Page 43 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

The gardens were quiet and still when we walked outside, as if the chill that hung in the air had frozen them in time. We strolled some distance away from the palace, stopping before the rosebushes. Lifting my eyes to the gray afternoon sky, I thought back to my dream. Perhaps my mother was right, and my mind had been playing tricks on me, showing me the images of something that I craved. Swallowing, I remembered the feel of Adrian’s arms around my waist and shivered again.

“Are you cold?” the lord asked next to me. If I told him I was, would he wrap his arms around me like he had in my dream?

“I’m all right,” I said quickly. “Do you think it will snow?”

“Maybe.” He studied the low-hanging clouds.

“It never snows in Emeraldia.” My words echoed in the quiet stillness. Adrian didn’t acknowledge them, and truly, there was nothing to say. We both knew what snow would bring with it, or, rather, what it would take away—hope.

“Let’s practice,” he said instead, shifting his gaze to the rosebushes before us. “Try to breathe new life into them.” He gestured at the white rose blossoms that had shriveled up from the cold.

I reached for the wilting stems, carefully avoiding the prickly thorns, and called upon my magic. After a moment’s delay, it began rising to the surface of the well inside me. My powers climbed higher and higher until they overflowed, spilling over the rim and saturating my entire being. Like lightning, the surge of magic traveled from the center of my chest down my arm, and then to my fingertips, where they were touching the rose bush. My skin tingled as the power seeped out through my pores into the plant. The limp branches lifted first, and the shriveled-up leaves quickly followed, unfurling into oval, sharply toothed leaflets. When my magic finally reached the blossoms, the dry and brown edges turned back to white with a hint of pink, the sets of petals opening up as if to take a full breath of their new life.

“Nicely done!” Adrian smiled. “The progress you’ve made over the past two weeks is remarkable.”

Coaxing my magic out still required a significant effort on my part, but the task had been becoming increasingly easier to accomplish with each passing day. At times, I used my emotions to bring my powers forth. When I did, Adrian was always quick to remind me that doing so was not the ideal way. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I don’t believe that’s true. Your magic had always been there. You’re the one who found a way to set it free.”

“I couldn’t have done it without your guidance.” I placed a hand on his arm and squeezed lightly to emphasize my words.

Adrian covered my hand with his. “I was happy to help.”

“Do you think soon I will be strong enough to reinforce the wards?” I asked for what felt like a hundredth time.

“Maybe,” he said softly, running his thumb over my hand in soothing circles. “You need to be⁠—”

“Patient, I know,” I interjected. My tone was bitter, even though I knew that I wasn’t ready. I only had control over my powers for short periods once I had managed to bring them forth. If I hoped to make any real difference on the border, I needed to truly harness my magic. “How do you remain so calm when you live so close to the border?”

“Living in a constant state of fear is not living at all. Try to cast your trepidation aside tonight and enjoy the festivities.” He lifted his other hand to my face and lightly touched his fingertips to my cheek. “We will leave tomorrow morning to return to Zalie and resume your training.”

I was looking forward to it. Since there had been no incidents on the border in the past two weeks, my father couldn’t insist that I stay in the capital. I had missed my family and my quarters at the palace, but I wasn’t happy to be back. An oppressive feeling had descended on me when I had returned here, and I couldn’t shake it off no matter how hard I tried.

“I’m nervous about the ball,” I admitted, swallowing thickly.

“Why?” Adrian frowned before it dawned on him. “Your former fiancé will be in attendance.” I nodded. “You have no reason to be nervous. I will dance with you all night if you let me.”

“Do you promise?” I breathed.

“I do.” His gaze dropped to my mouth as he glided his fingertips down my cheek before skimming his thumb under my bottom lip. The corset of my dress became inexplicably tight as he lowered his head.

“Emelin! Gray!” Thea’s high-pitched voice cut through the crisp evening air. My gaze darted behind Adrian to find her standing in the doorway of the exit we had walked out of earlier. “The ball is about to begin!” She lifted the champagne flute in her hand as if to show proof.

“We’ll be right there!” I shouted back in her direction.

When I returned my gaze to Adrian, he looked disappointed by the interruption, quickly dropping his hand from my cheek and letting go of my other hand. He didn’t say anything as we strolled back to the palace, where Thea was waiting for us in the hallway. She was a vision in a long, midnight-blue gown with her cherry-red hair spilling in soft waves around her delicate shoulders. A few locks were gathered on one side of her head and secured in place with an elaborate, bejeweled comb. After I had embraced her in greeting, the three of us walked to the foyer, where my parents and Sebastian were welcoming the guests arriving for the ball.

“I’m going to find Tom,” Thea said before sauntering away while Adrian and I halted by the foyer closet to take off our cloaks.

“May I?” he asked.

When I nodded, he reached up and carefully unfastened the decorative clasp under my clavicle. My breath caught when his fingers brushed my skin, and I looked up at him, instantly captivated by his eyes and his proximity. A faint smile graced his lips as he took the cloak off my shoulders and turned around to hang it in the closet. He shrugged off his own cloak and hung it next to mine before facing me again. I couldn’t help but stare at him garbed in a black knee-length frock coat, tastefully embroidered at the hem with a silver thread. Under the coat, he was wearing a long waistcoat with the matching embroidered design, and a white shirt. A black silk cravat adorned his neck, and his long legs were encased in black trousers, with shiny black dress shoes completing the ensemble. After I had appraised him, I forced my eyes back to his face and was more than pleased to find that I wasn’t the only one staring. The lord seemed to have stopped breathing as he took his time drinking me in.

My gown tonight was truly a thing of beauty. Heavily embroidered with a gold thread, the silhouette hugged my hourglass shape. The dress was emerald green, with flowers and vines stitched into the satin fabric. The sewn pattern began at the sweetheart neckline and ran all the way down to where the skirts brushed against the tips of my shoes. The rich yet elegant tapestry was interrupted at the waist with a wide section of smooth, silky satin free of embroidery. The section was connected to the unembroidered overskirt that flared at the hips and had a wide opening at the front, showcasing the intricate design of the layer underneath. The sleeves were long and sheer, with the same flower and vine pattern sewn on them. Gold pendant earrings, paired with the matching necklace, complemented the luxurious attire.

“Emelin, you look…” Adrian paused and swallowed.

Heat crept into my cheeks as I stood frozen as if pinned in place by his intense perusal. His gaze roamed over my body for a few moments before he lifted his eyes to my face. The world faded away as we stared at each other. The silver hue in his eyes was crowded out by black, and even as inexperienced as I was, I knew what the look meant. Gideon had worn a similar expression with me before, but he had never looked at me quite like that. What I saw in Adrian’s eyes ignited my blood and made my heart beat faster as a pleasant curling sensation stirred low below my navel.