Page 23 of Stitches
“Fantastic! And you’ve no experience, you said? Braxton must be a wizard as much as an alchemist.”
Levi blinked at the sound of Daedlys’s voice, seeing that he had sliced and stabbed nothing but air. The deer had seemed so real. But there were no such creatures in the Shadow Lands anymore.
“You’ll do fine on the hunt, sweet Stitches. Shall I secure the belt for you so you can wear it out?”
Levi lowered his arms and straightened his stance, unsure what to do with the daggers without anywhere to sheathe them yet. “Y-yes, please.”
“You’re going to look stunning, my dear, don’t you worry.”
Daedlys’s touch was as strange as seeing him hold something, for it felt like a brush of wind more than any real weight, a cold presence wrapping the belt around Levi’s waist and showing him how to tighten it with translucent fingers.
That was why Levi started shivering, he told himself, feeling a chill linger at the base of his spine, even after Daedlys stepped back to allow him to admire himself in a nearby mirror.
The rest had merely been another daydream.
Ashmedai
Ashmedai insisted that he and Dreya walk and talk during their morning business to reach the festival site sooner, not wanting to miss his chance to see Levi. At first he thought hehadmissed him, for there was no sign of the young man, but then Ashmedai saw Grillo only just arriving, which was when he spotted Levi.
Levi wasn’t coming from down the road but up the market steps, his hood back, bag slung across his body, and sporting a very handsomeweapons belt in black with twin daggers.
Despite the different picture Levi painted from the hooded and hunched figure Ashmedai had first met, he also seemed distant, maybe even troubled—until his eyes met Ashmedai’s and immediately seemed to pulse with purple light.
“What do you think?” Dreya asked.
“Hm?”
“About ensuring none of the advisors have a booth to man this year. Not only for me! We could all use a break. Especially Luccite. She works so hard, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely. Whatever you recommend,” Ashmedai said absently, offering a polite bow. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Dreya seemed about to say something more but let him go without argument.
“Preparing for the hunt?” Ashmedai asked once he reached Levi.
“I thought it best. Also, Daedlys finished your belt.” Levi reached inside his bag to produce the belt—black, like the one Levi had chosen for himself.
It was pure vanity to assume Levi had matched Ashmedai on purpose, but the thought made his smile widen. “Perhaps you could help me confirm there isn’t any need for adjustments before you go.”
Levi’s cheeks flushed deep indigo, and his eyes flashed toward Grillo. But while it was obvious Grillo was waiting on Levi, the minotaur stood back, content to let them finish. Everyone else around the clearing between the houses and market steps were busy amongst themselves.
Levi’s smile was sweet as he motioned for Ashmedai to turn around. The shadows were hiding in his eyes again though—Ashmedai could see them—like swirls of deeper violet.
“Is everything all right?” Ashmedai asked. “If you’d prefer to not assist me—”
“I want to!” Levi exclaimed. “I-I mean… I very much would like to assist you. My mind was elsewhere before, but… I’d rather it be here.”
“Are you sure?”
Levi paused a moment before answering, a pink tongue flitting out to moisten his blue lips. “Yes.”
He stepped forward, not waiting for Ashmedai to turn but approaching from the side and boldly wrapping his arms around Ashmedai’s waist. Levi clasped the belt closed with his arms still coiled around Ashmedai, and for the first time, Ashmedai realized how similar they were in height, for Levi’s breath struck the side of his cheek.
The proper response would have been for Ashmedai to keep his face forward, but the delicate pressure of Levi’s hands at his hips and waist wasn’t causing a veryproperreaction.
Ashmedai turned to meet Levi’s eyes, caught in their amethyst glow that was a simple lean away. He licked his lips as he’d seen Levi do and overlapped Levi’s hands on his waist.
“D-does that feel in need of adjustment?” Levi asked, breath still puffing lightly, but now on Ashmedai’s lips.
