In his attempt to break her fall, he’d pulled her partway atop him, and now she was stuck staring into his eyes. Nose to nose. Again. Grey waves brushed and curled her hair. Dark grass pressed against his. The wood silenced.
“Why did you grab me, you halfwit?” Her words were whispered. Where she’d expected invisible, icy fingers, were very real warm ones. He had scared her. But the pounding of her chest against his wasn’t anything to do with fear now.
“I didn’t want you to fall.”
Lux’s brow furrowed, speechless at the absurdity, but when he shrugged beneath her, sweetly apologetic, she felt it bubble up her throat.
She couldn’t help the laugh. “You’re ridiculous.” And she kept laughing, even as his eyes darkened.
Perfect.I’ve upset him.Hurt his sensitive feelings.
His lips against hers felt entirely different this time.
She could have pulled back and leapt from him, but she didn’t. His hands stilled. He barely breathed. This kiss was a question, the answer uncertain. Yet, the fire climbed anyway, twining between them. Lux was sure it poured from her, sure there would be no excuses when it ended. So she gave the only answer she could—and pressed her mouth harder against his.
His hand left her forearm to caress her cheek, his opposite settling on her hip, and it was at that moment, dangerouslyclose to the edge of something, that a crow screeched. The sound startled her back to reality. Her lips left his as she pushed up on her arms. Dew soaked through her sleeves.
His hand dropped from her face.
“What are we doing?” Breathless, chest heaving, her words barely reached her ears.
He watched her closely, his eyes so dark. “I have no idea.”
His voice had roughened, and Lux groaned over the ache it caused. But his words... “I thought as much.”
Sitting in the grass, she shoved the hair from her eyes, the fog so thick she could hardly discern Ghadra. She sighed, climbing to her feet.
“That’s not what I… I’m sorry, I could have phrased that better.”
“Probably. But then you wouldn’t be you.” Lux grabbed at a pack stuffed with rope ends, a long knife, a ball of twine. “Thank you for your help today.”
Shaw rose slowly. “Lux. Let me try to explain.”
“Another time. Riselda will be waiting for me, and Aline for you. I’d rather not have my heart pierced just yet.”In more ways than one.
Lux turned her back on him and his blank stare. On his dark eyes clearing of their confusion. She didn’t linger to observe what pooled in its stead.
Chapter twenty-three
Riselda was smoothing backwaves of hair in the mirror when Lux stepped through the door. Their eyes met through the glass before her aunt turned toward her.
“There you are, Lucena! You look frozen. Been wandering the marshes?” Riselda chuckled, swinging back to her reflection in a swish of burgundy skirts to fix a sparkling drop into her lobe.
Lux didn’t answer. Shucking her cloak instead, she skirted wide of her aunt, moving toward her bedroom. She felt a cool gaze at her back but shut it out with the click of her door.
Dirtied clothing was tossed to the floor, and Lux pulled a dress from her wardrobe. Black, with a rounded neckline, a beaded bodice to catch the dim light and a bow at the back. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn it, but if her aunt wanted to dine out dressed as she was, Lux figured she would at least make a little effort.
The small looking glass adhered to the ornate door offered her a well-enough view to wind her wild hair into a chignon at hernape, and with neck and ears free of adornment, she stepped out to greet Riselda.
“Ready?”
Lux studied her aunt and her expanse of creamy, pale skin that would surely protest exposure to the cold night air. Her face was smooth and perfect. Youthful.
And, for the first time, a new doubt crept in.
“Yes.”
Riselda swished toward her so fast, Lux couldn’t dodge. Fingers gripped her chin. “What marked your beautiful face, Lucena?” Releasing her, a fingertip wiped at the ointment Shaw had applied to the deeper wound. Riselda sniffed at it before licking it clean. “What is this amateur work?”
