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“You should just,” Dace said as I turned to look at him, “stay.”
His body had followed me as I slipped from the blankets, leaving him in a diagonal line across the bed. One arm was outstretched, his fingers holding up a ring.
Whatever I was going to say lodged in my throat. Gold curved into a hoop that supported a large, glistening white stone that caught the light with shades of blue and purple. It looked like the snow of the Twinity Court as it reflected the moon. My body felt numb and my heart threatened to jump from its cage.
“You should stay,” he repeated firmly. “With me. Officially. Forever.” Sitting up to his knees, the blankets fell away from his bare chest, the underwear he slept in riding up his thighs as he inched forward. “I know I’ve asked it, probably one too many times at this point, but you deserve the real thing. You deserve something traditional and something normal in such an abnormal time. Ryker Jane Avery, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
My mouth fell open and words buzzed in my head. Questions and statements and answers swam in my mind, all of which were too quick for me to catch.
“Where did you get that?” I finally stuttered. Where, in all of this madness, had he had the time and the availability to get a ring?
“I commissioned it from the royal jeweler.” His eyebrows lifted.
“When?”
“When I was eighteen.” Dace smiled softly. “I hope I already know your answer, I wish you’d just say it.”
“You’ve seen this?” I blinked, finally regaining some sense of my body, that I wasn’t some sort of floating head.
“And you’re beating around the bush just as much as I remember.” He bit his lip to keep the laugh shaking his shoulders from tumbling out loudly. Dace looked down at the ring, then back up at me. “Please?”
“Maybe I should draw the suspense out more? At what point will it be different than your vision?”
“Oh, I’m not telling you that,” he snorted.
“Not fair.” I reached out with trembling hands to take his. “I would be honored to be your bride.”
Dace let out a sigh of relief, perhaps he hadn’t seen as much as he thought he had or maybe he knew that the future was always a little bit uncertain. Flattening my left hand, he slipped the ring on. Its weight was oddly familiar, like it should have been on my finger my entire life.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, melting back onto the bed. Dace wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling into my neck. Tantalizing tremors traveled through me as his lips moved over the claiming marks.
“I knew you were going to say that,” he said against them, making me want to crawl back under the covers and explore his body. Straightening, he continued, “Hattie gave us her blessing.”
“You asked her?” I closed my eyes, feeling the pressure of joyful tears.
“Of course.” He kissed my cheek. “Now we can return to the Twinity Court.”
“I should really tell my sister first.” I looked down to my hand resting on Dace’s shoulder, staring at the ring I now wore. It was more than I expected and surprisingly perfect. Fae always wore these clear or colored diamonds traditionally, while Nymphs often crafted rings from softer stone or more common gems.
“Be my guest.” He grinned, letting me go.
Hurrying, I practically tumbled off the bed. Dace chuckled as I gripped the post for support and stood back up.
Where would Hattie be right now? Running? Her room? I thought back to our conversation yesterday, remembering her plans to join King Windre for his meetings today. I couldn’t interrupt those, and we really couldn’t stay any longer.
I slowed, turning back toward Dace. “Actually, I just remembered how busy she is today. I’ll catch up with her soon. It’ll be fine.” I picked at my thumbnail. “We could throw a party and make her come to us for once. That’d be nice,” I suggested.
“That sounds lovely.” Dace stood from the bed, walking confidently to me. “Let’s go home,” he purred.
“Shouldn’t I get dressed first?” I pointed at the silk slip.
“I’d prefer it if you stayed the way you are. I’m taking us straight to my room. I’ve already sent word that we are returning and that’s where we will be. They won't disturb us unless it’s an emergency.”
Moisture gathered expectantly in my center. Maybe we could push everything off for just one more day?
Dace tilted my chin, kissing me firmly. His magic brushed over my skin, expanding from his lips like the gentle caress of a light rain. The familiar sounds of his court returned, the soft patter of snow falling outside, and ice hitting the windows as the breeze tossed it off course. Our kiss broke and we pulled apart.
Dace opened his mouth, the words stolen by the knock against his door.
