Page 49 of Muse

“He’s been treating you well?” Briar asked. “He’s being kind and behaving appropriately?”

“He has been the very definition of a gentleman,” I said.

Wrenley chuckled at that. “You sound disappointed.”

"No, I'm not." I blushed and shook my head. "Things are how they are supposed to be." Then I deflected back to xer, "What do your parents think of King Asmond?"

"Nothing yet because I haven't told them anything," xe admitted. "I am waiting until I hear from him before I start making things official."

Xe lounged back on the loveseat, wearing a semi-sheer blouse and wide-leg trousers. Xe toyed absently at xer wild hair and struggled to keep xer expression neutral.

“I’m not exactly monarch material, and there’s a good chance that Asmond will be blocked from seeing me at all. So I don’t want to get my parents all worked up for nothing,” Wrenley explained.

“That’s nonsense!” Briar argued. “You are clever and charming with a good family name, and you’ve received your share of accolades as a muse. What more could a King want?”

“A better family name, a bigger dowry, someone more traditional,” Wrenley replied dismally.

“Yes, because Lamida is such a traditional kingdom,” I said sarcastically, and xe smirked. “That place was perfect for you.”

“I know,” xe admitted. “That’s why I don’t want to get my hopes up. It all seems too perfect.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘too perfect,’” Briar insisted. “Everyone deserves a happily ever after.”

“Maybe they do, but not everybody gets one,” xe grumbled.

"Oh, speaking of unhappy endings." Briar's blue eyes bounced to me, and they turned apologetic. "Izzy, I wanted to forewarn you. Baxley Cole will be performing in the conduction with me. I know the two of you had a difficult relationship, and I wanted to let you know that you'll likely see him on Samonend."

"Oh, um, thanks," I stammered and averted my gaze. "It was a long time ago, and I can handle seeing him. But thank you for giving me a chance to prepare myself."

Our relationship had come to its rather abrupt end three years ago, and we hadn't spoken or interacted since. He tended to get far more prestigious placements than me, so avoiding him had been easy.

But I had known that I would likely run into him again someday. I still appreciated that Briar had given me a warning because I needed all the preparation I could. The Samonend was stressful enough, and I'd need extra steel in my spine to face Baxley, too.

Chapter 31

All Soren would tell me was what I needed to wear for our first practice: a light top and loose cotton gauchos so I could move easily.

I did as I was told and put my hair up in a loose bun, then slid on my robe to walk from my flat to the main house. The sky was dark and foreboding, and the wind had an icy sharpness, so I jogged through the gardens.

"I'm in the front room!" Soren called when I came in the backdoor. I don't know if he heard me or if he just felt my presence the way I felt his.

There was a subtle electric current in the air whenever he was near, but it was different than what I typically felt around enchanters. It was more palpable, and the hair stood on the back of my neck.

My arms were covered in goosebumps by the time I reached the front room. All the furniture had been pushed to the side, and Soren stood in the center, his back to me as he toyed with brightly colored fabrics piled at his feet.

For the first time, he was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and his tattoos were on display. Arcane symbols and magik sigils of all the incantations he had mastered were marked onto his skin, all down his arms and shoulders, even on his chest and back.

At first glance, they appeared solid black, but on closer inspection, they were iridescent shades of midnight blue, dark evergreen, and deep violet, shifting between all three. When he conducted magik, they emitted a soft glow.

Soren finally turned to face me, a crooked smile already lighting his handsome face. “You look healthy and rested. Are you feeling up for a workout?”

I nodded. “I’m good, and I am ready to go. What do you have in mind? Have you decided what we’re going to do?”

“We are collaborating, so I haven’t decided anything yet.” He dropped the fabric and stepped closer to me. “We’re deciding all thistogether. But I do have some ideas and some questions.”

“Questions?” I echoed.

“You’re afraid of heights, correct?”

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