Page 31 of Power of Five
20
Leralynn
I’m from Mors.Coal’s words echo in my head as a servant, who introduces herself as Mika, ushers me from the training yard to a palace room that she says has been assigned to me. My eyes trail the now-familiar frescoes and candelabras to a door beside Autumn’s own suite. “This can’t be right,” I tell Mika. “The royals’ rooms are here.”
“I’m quite certain,” the female replies, her voice light and musical. “Prince River had an order of clothes sent here for you, and then Princess Autumn had that order cancelled and reordered in different sizes. And then the prince had a bathtub and hot water brought in, but Master Shade refused to move from where the tub was supposed to go, and it took some time to make other arrangements for it.”
I wince. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble.”
“Don’t you dare be sorry,” Mika says, holding the door open for me. “It’s been a very long time since we saw River fuss over a female. It’s... it’s a better homecoming than we’ve had in centuries.”
“River isn’t fussing—” I cut off as my room’s sweeping ceiling spins my world. The chamber is even grander than Autumn’s, if that’s possible, though it’s more likely that actually being able to see the floor skews my perception. The bed, large enough to sleep a family of seven, is covered with an airy sky-blue duvet, while matching silk curtains frame the floor-to-ceiling windows and a dangling candelabra bathes the room in starlight. A small dais in the other corner of the room holds...
“Out, Shade!” I yell at the wolf lounging on a platform plainly designed for the tub, which now sits on the plush rug instead. “You can’t possibly even be comfortable up there, and there’s no chance in hell that I’m bathing with you watching, be you wolf or worm.”
The wolf rises lazily, making sure to take his time stretching each and every limb before stepping down. For a lightning-quick predator, the furry beast can be slow as molasses. Finally, with all four paws on the rug, Shade lifts his tail into the air and demonstratively trots past Mika and me into the corridor.
“Sorry about that,” I tell Mika. “Shade’s wolf has worse manners than a soup-bound hen.” I say this part loudly enough to reach into the corridor, and I grin at the echoing growl.
“Let’s get you bathed for dinner, my lady,” the fae female says, as if evicting wolves from sleeping chambers were an everyday occurrence and not meant to distract one from more important tasks. Opening up the armoire, Mika removes a flowing dress of red silk, with luscious skirts and a tight bodice that ties in the back, leaving the shoulders bare. “I think the red dress here might suit you best for tonight. Might you step into the tub?”
Three quarters of an hour later, Mika has tousled me into the ruby-red dress, cleverly clipping flowing silk to my wrists, which makes the garment appear to have wings. The light material cascades off my hips, except for a slit along one thigh that should make me feel exposed but is tastefully sensual instead. Coal’s hard work on the bandages has been abandoned, and my untamable auburn hair has been braided on one side and left loose on the other so it cascades over my shoulder like a shining waterfall.
I twist tentatively before the mirror. “Stars,” I breathe finally, blinking at the flowing cloth, which manages to accent both the curves of my hips and the round swells of my breasts. “I’ve never worn anything this perfect.” I almost don’t recognize my face either, with black kohl accentuating my eyes and a light red paint making my lips look soft and full.
“It does suit you well,” River says from the doorway. The male is dressed in black flowing pants that taper to wrap snugly around his taut waist. His cream shirt is simple but perfectly tailored, with an open V collar that shows his muscled chest.
My pulse stutters and I have to remind myself that I’m still angry with him.
River’s gray eyes flow over the folds of my gown, grazing the bend of my hips and chest. The gaze stops for a heartbeat on my mouth before finally slipping to my eyes, his own widening. For a moment, his face almost looks pained, but then it clears just as quickly.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“Everything.” River’s voice is husky, and he shakes himself in a way that makes me think of Shade. Stars. The quint brothers are so different and yet perfectly connected. Matching. River’s hand dips into his pocket, pulling out a gold chain with a jeweled flower pendant weighing down the precious metal. “I thought it might go well with the dress,” River says quietly.
“I thought another female would go with the dress even better,” I say, returning River’s gaze with a raised eyebrow. “Someone royal. Or at least noble.”
River swallows, raises his chin. “I deserved that.” He stares uncomfortably at the priceless chain, then lays it with care on my dresser. “If you ever change your mind, it will be here,” he says and bows formally over his arm. “For now, may I have the pleasure of escorting you to dinner?”
My stomach tightens. I thought I could do this, but now, seeing River as the prince he is... “I don’t know how to do this, River,” I say, stepping back from him. “If you wanted me to bow or curtsy or whatever it is nobles here do, you could have explained it earlier.”
“I don’t want you to do anything but be you, Leralynn.” River steps forward, catching my elbows in his hands. His voice is low. Confident. “We could toss the entire dinner into a basket, spread a blanket in the hayloft, and eat there if you’d like. Autumn might be a bit annoyed if her chocolate cake gets smashed, but we’ll be careful with that part. These clothes, the jewels, they are for pleasure, not pressure. Stars, we’ll be fortunate if Coal even changes out of his riding leathers for dinner—and remember that for the past ten years, Shade has taken his meals from a dish on the floor.”
The corners of my mouth twitch in spite of myself. “I wouldn’t dare risk Autumn’s chocolate cake,” I say, smoothing my hands over the dress. I am not going to wear River’s jewels, but this dinner is about all of us.
He exhales. “No hayloft, then?”
“The dining room will be fine,” I say, biting my lip. “I don’t think this dress fits the stable’s atmosphere.”
“It doesn’t.” River’s voice is slightly raspy, the air between us suddenly too hot. His eyes simmer with unspent tension, making me wonder what it would be like if he ever let it spill over. “The dress fits you. And you fit any room you are in.”
A heartbeat of silence stretches between us before River swallows and steps away, offering me his arm. I take it this time, following him out of the room.
“So this is where you grew up?” I say as we step into the carpeted corridor.
River slows his stride, accepting my unspoken proposal. I talk to him again... if he serves up information. “Yes.” He looks around at the frescoes. “It was a happy place once, when my mother was alive. My father has always found the notion of offspring unappealing, so with her gone, it did not go well. When the magic chose me to lead the quint, Autumn went to the Citadel with us. Helped the five of us through the training. Don’t let her smiles fool you—Autumn is the smartest being in Slait. Once we passed the trials, she returned here and took charge of protecting Slait Court from Mors attack. All the patrols in Slait’s Gloom answer to her.”
“Not to your father?” I ask.
