Page 88 of Alien God

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Torrance

Wylfrael didn’t come back for a long time. So long that panic began to claw at me, panic that he’d gone back on our deal, that the whole thing was called off. That I’d go back to being shut away in the room at the top of the Dawn Tower, no chance of finding my friends or freedom.

When Aiko brought me dinner, she seemed surprised not to find Wylfrael with me, two plates on her tray. So, they don’t know where he is, either.

I’d beamed at her and thanked her for the food, as if everything was fine in Torrance and Wylfrael land. Eventually, she left, and I hoped she hadn’t gotten suspicious about Wylfrael’s absence.

Him being gone gave me a lot of time to pick away at my food and stare at the room I’d been left alone in. This chamber was magnificent, easily three times the size of the already large one I’d slept in until now. The Eve Tower was carved out of a silver-white tree, which made the walls of this room glisten like fire-licked platinum. The bed was outrageously huge, standing high on a silver frame, and I noted with both embarrassment and appreciation that Aiko had made good on her word and had supplied a stool for me to get in and out of it. Good thing, too, because I could already tell I wouldn’t be able to haul myself up there like I had the other bed. On either side of the bed stood gigantic green crystal armoires. The one on the left was mine now, and it was already stuffed with garments Wylfrael had purchased for me, just waiting to be tailored to my puny human frame by Aiko. When Aiko got to work on the rest of the fabrics he’d bought, sewing them into actual clothes, I had no idea where they were all going to go.

The floor gleamed silver, just like the walls, the only colourful tile in the massive pool of a tub carved into the floor near the towering fireplace. A green desk and chair were also near the fire, with what looked like sewing supplies, which I quickly remembered were actually Sionnachan writing supplies.

I was seated at a large, oval-shaped table, slowly eating my food, when my gaze finally came to rest on the empty chair across from me.

Bastard.

How dare he just disappear like this? After he had made such a big deal about a newly mated god not being away from his bride at night, too! It was late, I was exhausted and ready to fall (or climb, really) into bed, and my supposedly devoted husband was nowhere to be found.

I retreated into rage, grinding my teeth and glaring at the other chair. Anger was easier than acknowledging the teeny, tiny, absolutely minuscule possibility that I was maybe just a little bit hurt he hadn’t shown up. That he could just walk out of the room, leave this world entirely, if he wanted to, like I didn’t even exist.

No, screw that. I was not going to sit there and feel sorry for myself because the alien devil of a man I’d made a deal with was being a moody prick. I wasn’t going to wait for him, whenever he deigned to return, like I had nothing better to do. I had all kinds of more important tasks I could complete. Like...

Well, what I really wanted to do was lie down, but I absolutely refused to do that right now, especially in his bed. I’d been jarred out of sleep by his presence too many times already.

I got out of the chair and brushed my teeth. While I scrubbed savagely at my molars, I decided I’d get out of here. If Wylfrael could jet off somewhere without warning, then so could I. I was too tired to go outside and hike through snow without Wylfrael doing his whole psychic snowplough thing, so I figured I’d explore the rest of the Eve Tower since that hadn’t been covered on our tour.

I left the bathroom and walked through the main bedroom to the door. I paused, though, the armoire catching my eye. For a second, I considered pulling all the clothing out and dumping it onto the big fire rock that crackled in the fireplace. But even in my anger, I knew I wouldn’t do it. Even though I didn’t want the items, even though they’d come to represent how little power I really had in this bargain, they were too beautiful to destroy. Some Sionnachan had put their time and care into the clothing, and I couldn’t burn that. Plus, Aiko had been so excited during our measuring session, like she was getting to play with a real-life dress-up doll, and I didn’t want to imagine the disappointment she would try to hide if she came in tomorrow and found only ashes left of all the clothing.

It would have made Wylfrael furious, of course, which at this point was quite an alluring idea. But ultimately, I decided to go in the complete opposite direction of burning the clothes.

I’d wear them.

If he’s going to completely suck at playing husband, I’m going to give 110% at being his wife. So that there’s no way he can find fault in my performance.

I stomped over to the armoire, a wicked smile on my lips as I yanked it open. I hurried out of my human clothing, leaving it on the floor. I ended up discarding my bra and panties, too, since I’d need to wash them tonight anyway. I stood naked before the armoire, perusing its contents, my eyes and my hands running over fur and leather and silk.

I settled on a crimson silk robe. It was far too big, but it had a belt which helped tighten the garment at my waist. The sleeves I wouldn’t be able to help until Aiko tailored them, so I rolled them up past my elbows as best I could. As I walked, the silk flaps of the robe trailed behind me like a river of shining blood.

In this luxurious red robe, walking through this quiet castle in the dark of night, I felt like some lost woman in a Gothic story. Like I should be creeping through the halls holding a candle up in the darkness.

I actually wished for a candle as I left the room and went up the stairs. There were no firestone lanterns in this passageway, and as I ascended, I fought the feeling that I was walking into nothing.

Wylfrael’s room was quite near the top of the tower, so there wasn’t too much left to explore up here. I poked my nose in a couple of rooms that, thankfully, were lit by fires. One was something like a study, another was a large, lovely bedroom.

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