Page 79 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

“You can touch it if you want,” he teased with a wink, shoving the vial back in his pocket.

I rolled my eyes but reached for the pendant shimmering against the black fabric of his shirt. It was in the shape of a circle with a sprawling tree in the center. “The crest of your province.”

“I do love my land. As the rest of the kingdom, it has been losing its luster. I can’t wait to see it restored to its former glory with your help.” His words reminded me of what Thea had said earlier, and I resolved to check with Adrian later to see if I needed to siphon more Silberium from him. “I love magic!” Finn exclaimed, his gaze roaming over my face. He reached up and picked up a lock of my hair, running it through his thumb and pointer finger.

“Did it work?” I asked excitedly.

“See for yourself.” He gestured to the fountain.

Letting go of his pendant, I stepped closer to the basin and bent over the water to see my reflection. A girl with auburn hair and green eyes stared back at me.

“Fascinating,” I breathed as I turned my head to the side and touched my now arched ear.

Holding still, I listened to the world around me, but it seemed the potion only made me look like a faerie; it didn’t grant heightened senses.

Finn’s reflection appeared next to mine, and he gave me a roguish smile. “I like redheads. Ready?”

“What about my scent?” I asked as I straightened up.

“The spell masks it as well.” He faced me, the rings on his slender fingers gleaming as he reached for me.

With a nod, I placed my hands in his, and a moment later, his magic transported us somewhere else.

“We’re in Vesna, the capital of my province,” he informed me when my feet hit solid ground again. “And this is the best tavern in town.” He let go of my right hand and motioned to the enormous oak tree a short distance away from us. The thick trunk was partially fused with a lopsided cobblestone structure. ‘The Oak’ I read on the carved sign above the round wooden door, which opened a second later. A patron walked out, releasing a mouth-watering aroma of roasted meat and potatoes wafting through the air.

“The place looks whimsical,” I remarked as I went to take a step toward it.

“One more thing.” Finn held me back, my left hand still in his right one. “You need to surrender your ring.”

“My ring?”

He held up my hand to draw my attention to the star-shaped cluster of diamonds. “Just like your stunning eyes, the ring is impossible to miss.”

I suddenly had a thought that maybe I should ask him to take me back. I didn’t look like myself, and I didn’t quite feel like myself, either. Giving up the ring would strip away yet another thing that made me me. I frowned at the thought. Like the crown I had left in my room, the wedding band didn’t define me. I didn’t want to be the queen tonight, and Finn was offering me a chance at that freedom.

“You can take it,” I said, barely recognizing my own voice.

His deft fingers pulled the ring off before he put it in his pocket. “Don’t worry, I’ll return it to you when I take you back.”

“What about the mark?” I nodded at the star between my thumb and pointer finger.

“Hmm.” Finn ran his thumb over it, and that felt all wrong, as if only Adrian was meant to touch it. “Nothing we can do about it. Let’s hope no one pays that close of attention. Come on.” Still holding my hand, he pulled me in the direction of the tavern.

When we walked in, it quickly became clear that Finn was a regular. He exchanged a few handshakes and shoulder claps as we made our way to the bar.

“Lord Finnian! Let me take you to your usual table,” said the barkeep, who was as sturdy as the oak the tavern was attached to. He hurried over to the swinging half-door and exited the bar wall. “Who’s the lovely lady?” He glanced at me while leading the way. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”

“Her name is Naeven,” Finn lied smoothly. “She’s visiting from another province.”

“I see.” The barkeep gave the lord a knowing look. “I guess it’s time to expand your prowling grounds?”

Finn chuckled. “You know I don’t need to prowl. Prey comes to me willingly.” He grabbed me by the waist and tucked me to his side.

I barely stifled a startled gasp at the same time the barkeep huffed out a laugh. “I do know! The tavern is always abuzz with stories about your latest escapades.”

“That’s why I like this table, to keep the buzzing to a minimum.” Finn winked at me as we reached a more secluded part of the tavern. We stopped before a seating area that looked like a nook, with a table and two dining benches carved into the wooden wall.

“After you.” Finn gestured to the arched entrance of the shadowy alcove. After I had taken my seat on the bench to the left of the table, he slid onto the bench opposite me.