Page 122 of Mountain of Mirrors and Starlight
They met the others by the gates to the palace, an aide appearing out of nowhere with her commissioned gloves, wrapped in paper. She thanked him, and tucked them into one of the bags on her wargi’s saddle. Dillon was there too, and her stomach twisted with the thought that in the past two days, she’d barely spared a thought for him.
“Dillon,” she said, “I should have been to see you. Have you been all right—”
“Fine, fine,” he said. “I’ve been staying in the stables. Perfect place for me. And Luna’s been keeping me company.”
Aislinn smiled, her guilt lessening. She was glad he was accompanying them again.
“All present and correct?” Minerva asked, doing a quick headcount. “I once again remind you that this venture is not to be undertaken lightly—”
“Aye, which is why we’re going with you!” Flora declared, smoking on her pipe. “Safety in numbers. You know this.”
Minerva nodded. “Aye. I do. Well. Best be getting on with it, then. To the deep, sisters and friends!”
Aislinn’s eyes did not leave Caer’s back as they made their way through the city towards the entrance to the Deep. He was conversing loudly with Luna with what felt like false cheer.
He still hadn’t met her eyes.
This couldn’t wait.
She glanced at Beau, nodding towards Caer.
“Oh, you want to speak to him?”
“No, Iwantto fade away into nothingness and avoid ever having this conversation, but sadly, I think I have to do this.”
“Well, all right then.”
Beau charged forward between the two of them, so fast that Hecate almost fell off the back of his saddle, and interrupted the conversation with barely an apology. Caer glared, forced behind him.
Next to Aislinn. “Hi,” she said, drawing level with him.
Caer didn’t meet her gaze. “Hi?”
“I need to explain last night to you.”
“You don’t need to—”
“I’m in heat.”
“What?”
“Heat,” she said, cheeks on fire. “It happens to faerie women once a year. Me, twice. Being half-mortal. It’s when—” Her eyes brimmed with hot, angry tears. Vines, this was embarrassing.
“I know what being in heat means, Ais.”
Aislinn sniffed. “I’m out of control and I hate it. I just… I couldn’t explain it to you last night, and I hate that too. I panicked when I realised and ran away. I’m…” She took a shuddering breath. “I’m really, really sorry.”
Caer turned his face towards her, and met her gaze for the first time. “I went to your room.”
“You did? But I—”
“You had company.”
Aislinn’s face burned. “You… you saw me with Tiberius?”
He nodded.
“Oh, Caer, I’m so sorry. He just found me in a state and walked me back to my room.”
