Page 12 of Straw and Gold
“If there’s anything you need, pull this cord and a servant will be with you shortly,” he instructed. “I wish you a goodnight, Morella.”
He pulled on the door to shut it and I jammed my foot in the base. “Are you not tired?”
He cocked his head, nodding. “Not as exhausted as you, I’m sure, but yes, I will retire as well.”
Confused, I opened and shut my mouth. He moved to pull the door closed again, but again, I was in the way. “Do you have duties to attend to first?”
His confusion matched mine as he replied, “No…I will go straight to bed.”
I gestured behind me. “This is your bed.”
He peered around the door, speaking slowly. “That’s your bed.”
“And yours,” I amended, matching his tone.
“Morella, this is your room.” Turning, he pointed to the door across the hall. “Mine is here.”
“Yours is…” I stared dumbfounded, squinting at the door carved with flourishes and forest trees.
Killian coughed into his hand. “Well, goodnight.”
I removed my foot from the door, nodding in a daze. “Goodnight.”
The latch locked in a resounding click that seemed to echo through my head, and I was left alone on the night of my wedding.
CHAPTER 10
Killian
I wasn’tsure how long I stood outside her door.
Long enough to pick up the light rustle of her red gown as it fell off her body and onto the floor.
Long enough to hear her enter the bathing chamber.
Long enough to hear her rummage through her trunk, likely finding…whatever she wore to sleep.
Long enough to see the light go out under her door.
Long enough to convince myself to turn around and wait to see her tomorrow.
The draggingsound began at around two in the morning from what I could tell. I rose suddenly from the damp sheets where I’d been having another bout of nightmares—one after the other after the other—as was routine.
I wiped my face, quickly tying my hair back and glancing at the clock. Surely the guests had gone by now or were fast asleep in their makeshift beds on the floor of the great hall.
The long scrape of something heavy began again, and I bolted from my bed, headed for Morella’s room. I threw my door open and stepped into the hall, still dimly lit by one candle every other sconce.
The Queen of the Citrine Cliffs hunched in a crimson nightdress, lace cuffing the floor-length hem and thin silk pronouncing her curves. Her back was to my door as she pulled again at her trunk, dragging it across the floor. Her wings shifted and flared every foot she gained.
“What in the name of the Goddess are you doing?” I all but yelled, grabbing her arm to turn her.
She let go of her trunk and the look on her face would have drowned any other man. “I’m bringingmythings toourroom. What does it look like?”
“Ourroom?”
“Ourroom.”
I glanced behind me, still bleary, half wondering if I was dreaming this. “You’re trying to sleep here?”
