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I break eye contact first, the broken carriage that slammed into the tower drawing my attention.
Reassuringly, I nod. “It’s just some wood. We made it through.” Evie’s carriage landed behind ours, and she’s still inside, so we’re fine. Except, Nottuza is staring at me with that same expression I can’t quite place.
“I’m fine, really. The ride, apart from the landing, was pleasant. Oh wait, you’re bleeding.” I reach for his neck beneath his collar, searching for the wound and noticing mild white lines on his face. Those indicate recently healed wounds. “You heal instantly,” I say. I’ve seen fast healing, but not this fast.
“I didn’t get those from the landing.” Nottuza steps away, wearing the same blank, stern expression I often see on my brother Et’enne and our commander when they’re addressing their subjects, when they’re distancing themselves from emotions when speaking with certain people.
I can almost feel him shutting off the part of him he allows me to see. The caring part of him he shows me sometimes. But by the fates, that is the best part of this male, and when he shuts it off this way, it feels like he’s walking away. Again.
And I won’t let him see that it bothers me.
“Evie,” I call out loudly, wishing I could shout like most people, but I can’t because a princess doesn’t shout. At least not in a foreign court and when others are watching.
“Evie,” I call out again while turning about the icy platform. A gust of wind blows and almost knocks me off my feet. I stagger back, and Nottuza places an arm across my chest and secures me to him.
He squeezes my shoulder. “Let’s get you indoors.”
“Not without Evie. I must ensure she’s well.” I’m biting my lip and thinking of screaming her name when the door opens and one of the twin vampires steps out. It’s the one who’s more serious and has a half-fleshed-out face.
“Ledger,” Nottuza says in a voice that carries nicely without shouting and also reverberates against my spine, causing a stirring of arousal between my legs. A male hasn’t turned me on the way Nottuza has in so many turns. Perhaps never.
With him, I feel like a bouncy engorged clitoris. Inwardly, I laugh. “Evie, I just thought of something wicked. Come on out so we can laugh about it.”
Ledger jerks his head slightly. “The duchess needs a moment to settle her stomach.”
“Go ahead, Fleur,” Evie rasps from inside the carriage. “I’m fine, but if I sit up now and walk, I’ll throw up.”
“I’ll have herbs prepared and draw us a bath.” I squeeze Nottuza’s arm. “How many staff members do we have?”
“As many as you commission.”
I turn in his arms and look up. “What do you mean?”
He offers me his elbow, and I take it so we can find shelter from the whipping winds.
“Nobody’s ever lived in this tower, and the former staff scattered after the coup. We don’t have much of a setup around here.”
The Winter fae guards wear black on black with white and red coats. The young pair of males guarding the gates are wearing white jackets, with white gloves and hats.
“Good evening,” I greet them, knowing they won’t reply.
Shades of red color their already wind-beaten red cheeks as they try to keep their eyes focused straight ahead. The nature of my magic pulls them away from duty and toward me, and if they’ll perform guard duty where I’m staying, they must get used to the pull. We wait, but they might’ve forgotten their wits once my scent stroked their imagination. They’re turning all shades of a red, ripe tomato. Cute.
I don’t want them to get in trouble with their superiors for straying gazes. “Open the gates,” I whisper, gently reminding them.
A whiff of male arousal that is not Nottuza’s blows in with the winds, and Nottuza growls low in his throat before pushing the gates open with shockingly strong force.
The massive heavy doors slam against the wall, shaking the ground under us.
The vampire marches inside, then turns and fixes the lapels of his uniform, the bottom hem of his jacket, and then he clicks his heels together as a soldier expecting a king might do.
“Welcome to the Ice Princess, Princess. The royal family’s floor is all yours. You may take any room you wish. May your stay be merry and bright.”
Then hevelosisout of there so fast, it makes me think the wind swept him away.
Was that another way of saying goodbye again?
Damn him.
