Page 92 of The Chaosweaver's Daughter
Oh my gods. Not the time.
How could a few dresses have gone so wrong? Would there be any coming back from this?
thirty-two
Nesrina closes a door.
Theywerefinallyaloneafter dinner, just her,and theduke who—who—Nesrina glared at Kas, unable to even think a complete sentence as she focused on the collar of his shirt.A new style,she realized.Collarless.Different from the wings she was used to seeing him wear.
New styles.That’s what got them into this idiotic predicament in the first place. Whyhad he insisted on buying her a bloody wardrobe? She struggled to work through what was bothering her so much about the entire ordeal. Coherent thought was made difficult by her racing heart, rising rage, and the deliciously overwhelming scent of autumn that seemed to cling to every fiber of his being. His cozy aroma made her feel wrapped in a hug, in spite of the heat of summer, in spite of her anger.
Why did he lie?The question tugged Nes back to the present and away from that dangerous place where all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and pull his face down to her.
Such a lavish gift... for what?Because she was too drab in her attire befitting a tutor? Too embarrassing? Because he was attracted to her, but not her status? Friends certainly didn’t gift wardrobes and keep it a bloody secret! Not to mention, they’d been nowhere near friendly when the clothing turned up in her chamber.
Thoughts whirled through Nes’s mind, threatening to bowl her over as she stood with her back to the door of the stupidcloset she’d forced himinto. She’d assumed it was a salon or something; somewhere that she could put distance between them, sit in a chair to gather herself, stand on a chair to unleash. But there was nothing for it now.
She wouldnot,however, lower herself to the point of tilting her head a full ninety degrees to address the duke eye to eye. With resolve, Nesrina lifted her hands to Kas’s broad chest and shoved him back a few steps until she could meet his gaze without fear of closing the gap between them and crushing her lips against his adorable mouth.
“Why?”After a few failed attempts to hone her first question, Nes decided to dive in. And dive she did, splashing him with question after question after question: Why did he buy her clothes in the first place? Why did he lie and make her think they were from the queen? Why did he think it was appropriate to purchase a new wardrobe for atutor?
“I’m mortified, Kas.” The confession was out before she realized what she was saying. The words brought with them a surge of vulnerability, which Nes pushed past, urging the steel back into her tone. She continued before he could answer the questions she’d already posed. “You embarrassed me.Why?Because you were, what... ashamed of my low-class clothing?” This time she waited for his response.
It took a moment for him to realize he was permitted to speak. “No.” His voice was soft at first, then louder and more confident when he spoke again. “No, Nesrina. Absolutely not.”
“Then what? Why?” She sucked in a deep breath, trying to stop her voice from pitching up with every half-formed question she flung his way. “Were you trying tobuy my affection?”
He looked wounded. Like she’d hit the mark.
“How could you do that? So many beautiful things. The gold dress is like...”
“Like the one you wore two years ago?”
“Exactly.”He understood. Wait, how?Internally, her heart plummeted. Externally, she scrunched her nose as the stench of manipulation intensified. “How do you know that?”
“I was there. I saw you.” Kas blinked, slowly, as if he hadn’t just dropped a stunning bit of truth on her.
What?
“How could Inothave noticed you? I couldn’t take my eyes off of you, you were absolutely—”
“What!?” She found her voice, stunned.It was all planned!?Kas saw her three fucking years ago and never mentioned it? Not once, not during the conversations they had about the symposium? Not during their timeatthe symposium? He knew who she was—foryears—and what?
She thought he’d wanted to be her friend. She thought he wantedher, not some ghost of a woman he’d seen in passing. Lord Kahoth waited until the opportunity arose to try and ... make her hiswhore?Bile burned up her throat. She swallowed it down and called up words in its place. “You bided your time until you could meet me in person, officially. Is that what you did? Waited until you could drag me back to the symposium? Dress me up like some sort of—”Whore.The word stuck in her throat,again.“Doll? To show off and take advantage of, as you pleased?”
Kas blinked at her.
Nesrina spun on her heel, in signature style, and yanked open the door, storming out of the closet. Intending to hide out in the library, she rushed for the stairs, and Kas caught her when she was halfway down, somehow silent, feline, in spite of his massive build. She hadn’t heard his approach, but she certainly felt his hands as they encircled her waist, lifting her from her spot in the center of the tread and setting her down a foot to the left.
With that taken care of, he surpassed her, taking two stairs at a time. Reaching the floor, he spun to face her, one hand on either wall of the enclosed staircase.
Nes stopped two steps up, telling herself it was an intentional choice, although they both knew he had her trapped. She could retreat, of course, but was far too angry at his imposition for that.
It’s fine, she reasoned. The rise of the stairs put them closer to eye level than usual.
Nes was about to bestow another tirade upon him when Kas put a finger to her lips, shushing her. She snapped her mouth closed while swatting his hand away.
“Let me speak.” His voice was low, gravelly, rumbling deep in herstomach. It wasn’t anywhere close to a question.
