Better to know the full extent of my humiliation now. “I’ve seen you before—once. In that mirror.” I pointed at the antique full-length mirror in the corner. “You haven’t seen me before, have you? Or, you know, heard anything coming from my side of the mirror?”
His grin faltered. “I’ll admit I heard you ask for help this morning. Can I ask your name?”
I felt a twinge of guilt over my bad manners. “Right—Elvira Hallwell.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Elvira. I wish our next Moonstone Maiden a successful reign.”
Confusion filled me. I’d never heard that title before. The Fae’s poem drifted back through my mind.Find a stone of moonlight.A moonstone. This man, Corvin, had just offered me a piece of the puzzle that was my life, and he didn’t even seem to know, mentioning it so casually.
I filed the revelation away for further consideration at a later point in time. For all the history contained within the study, the books I had access to were curiously sparse on the island’s own history. The historic role of the Midnight Sovereign. But now I finally had something tangible to research—moonstones. I mentally cataloged all the books in the study that might be relevant. Corvin remained where he was, patiently regarding me, waiting for me to continue our conversation.
“You saved my life today,” I eventually replied, more as a question than a statement of gratitude.
He grinned again, an amused gleam shining in his eyes. “You didn’t make it easy. Have you always been so interested in the Bunyip’s…secretions?”
So,Froggiehad a name.
I made a face, shaking my head. “No, but I am hoping to use the oil I collected from it, specifically to light the lampposts outside. You may have noticed they don’t work? And whydidyou save my life? It was very risky of you to attack that monster just so I could escape. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely grateful to you. But…why?”
Corvin rolled his shoulders back, straightening his cloak. “I owe a debt to the Midnight Sovereign.”
“Is that why you’re here?” I asked, taken aback by his unexpected response.
He nodded. “That’s right. To repay the debt.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Hmm. But you saved my life. Surely, your debt must be fulfilled now.”
He shrugged. “Not yet. Some debts run deeper than life or death. I’ll know once the magic is satisfied. This one is complicated. Layered. I can’t seem to decipher what I need to do to fulfill its terms. Unlike all of my other debts, I can feel it drawing me toward you—” A faint blush rose on his angularcheekbones. “I would like the opportunity to help you again,” he finished.
I processed his words—so it wasn’t a mundane debt, easily satisfied by coin or noble deed. It was magical in nature, and he was bound to it until the magic released him. Such things were common amongst those with Fae blood, though I supposed they weren’t the only ones who could find themselves beholden to such things.
“It might take a while to fulfill if you don’t understand its terms,” I remarked.
The shadow of a smile tugged at his lips. “I don’t think it will be a hardship.”
I locked onto his steady gaze, the air between us suddenly charged. I shifted on my feet, uncrossing my arms, and Corvin’s attention dipped momentarily to the plunging neckline of my nightgown. He drew his lower lip into his mouth, the gesture setting off an answering dip in my belly before I tore my gaze away from him.
“Wait a moment. Shouldn’t you know how to fulfill the debt? Since you caused its existence?”
A crease formed in his brow. “The debts actually belong to my father. He’s sick. I was hoping to finish paying his debts before—” He paused a beat, expression unreadable. “I have other obligations. My attention will be dedicated elsewhere soon. And I won’t have nearly the time to put toward their fulfillment… But I think if they were all paid, he might start to feel a bit better, regain some strength. I don’t want to lose another parent. Not when it’s my fault he’s sick.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I replied gently. “It’s admirable of you to take on his debts.”
Corvin moved closer to me. “Here, before I forget. The Green Man wanted me to give these to you. He also healed your leg while we were in the Spring Court.” I opened my hand, andCorvin placed a number of flat, oval-shaped, dark brown seeds into my open palm.
“Do you know what kind of seeds these are?” I asked, not recognizing them, even with all of my gardening experience. “And how exactly did the…Green Man…heal the gash on my leg?” I added as an afterthought, committing yet another new name to my vocabulary.
Corvin tapped a finger to his lips. “He used his watering can. I’m not sure about the seeds. Has your leg started sprouting leaves yet?”
“What!” I examined my leg, angling my hip to get a good look at it through the slit of my nightgown. I didn’t see any leaves growing, just smooth, pale skin. I looked up to find Corvin’s eyes dancing with mischief. Realizing he’d only been teasing me, I shot him a glare, but it lacked any real hostility. “As you can see—no leaves.”Wait, did I just invite him to look at my leg?He took a step closer to me, thoroughly inspecting my skin.
A slow, amused smile played across his lips. “Yes, no leaves.”
I was suddenly very aware of how close we were standing and how little I was wearing. My cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of pink, a warm feeling unfurling within my core. There was something about his devastatingly handsome smile that made me want to take a step closer to him. And his scent—he smelled amazing, like fresh rain and sweet honey. Resisting the impulse, I shifted my nightgown to cover my exposed leg and took a step back instead.
Awkwardly, I cleared my throat. “I’m not sure I need your help.”
He frowned. “That’s too bad. I do know a bit about the Midnight Sovereign. I think I could help you.”
