Page 63 of War of Her Heart

His thumb started to caress my back, and his eyes shifted down before he said, “That blue . . . like the sky.”

Even though I couldn’t admit it, I knew he knew.

This gown was for him.

I chose it days ago. Bronwen had several sent to my room with the intention of me picking a dress. Some more elegant versions of my everyday Mountain Realm dresses, some themed around the other realms that I saw in the hidden room while dress shopping with Nathara, and some that were the perfect depiction of the realm I was currently in.

I tried my best to pick another dress, but I couldn’t stop going back to this dusty-blue dress with jewels on the breast line and straps that draped down my arms.

But it wasn’t for the sky. It was for the eyes that haunted my dreams every night.

I was getting too close, but I couldn’t help it. Something deep inside of me was making me do it. Maybe it was in retaliation for having to watch Calum be with Nathara every day or maybe it was because I had never experienced life. Never had the chance to flirt. And now I was being tempted everywhere I turned here. Tempted by the most enchanting male I had ever laid my eyes on.

It was like he was always there, waiting for a chance to get my attention.

I could feel my cheeks redden and while I wanted to look away, I couldn’t, for I knew the glares around me were far worse.

Sebastian brought his gaze back to meet mine and let out a chuckle at my silent omission. He leaned in and whispered, “You should talk to your Sovereign. He’s not hiding his emotions very well.”

I looked around until I laid my eyes on Calum. He was staring daggers at us. His knuckles were white from how tightly he held his hands in fists.

“Was this why you chose me? To push him? It was all a fun game because you’re bored?” I asked as I shot him a look. Thethought of this all truly being a rivalry between Sovereigns hurt, even though I was wrong for feeling this was in the first place.

His eyes softened when he noticed my reaction. “I chose you because I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you since the moment you stepped into the room. No one here compares to you.”

I scoffed. “Do you not see the ladies here? That came for you? I am nothing compared to them.”

He pinched his eyebrows in confusion before shaking his head.

Slowly, a breeze picked up even though we were inside. I heard a few gasps and looked around to see everyone looking at the ground, picking up their feet as shadows slithered through the crowd.

They came together and formed a circle around us, rising high and blocking everyone’s view. It was just me and Sebastian in the circle.

My eyes met his again as he said, “Thisis what I see when you walk into a room. Only you.”

I had no words for what he said to me. We continued our dance while the shadows stayed around us, keeping us in our own little world. I heard the music and the voices around us, but I didn’t know how long we actually danced. Far more than one song, but I couldn’t tell for sure because I spent the rest of the time staring at him and trying to figure him out.

I had gone from being terrified of him, to learning to trust him, to feeling like a friendship had developed. All the while he relentlessly flirted because he knew it got under my skin.

I didn’t understand why he had become fixated on me but somewhere along the way, I stopped caring because his attention made me feel alive. Wanted, even.

When he finally let up on the shadow barrier he had formed, I looked around and realized several fae had left and the ball was coming to an end.

Once Sebastian chose his favorite, there was no need for the ladies from other realms to stay. Only Night Realm fae remained, and a few from the Ocean Realm that seemed too drunk to even realize where they were.

“You may want to head to your room. I’m sure Calum plans to visit you after seeing you in that dress.”

A pit in my stomach formed as Sebastian reminded me of the inevitable confrontation with Calum. He wouldn’t understand. He was territorial and would not be happy about what he just saw.

26

Chapter 26

Sebastian

I didn’t want the night to end, but Calum was currently pawning off the drunken Nathara to a few of her servants in her room, and I knew where he would be headed next.

Any other time I would have been doing everything I could to hold Violet’s attention for as long as possible to prevent her from spending more time with him, but he was angry, rightfully so, and I knew she was headed for confrontation. An argument that could potentially push her further from him and closer to me, which was exactly where she needed to be.

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