Page 97 of The Chaosweaver's Daughter
“Yes. What has gotten into you?”
“Sorry. I need to get back to work.” With that, the infuriating man took two steps back and shut the door in her face.
Thunk. The lock clicked into place.
Her jaw dropped open.
Thedukehadn’tcomeout to visit her—the twins, rather—before or after their lesson. He also didn’t pepper her with questions during dinner, or needle her intentionally, as he was wont to do. Instead, his focus remained upon the children and his sister.
Have I done something wrong?Nes wondered for the umpteenth time as she paced her bedroom that evening. She needed a distraction, something to busy her mind.A book.Her bedroom shelves, though full, held nothing she wanted to read, and the text on the Old Tongue stared at her from its spot atop her side table.Not that one.
As she’d done so many times before, Nes stepped into the hall, off to the library.
“Oh!” Aylin startled as she rounded the corner. “I was looking for you.”
“You were? I’m heading to the library.”
“Very good.” She smiled, then turned and sped down the stairs.
“Did you need me for something?” Nes called, but the maid was gone.Peculiar.
She took the back stairwell, her favorite way to get to the books recently, since it allowed her to bypass Kas’s office. Padding down the flight, Nes was surprised to hear several sets of footsteps rush past the door at the base of the stairs. The library doors banged closed.Odd.
When she pushed open the wooden panel and stepped inside, nothing seemed out of order. Several candles were lit, as usual. Actually,allof the candles were lit, basking the room in flickering warmth that chased away the usual evening shadows.
Perfect.Initially, she planned to grab a book and retreat, but the ambiance was inviting, so she thought she might stick around to read for awhile, in peace. Turning right, she skimmed the shelves until someone cleared their throat up ahead, and she froze. The only thing “up ahead” was her favorite lounge, tucked discreetly into the corner. Perhaps the noise floated through the vent and Kas was pulling a late night in his office.
If only she could be so lucky. A shiny pair of boots followed by a long set of muscular legs swung out of the alcove. The bloody duke was folded up sideways in there, the way she liked to sit. She giggled, unbidden, at the image of him scrunched in the corner.
A light breeze wafted across the room, delighting her with his signature scent and wrapping her in a ghostly hug that dissipated a bit too quickly.
“Nesrina.” His words tumbled over, setting that ever-present ball of anxiety wriggling and shooting zaps of electricity from her heart to her core. The overflow sizzled down her arms leaving her fingers tingling.
Nes groaned, softly. Before she could grab a book—anybook would do at this point—and retreat, he stood from the chaise and closed the gap between them.
“Nesrina,” he repeated, voice intense.
She stared at his boots, willing him to keep his magic at bay. If he decided that was the perfect moment toentanglehis air with her... physically... she wasn’t positive she’d have the will to resist.
“Nes,” he whispered.
She looked up at him, then past him as her eyes caught on something different about the books on the far wall. Whatwasit? It took a moment for her brain to catch on. They’d been rearranged.
Kas stepped to the side, observing her as she put the pieces together. Dozens upon dozens of books, all the green ones, in fact, had been shelved sideways, while others, still vertical, broke up the spaces between the stacks. She followed one line of spines, and then another.
Letters.
Two words. Two words were spelled out amongst the thousands of books.
Nesrina’s heart sputtered and her mouth fell open. She swung her gaze to where Kas had been standing, then down to where he knelt before her, a small dark box clasped in his hands.
“Nesrin—”
“No.” She threw her hands up, then slapped a palm over her mouth, taking several steps away. She shook her head, taking in those two words again: Marry Me?“No. No, no, no. No.”
A little smile quirked the corner of his mouth. He thought she was joking.
“Absolutely not. I won’t.”
