“Most beautiful woman in the room,” Aric adds as he smiles down at her. Poppy’s cheeks go bright red.
She puts the cloth down and focuses her attention on me. “Want to try a cupcake?”
I nod eagerly, and Poppy puts one in my hand.
“I helped with those,” Aric says. “Just remember that.”
I take a bite and immediately sigh. Layla and Poppy make the best cupcakes in Wysteria. This one is strawberry-and-vanilla flavored—perfect for a summer evening.
“It’s amazing,” I say, making Poppy blush again.
We continue to talk and laugh. People drift around us, and the early-evening light cutting through the tall windows in the ballroom darkens as the sun sets.
I’ve just finished my first glass of wine when I feel the pull in my chest. It makes my heart thrum.
My head turns, my gaze shifting, scanning the room.
And there he is, standing in the big arched doorway that connects the ballroom to the entryway. He hasn’t stepped fully into the room yet and instead lingers just inside the threshold, as if giving himself a moment to take everything in. He’s dressed in a charcoal-gray suit that fits him perfectly, one hand tucked into the front pocket of his trousers, his dark hair freshly trimmed and his face clean-shaven. He’s the picture of academic elegance.
Our bond hums, and he turns his head, meeting my eyes.
His are still a rich, beautiful red. All because of my blood.
It makes me smile.
Poppy draws a small breath. Aric turns to follow Poppy’s gaze, and when he spots Severin, his green brow furrows. He looks at me, then him, then me again.
“Wait... Isn’t that Felex’s uncle? The new professor?”
When neither I nor Poppy respond, Aric’s lips curve into an incredulous smile.
“Maeve Vandermere, don’t tell me you’re sleeping with your professor.”
Poppy gasps, then reaches out to bump him, though she can’t get his huge frame to budge. “Aric.”
I meet my stepbrother’s eyes and say, “Well, he’s not my professor anymore.”
Then I step away from the dessert table, making a beeline for Severin.
The space between us isn’t far, but it feels like crossing through a portal. With every step I take, it’s like allowing the moments we’ve kept secret and private to become a little morevisible, coaxing them out of the shadows and into the light. And it feelsgood.
He watches me, his gaze never faltering. He doesn’t move to meet me, just waits there in the doorway, stoic and sturdy and without doubt the sexiest man in this room.
When I reach him, I don’t stop short. Instead, I press my body against his and capture his lips with mine, drawing a small breath of surprise from him. For a brief moment, he hesitates, his muscles going taut. Then one of his hands finds my waist, his fingers firm and steady.
As I pull away, I look up into his crimson eyes and say, “No more hiding, right?”
His jaw flexes beneath his pale skin. I see the decision in his eyes. He nods once. “No more hiding.”
I smile. “Then dance with me.”
Taking his hand, I begin leading him toward the dance floor. Stares follow us, whispers floating through the guests who know Severin as the rigid Coven Crest history professor. But he doesn’t falter, doesn’t try to pull his hand from mine. Instead, he holds my fingers tighter, his shoulders straightening, his conviction in this—inus—unwavering.
The orchestra has just finished a song and is about to start another one. Lyra is laughing at something Cairn did, pressing up as high as she can onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to his blushing cheek. And Raelan and Alina are still dancing, swaying together even though no music is playing. When we approach, they finally break out of their trance to look at us.
Alina’s pale blue eyes widen, just for a moment. Then she blinks and says, “Maeve. Professor D—”
“Just Severin is fine, Your Highness,” Severinsays from beside me, his fingers still twined with mine. He lowers his head to her.
