Page 170 of Her Dark Promise

He placed his hand around my waist and said, “I can be rather charming when I need to be.” He leaned in to whisper into my ear. “Watch this.” And began to sing.

He swept me around the room as he sang to me, not missing a beat. It was rather impressive as I lost myself in his arms. I could see my dress casting bright lights all around the room, as if it were snowing inside.

We spent several hours switching partners and dancing until our feet ached so bad we had no choice but to head back overto the table. All of us except for Bastian immediately collapsed into chairs, while my darling Bastian sat on the table and ate idly from the scraps on the platters.

He grabbed a scoop of the gray stuff and moaned as he plopped it into his mouth. “This may be the most delicious thing that I have ever had in my mouth.”

Callum clicked his tongue and asked, “The most delicious thing you have ever had in your mouth? Are you sure about that?”

Bastian threw his head back and laughed so hard that he almost fell off the table. His laughter was so deep that it vibrated throughout my body, igniting flames inside me.

Bastian dipped a finger into one of the desserts and brought it to my lips. “A little preview for tonight?”

I smirked at him and wrapped my lips around his finger, sucking as he hissed.

“Alright, save that for when Emilia isn’t in the room,” Soren lightly scolded.

I leaned back and blushed. Everyone, including myself, was having such a wonderful time that I never wanted it to end.

Soren handed each of us a drink, raised it, and said, “Cheers to the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my entire life. You are not only beautiful, but you are brilliant in your passion and wit.”

I was about to drink when Bastian stood after him and raised his goblet. “I would like to add that I am happy you knocked me out with your magic and sent me to the tower. Every day is a surprise with you, and I am happy I get to be part of all your chaos.”

I glared at Bastian. “I am not that chaotic.” They all looked at each other, not knowing how to break the news to me. I scoffed, “Fine, I can agree that I am just alittlechaotic.”

Everyone laughed as Callum stood and grabbed my hand, pulling me with him over to a corner of the room. I finally saw a cloth-draped object leaning against the wall, and wondered how it had skipped my notice until now. Everyone followed as Callum said nervously, “I hope you like the gift. It’s a small token of my appreciation.”

“Shit, he is going to outdo us, isn’t he?” Bastian asked Soren as they followed.

“Speak for yourself; Rose was practically in tears when I sang.” He crossed his arms over his chest, looking rather smug and proud of himself.

“Close your eyes, your grace.”

I obeyed. Excited for whatever he was about to give me. I heard the rustling of the material.

“Oh wow, Cal, that’s incredible.”

“Callum, you did this yourself?” Emilia said.

“I’m speechless.” Soren breathed.

Now, I was restless.

“Ok, open.”

I opened them to find a portrait in front of me. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything except stand there and stare at the image with my mouth wide open. Callum had painted a family portrait of all of us. I was standing in the middle of the frame with Emilia beside me and my men behind us. Callum perfectly captured each of their personalities.

I looked up at him, my words coming out strained, “Thank you.”

He nodded. “Where would you like to hang it up?”

I was about to say that I would like to put it next to the one of my family in the library when Soren intervened. “I may have a suggestion. How about we take it with us?”

We all turned to him, and he handed me something out of his coat jacket pocket. The color drained from my face as Iimmediately recognized the small black leather-bound notebook with silver engraving on the front.

My hands shook as he held it out to me to take. “Where did you find it?”

“In one of the floorboards in the chapel.” It was Circe’s grimoire. I had looked for it for centuries. I thought it burned with her.

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