at bay as she let out a slow exhale. They had a plan. It would work.
To her surprise, Manny stepped closer and hooked his arm through hers. He must despise touching her, especially given the hateful words he’d just spewed, but he kept his expression neutral. Surprisingly, the simple gesture helped calm Elyse, and she held her head high as they strolled to the door.
As they approached, a servant clad in white pulled the door open for them, gracefully inviting them inside with a bow and an extended arm.
