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They melt as soon as they meet my warm skin, leaving a slight iridescent imprint that soon has my entire body glowing.
Head high, I fight the urge to tug down my dress as I scan the seats.
My gaze locks on Valerian at the head. For a choked breath, he doesn’t move, doesn’t blink as he takes me in.
An emotion too brief to catalogue ripples over his countenance. When he stands, though, it’s impossible to miss the approval in his eyes.
Asher and Eclipsa do the same, their mouths parted.
“Holy Fae hells, Summer,” Eclipsa murmurs. “Every male below just had a heart attack when you walked by.”
Asher lets out a gravelly chuckle. “I think it was a different organ that was affected.”
“Careful, dragon,” Valerian warns.
Eclipsa rolls her eyes. “Males, always thinking with their least attractive appendage.” To drive home her point, she stabs a summer sausage from a platter and deposits it on her plate. “You guys hungry?”
Valerian pulls back the chair next to his, his gaze never leaving mine. “You look . . .” His lips twitch at the corners. “Beautiful.”
I never thought one word could nearly undo me. But when Valerian Sylverfrost declared I was beautiful with that rich, deep voice, those intense silver eyes peering into my fricking soul, I’m pretty sure one of my ovaries self-combusted.
Asher does the same with Mack’s chair, and we all sit. I’m thankful as an army of waiters descend with drinks and appetizers. As soon as they leave, the room begins to rise.
My stomach flutters—and not just because of the sudden movement.
When the floor settles and the frost clears over the walls of ice, I gasp.
Our room now looks out over the restaurant, which is set into a mountainside. The pale lights of the Winter King’s resort twinkle from the basin below. Snow-crusted peaks rise all around us, engraved against a sky brimming with stars.
Eclipsa holds out her crystal glass filled with golden plum wine. “To Yule, the Winter Solstice, new beginnings”—her eyes slide to me—“and new people.”
I follow suit, my heart as full as the wine glass I hold. Looking around the room at these people—Fae and human—I know just how lucky I am to have them in my life.
After that, I fall into the banter and camaraderie as Eclipsa, Asher, and Valerian all tease each other and reminisce. Any worries that I would disrupt their tradition somehow float away as the night progresses.
And, oh, does it ever. Ruby entertains us by juggling the candied winter berries on the sweets tray and performing an adorable dance every time she eats something particularly amazing. Mack makes us laugh when she tells us the story of her dads’ water sprites, which were finally rehomed to an aquatic Faerie creatures rescue center.
I even share some of my family’s Christmas traditions, confusing everyone but Mack when I try to explain Santa.
When the main course is delivered, the waiter hands Valerian an extra plate. Eclipsa winks at me as he studies the bowl. “What’s this?”
I grin. “SpaghettiOs with meatballs, aka the poor man’s heaven in a can.”
I can’t say that the expression on his face is blissful after he takes a bite, but he doesn’t spit it out like the ramen noodles the other day, so I consider it a win.
Finally, when there’s a lull in the conversation, I make sure the room is spelled from eavesdroppers before divulging what I learned on the field trip.
When I finish explaining the link between Hellebore and Evelyn, Eclipsa sets down her wine glass, her eyes livid. “Why didn’t you tell us Evelyn mentioned the Bloodstar flower?”
“Honestly, I forgot about it when I first woke up, and then I assumed Mack had already mentioned it.”
I cringe. Way to throw your bestie under the bus.
Mack taps her fork against her plate, the food untouched. Has she eaten anything since we arrived? “There was so much going on, and I was worried for Summer.”
Eclipsa downs her wine in a single gulp and then pours another glass. She’s still raw when it comes to Hellebore.
Valerian jumps in. “Now that we do know this information, we need to find a way to expose him.”
