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My lip curled. “Really?”
“No one does that at court anymore. It sort of went out of fashion. No one has seen her in decades, I think.”
I stared at him. “Moria is a Dearg Due, isn’t she? Has she returned to her kingdom?”
Aeron shook his head. “No.” His face paled. “Actually, she’s been advising Orla. If what you said is true, that she made treasonous accusations against Torin, I should let Orla know right away. We’ll get them back,” said Aeron with more confidence than his furrowed brow suggested. “I’m sure Modron will help us learn the truth. And I have complete faith in the king.”
The cold bit at my skin, and I nodded. “You know, it’s impossible to get warm in here, even with the fire. This isn’t a normal cold. But where I come from, they say body heat is the best way to warm another person.”
“Is that right?” He raised his eyebrows, and a sultry look ignited in his eyes.
My gaze brushed down to his beautiful lips, then back up again. How could anyone be so perfect looking?
His eyes danced with a seductive promise. “Every day, I think of giving up my vow.”
He slid his hand around my neck, pulling me closer. With the touch of his lips against mine, embers rose to molten heat inside me, until I found myself pushing him down onto the bed.
He kissed me back, deeply, and it felt like the kiss of a man who’d been thinking about this intensely, every moment of every day.
As my hand slid under his uniform, feeling the heat of his hard abs, he moaned into my mouth.
“Wait,” he whispered. “I can’t.”
Gods damn it, Torin.
A loud knock sounded at my chamber entrance, and I caught my breath, my gaze reluctantly sliding to the door. I tried not to groan audibly with exasperation.
Sighing, I noticed that someone had slid a letterunder the door, which was weird. I didn’t feel important enough to get letters here, just a human who’d overstayed her welcome by several weeks.
Aeron kissed my throat, his lips hot against my skin. “Are you going to get the door?” he murmured against my neck.
“Hang on, Aeron. I’m coming right back to you.”
Painful as it was, I forced myself away from him, my heart racing. What if this was news about Torin or Ava?
I picked up a cream envelope with maroon calligraphy on the surface. It was addressed toShalini.
When I opened it, I found an invitation, inscribed with the same maroon ink and ornate decorations around the borders.
Dear Shalini,
We have succeeded in locating Modron, and our soldiers are returning with her as we speak. In the meantime, we have been working hard to keep every family fed and clothed through the cursed frost. This terrible tragedy that has befallen our kingdom is not an accident of nature, but the scourge of the demons’ evil curse. We ask that you not blame King Torin for his absence in this time of need. We have only one true source of blame, and it’s the demons who have haunted and tormented us for centuries.
While we wait for the arrival of Modron, we request the presence of all members of the court in the throne room tomorrow night at dusk so that we may discuss our current situation and discover how to work together.
It was signed by Moria and Orla. My stomach twisted, heart hammering.
I wasn’t sure I was ready to find out what hadhappened to Ava, and I knew I didn’t trust Moria to get to the truth.
Deep in my bones, I knew Ava was in trouble.
With a pang of regret, I realized I almost wanted to stay in the safe cocoon of ignorance with Aeron for just a little longer.
21
AVA
“In Faerie, I will freeze anyone that I love, Ava. I will kill anyone that I love. That’s what Queen Mab cursed me with. And that’s why you can’t come with me, my changeling.”
