Page 288 of A Flame of the Phoenix

Zaiana had never cared for her beauty, but tonight she did. Because this time it was for her, no one else.

She took her time running her fingers along the deep purple accents on the black gown. The bodice hugged her torso securely since the straps offered no support, just a beautiful elegance of draped purple silk falling off her shoulders. The crystals gave her comfort with their illusion of constellations—she was wearing the night sky she loved on her body. The skirts were long and layered, transitioning from black to purple.

Zaiana wondered if she’d made a mistake in refusing any servant help to get ready for this ball. The dress was so perfect,but she didn’t know how to style her hair beyond a braid for combat, so it was loose and curly, bound to annoy her throughout the night.

She knew it was past the time she’d agreed to meet the others for this. The ball should have started by now—they wouldn’t hold off to wait for her. Zaiana couldn’t push down the nerves over her appearance to leave her room.

Everything was foreign to her. The kingdom she was a fugitive in, the dress she wore, the feelings knotting inside her. Zaiana was about to peel herself out the dress and abandon the ball. She could brace herself from the shadows should the enemy strike like they anticipated.

A knock stiffened her spine, and Zaiana spun, taking a step to reach the door and lock it before the intruder could welcome themselves in.

She didn’t get beyond that step, and there was only one person who would enter without an invitation.

Kyleer stared at her with just as much shock as she held on him.

He looked…Spirits be damned,every word dissipated to describe how beautiful he looked dressed up in finery. There was nothing that seemed fitting enough.

He always carried his marvelous feathered wings rising above his head. There was still time to discover if he could glamour, but so far he’d had no success. She loved his wings, having to resist the urge to run her hand along them every time he was near. He wore all-black, no crimson for his kingdom, and she wondered if he’d avoided it because he didn’t know where he belonged with his memories lost.

“Zai…” Kyleer spoke her name in a lost breath.

She picked at her skirts, unfamiliar with thesenervescoiling like a festering entity within her. Not feeling anything mighthave been easier, but she didn’t want to go back to that cold place.

“The party started nearly an hour ago,” he informed her, blinking as if breaking himself from a trance.

“I know.”

Kyleer closed the door behind himself. His eyes never left her.

“You didn’t have to come for me,” she said.

His smile fluttered in her chest. “It’s completely dull down there without you.”

“It’s not like I’m one to offer any life to a party.”

He came closer, and her stomach tightened. “Your company is all the life I need.”

Kyleer left only a few inches of space between them before brushing light fingers under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She wasn’t accustomed to this kind of tenderness, but she craved it from him.

“It’s just as well you haven’t come down yet,” he said. “It gives the others some time to enjoy the attention before you steal it all.”

Zaiana pushed his chest, intended as a nervous gesture from the outlandish compliment, but he caught her wrist, eliminating that slither of cold when he tugged her against him.

“You are the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.” He stole her breath with mere words. “My beautiful nightmare.”

He brought his lips to hers in a single deep kiss that made her forget her tension for a moment.

Kyleer said, “I will stay with you up here if that’s what you choose, but I think you’d enjoy the music, perhaps even a dance.”

“I don’t need you to stay with me anywhere.”

Zaiana cursed herself internally. She wastryingnot to push everything away at the slightest hint she wanted it.

Kyleer only smiled again, sweeping the front of her loose hair back from her face. He fixed his arm around her more purposely while his other fingers traced down her arm, breaking a shiver. He took her hand in his, raising them, and she flushed with his intention.

“Will you dance with me, Zai?”

“There’s no music here.”

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