Page 271 of A Dance of Water

Graves tugged on his amulet. "At least I can be free for a night."

84

A COMMEMORATION OF INNOCENCE AND CORRUPTION

LUELLA

It was time, and Luellacould barely walk.

After sleeping for hours, Az had awoken her. Ina and Osa had been solemn as they laid out a magnificent gown and a mask for her, preparing her as best as they could.

And now, she stood awkwardly on the balls of her feet, Tharen and Az on either side, gripping her elbows to keep her steady so she wouldn’t topple backward.

Every breath made her wings tremble with pain, sending waves throughout her body. She steeled herself against it. Cool air shivered over her back from the open cut of her dress—it was resplendent. Any other time, Luella would have been awestruck to wear such a thing. But now, all she could focus on was trying not to grimace with pain and the way the soft, delicate fabric rubbed over her sensitized skin.

Pools of feathery white molded to her breasts and hugged her soft curves, falling to the floor with the grace of drifting feathers. The back was entirely open to accommodate her wings. She still bore her bandages, but Tharen had cast a small glamor to hide their appearance. Her wings were tucked close to her back, protecting her, and pulling her off balance with every shift in movement. Red paint covered her chapped, bitten lips; kohl lined her tired eyes.

The white, ornate mask in Osa’s hands appeared as both anending and a beginning. The fire-haired female held it up. "Last piece."

Osa stepped forward, wary of the demon and mage. The mask was cool on Luella’s skin. Fitted over her eyes, with white feathers arcing up by her ears delicately. Osa stepped back and gave a curt nod. At her back, Ina’s kind eyes warmed.

Both maids knew that her wings were neither fallacy nor costume—not like the black wings fixed to Tharen’s back, or the white, feathered wings that arched high behind Az, appearing strange with his demon horns. Yet the pureness fit him.

Vale had said to trust them. Ina, Luella could understand—butOsa?

The weight of the mask felt strange on her face. Luella reached a hand up.

"Do not touch it, or you’ll mess it up," Osa warned sharply.

Ina approached with a fluffy brush dipped in burnished silver powder, which she swiped softly over Luella’s exposed collarbones, making her skin glimmer with every rise and fall of her chest.

Once done, both maids stepped back from her and packed up their things, leaving swiftly. But not before Az could growl, "This stays between us. If you breathe a word of it—" Az’s amber eyes fell to Luella. Her vision was only partly obstructed by the mask, but her red lips parted as he pinned her to the spot. "I can’t be responsible for what I do to keep her safe."

"We understand," Osa said with clear reluctance. And they both left.

Luella was alone with Tharen and Az, and her fingers twitched at her sides, sending sparks of pain down her arms and through her back.

"What now?" Luella breathed.

Az stepped before her, his hand not leaving her arm. "Can you walk?"

She nodded and focused on putting a foot in front of the other, but only succeeded in tipping backward into Tharen, who had moved to stand protectively at her back.

Tharen caught her with a hand on her waist, careful of her wings. "Not good enough, Princess. You have to at least walk a littleon your own. We can’t carry you." He almost sounded sad that they couldn’t.

She stared at the white feathers on Az’s back. He and Tharen were both dressed simply; though, the demon was shirtless. With billowy, white pants and the white wings behind him, he almost appeared as an angel, himself. The mage wore a stiff-looking white shirt, black pants, and the black wings of the fallen as his costume. Fitting.

She took a step forward, then another, like a newborn babe on quivering limbs. It was hard.

When she fell forward into Az, he caught her with his hands on her elbows, and her chin brushed his bare chest, lips skimming his hot flesh. He shuddered under her.

Luella peered up at him, emboldened by her mask. "You’re beautiful, Az."

Though his skin was deeply tanned, she swore the faintest of blushes colored his cheeks and the tips of his ears at her praise.

"As are you, my angel," he said.

At her back, she felt Tharen stiffen. "If you two are done…"

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