The man didn’t answer right away. He just looked at her, as if savoring her discomfort, letting the quiet stretch too long before finally rolling his eyes.
“The Lord wanted to ensure you have a proper dress for the ball,” he said, voice heavy with disinterest. “One appropriate for the woman on his arm that night.”
“What?” Her brows furrowed. “He wants me to go with him to the Solstice Ball?”
“It appears that way.”
Was this it? Was Caelith finally going to announce that she was his mate? Had she actually been right all along? The plan she had laid out—the one her friends had rightfully called insane—was it actually working?
“I…” She started to speak, but the glider was already pulling away, leaving nothing but dust in its wake.
Sagging, she gripped the nearest railing as the weight of the last twenty-four hours slammed into her. She needed sleep. She neededwater. Then—maybe—she could make sense of whatever had happened.
Her limbs felt like lead, every muscle aching with exhaustion, but it was nothing compared to the deep, pulsing pressure behind her eyes. Everything from the morning sun filtering through the city’s enchanted lanterns to the distant sounds of street vendors calling out their wares felt too bright, too loud, too much.
And worst of all were the stairs. She looked up at the winding ascent through the massive Sentinel Tree that housed her apartment. The spiral of carved wooden steps stretched up toward the upper boughs where her home was nestled somewhere at the top.
She groaned. She could have picked an apartment with an automatic lift. But no. She’d romanticized the idea of climbing up through the old-growth, feeling the buzz of magic through the ancient bark, living among the treetop dwellings like her ancestors.
Right now, she wanted to strangle her past self.
Muttering a curse, she gritted her teeth and began the climb. Every step sent another stab of pain through her temples, her muscles burning as she dragged herself up, one aching movement after another. By the time she reached the top, she was breathing hard and cursing the Gods and every decision that had led to this moment.
She rounded the final corner, then stopped cold.
There was Deyric slumped outside her door, leaning against the frame. His head lolled to the side, dark hair falling over his brow, and his arms draped loosely over his knees. Asleep. And next to him was a small, brightly wrapped box.
The metallic pink paper gleamed in the soft morning light, unmistakable. It was a box from her favorite confectionary—fae-pastries,sugar-dusted and impossibly flaky. She already knew they’d be filled with her favorite flavors, spiced honey and rich berry preserves.
Emmaline’s breath stuttered and her heart clenched in a sharp, painful squeeze. She stared at him, at the pastries, at the exhausted way his chest rose and fell with each slow, steady breath.
She felt something crack inside her, and she wasn’t sure she could hold it together.
Then—
A slow inhale and a shift of muscle. Deyric stirred, blinking against the morning light. His emerald-green eyes met hers, still heavy with sleep, but steady.
“There you are.”
Chapter nineteen
Shestoppedinhertracks, unwilling to move closer. Had he been here the whole time, waiting for her?
A fresh wave of dizziness rolled through her, her knees threatening to give out. The morning light cut too harshly, blurring the edges of the world.
What have you done?Her breath faltered, and before she could brace herself, Deyric was there.
He moved faster than her eyes could track, a blur of dark fabric and quiet strength. In an instant, his arms were around her, holding her to him, his warmth seeping through the thin barrier of her borrowed shirt.
“Hey! You okay?” His emerald-green eyes scanned her face, brow furrowed. “Must have been some night.”
She forced a tight, hollow laugh. “Yeah, I guess.”
Her voice felt wrong in her throat, thin and weightless. She pushed out of his hold, slipping past him, her only focus on getting inside.
“I’m sorry I missed it.” His voice followed close behind. “Our favorite Lordling sent me across the city to personally test each of the horses in Lady Dormir’s dowry. It took all night.”
Dowry?Her fingers fumbled at the lock, her heart a discordant beat pounding in her skull.
