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With quick steps, she returned to the doorway she thought was her room and pulled at the door. An oppressive heat slammed into her. Not her room. Inside was… a lake. A giant body of water in the ground… in a floating house. Brinna closed the door, blinked, and opened it again. The pool—still there—was surrounded by lush greenery, fragrant flowers, and wooden platforms with reclining chairs flanked by green plants. A waterfall resounded at the far end. A wall of glass framed the entire wall opposite the door where she stood offering an expansive view of the waning-sun sky and everything beyond, including the corner of another wing of villa.
Her breath hitched—this place was massive. A floating village.
But she wasn’t moving in the wrong direction, so she closed the door, and dashed over the glass bridge to make another turn, moving past another set of Elsewhere Doors. Wishing she had more time to explore, she suppressed the impulse to open one and peek, and instead continued forward, looking for the bridge back to the main room.
She passed over another skybridge—another wrong turn to more bedrooms—and backtracked into the atrium once more. By the time she crossed the only glass corridor she hadn’t been across, she didn’t rush and took her time to look out at the darkening sky, awed by the beauty. The house floated amidst the clouds, dark shadows of mountains hinting below them. Though she couldn’t now see, she was sure on a clear day, she could see the landscape beyond.
When she heard voices, she turned and started toward the main room.
“You’re serious?” It was Nix. Brinna’s heart burst with joy, knowing he’d have news.
“You’re offering Sol to Auri and her family?”
Moving too quickly, Brinna tripped on the hem of the dress, which was a touch too long.
“Brinna is already here.” Lucian’s voice. “We both know there’s enough room.”
She pulled up the silk, bunching it in her hands so the hem wasn’t a danger as she held her breath at the sound of Lucian’s voice. The depth of it reverberated through her chest, especially as he said her name.
“At least until we can deal with the darkling,” Lucian added.
Something whistled, followed by the thump and scrape of metal against metal, the cadence matching the sudden pace of Brinna’s heart at Lucian’s words, his kindness.
“I will propose it, but Scarlett–” Nix said, cutting through the other sounds.
“Just ask. We can send Tarley and her new husband through an Elsewhere Door. I know just the place for newlyweds.”
Brinna’s heart melted in her chest at Lucian’s thoughtfulness. Moving quietly, she made her way toward them, enjoying the exchange.
“Seriously, who are you and what have you done with my brother?” Nix laughed.
Brinna smiled, lifting a hand to cover the sound of her near giggle.
There was a pause, then the quiet words she couldn’t quite make out from Nix.
“What?” Lucian exclaimed. “Absolutely not.”
“Well, she’s lovely. I could see–”
“No. She’s Aurielle’s sister.”
Brinna stopped, her back rigid, her heart frozen along with her breath. Were they talking about her?
“Exactly.”
“I don’t fool around with mortals anymore, Nix. Especially not ones with their heads in the clouds.”
Brinna’s mouth fell open as her heart plummeted into her belly, burning up as it did.
“When has that ever stopped you?”
There was a silent pause, which communicated enough quite loudly. Then Lucian said, “You can rest assured, Nixus, I have no intention of crossing any romantic boundaries with Brinna Fareview.”
Brinna pressed her teeth together. As if he could!
But her cheeks heated, recalling what had happened earlier. The brazen way she’d spoken to him thinking she’d been dreaming. The way she’d touched him. The way her body had responded to his touch. And now to learn hers had been unwelcome.
She pressed her hands to her burning cheeks, knowing she never would have done something so bold had she been in her right mind. Lucian might be handsome, but so far his personality was a sieve leaking most of the good parts out and leaving behind the egregious.
