Page 42 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

“Maybe your mind was showing you what your heart desires,” my mother said as she followed my gaze. She sighed heavily before refocusing on me. “Are you excited about seeing Adrian tonight?”

“I am.” I hadn’t seen him since we had arrived at the capital two days ago. My parents had expressed that everyone was welcome to stay at the palace, but Adrian had politely declined, choosing to stay at Lady May’s instead. “I know it’s silly, but I miss him,” I admitted, worrying the silky material of my gown.

“It’s not silly if he misses you, too.” My mother let the words sink in for a moment before she turned to the vanity and opened the square black box sitting atop it.

She retrieved the coronet I usually wore for special occasions. The elaborate gold headpiece encrusted with emeralds glistened in the yellow glow of the chandelier as she faced me again and held it up. Casting my gaze down, I bent at my knees slightly to make it easier for her to place the coronet on top of my head. She did so skillfully, careful not to disturb the pins holding the top half of my hair up and away from my face.

“You look beautiful,” she said when I stood up straight.

The coronet sat heavy on my head, reminding me to square my shoulders and lift my chin. Wearing it always made me feel regal. Now, with that feeling came one of guilt. The Winter Solstice celebration was a long-standing tradition, but did we have the right to rejoice tonight when we were lying to everyone about the state of the kingdom?

“Do you think we should tell them?” I asked my mother, my voice dropping to a whisper.

Tension bracketed the corners of her mouth. “Your father is trying to find a way to stop the magic from depleting.”

“But they deserve to know. Tonight is the perfect opportunity to tell them. The lords of all the regions will be present.”

“You should leave decisions like that to the king,” she said sternly to curb further questions. I stared at her, taken aback by her tone. Her features softened as she took in my expression. “The royal women do not meddle in the runnings of the kingdom.”

“But he listens to you,” I pointed out, not willing to give up that easily.

“And I will not ask that of him.” Her eyes pleaded with me to understand. “Trust that he will find a way. In the meantime, grow stronger in your magic so you can help him reinforce the wards.” I nodded and walked to the closet to retrieve my cloak. “What are you doing?” she asked as I draped the cream-hued garment over my shoulders and fastened it below my clavicle.

“I want to practice my magic.” I headed for the door.

“I suppose we do have some time before the ball. Be careful with your dress.”

I had meant to slip out without another word but paused and turned around to look at her. Standing in the middle of my room, she was the picture of elegance and grace in an opulent golden gown. Her crown was a hefty gold headdress set with diamonds and emeralds of varying sizes. My gaze lingered on it as I realized that I couldn’t hold her stern tone toward me against her. The grave state of our kingdom weighed heavily on her—on all of us—threatening to pull us under.

“I love you,” I told her as I opened the door.

“I love you, too,” she answered with a small smile, which let me know that we had put the earlier disagreement behind us.

With another nod, I left the room before descending the wide stone steps to the first floor. Dodging the servants dashing to and fro with last-minute preparations for the ball, I made my way down the long hallway to the back of the palace. When I reached the narrow door that granted access to the royal gardens, I paused with my hand on the gilded handle. Oh, how I wished that the idyllic setting from my dream lay on the other side. Alas, the gardens would be cold and bleak, like my heart, which was filled with trepidation about the future of my kingdom. I wished I could have stayed in my dream last night, wrapped in the feeling of happiness and peace. But I’d had to wake up and face the dreadful reality.

“Emelin,” Adrian’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

With my hand still on the door handle, I turned my head and found him standing in the hallway, several feet away from me.

“Adrian.” My lips curved into a smile. Instantly, his ever poised and unwavering presence made it easier to breathe.

“We arrived a little early.” He came closer, his black cloak flowing around him as he moved. “Are you heading to the gardens?”

“Yes. I’m going to practice my magic.”

“May I join you?”

“Of course.”

His eyes warmed, the silver hue in them intensifying, as they swept over my face. His usually stoic features softened the longer he looked at me, and my cheeks heated at the intensity of his stare.

“It’s good to see you.” He gave me his signature half-smile.

“You as well.” My own smile grew. “I missed you.”

The brief burst of panic I felt with the admission was quickly doused when he said, “And I you.” A rosy color infused his cheeks as he cleared his throat. “Shall we?”

He reached for the door handle. His fingers brushed mine before I dropped my hand, and the brief contact sent a shiver of awareness through me. If the lord noticed my reaction, he didn’t make it known.